Today In The Word / Moody Bible Institute The Particularity of Sacred Vocations Read 1 Timothy 3:1–13; 5:17–21 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17 From Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don’t; Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life; and Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead are just a few of the many books about business and leadership that reached the best-seller lists in the last decade. But passing along ideas for effective management is nothing new. The apostle Paul wrote his own three-volume leadership manual of sorts called The Pastoral Epistles, circa A.D. 67. Paul wrote these books—1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—toward the end of his own ministry with a keen concern that young pastors benefit from his hard-won wisdom about church leadership. While there is much in these letters that could be considered good advice in any number of workplaces, it’s important to note the particularity of work in the context of the church. Christians have interpreted the list of qualifications for a person to be a deacon or elder in various ways over the last 2,000 years, but the central point is clear: in keeping with the importance of the kingdom-building responsibilities of the church, its leaders are held to the highest standards of conduct. And those involved in such ministry are due special consideration in light of their unique responsibilities. The varied lists of the Holy Spirit’s “giftings” found throughout the New Testament attest that we can serve God in ways as diverse as the body of Christ itself. You do not have to be a pastor or a missionary to please God with your labor, and many godly people never work in a full-time capacity within a church. But the body of Christ should also understand the distinctive pressures on pastors and other full-time Christian workers and support and encourage them. Hopefully most of us are praying for our pastors and missionaries on a regular basis. They need the spiritual support to sustain their ministry. Are there other ways you can support people in vocational ministry? Perhaps you could help support your pastor to attend a conference or retreat, or send birthday cards and gifts to missionaries.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 11:06:35 +0000
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