Ministry of Pastor (Part VI)

By Odon Bulamba (10th Nov 2000)

When we talk about pastors, there are 2 categories:

1. Pastors inspired by demonic powers. They hold that ministry from Satan, they are false pastors
2. Pastors chosen by God

And we must know who are these pastors and discern their spirit. The Bible tells us something essential: if a blind leads another blind they will both fall into a pit and everything will be lost. So Christians must open their eyes, ask God for discernment, a vision so that we know who are those who lead us.

Both, true and false pastors are helped by true and false elders. Elders also have the same abilities as pastors have. So if you are not chosen by God, and if you are asked by your pastor to be an elder in a church, be careful. First of all know what kind of calling it is, who is calling you to work for him: the Spirit of God or the pastor’s will? If Jesus calls you to work for him, you will be rewarded for that but if a man calls you to help him in God’s work, woe to you.

Example: Here, we are at Sylvie’s place, and someone comes and starts gardening outside. At night, he comes and asks to be paid. The very first thing Sylvie or Michael will say, “Who asked you to do this work?” Woe to you! If you have committed yourself to a service that God has not asked you to do, woe to you! Watch out for the right calling. God is not a man, He never jokes, so let us not joke with Him either. He says: our “yes must be yes and our no must be no.” I must not be influenced by anything or anyone to do what God didn’t ask me to do. Never and never must I please man, if God doesn’t allow me.

Pastors and servants of God, accept it too! If Christians say, “This is the truth, this what I have found to be the truth”, don’t let your heart be troubled or hurt, don’t fall into anger and make harsh decisions, just understand the situation and praise God. Most pastors and servants of God today think highly of themselves, higher than others, holier than others and they forget Jesus’ commandment for the one who wants to be first must be the slaves of others.

Let us be careful and let us look after the flock God gave us. We will be judged according to our own lives as pastors, and then to the souls we had to look after. So pastors will be judged twice: for their lives and for the church’ lives. So be ready to accept the load and to sacrifice your life for your flock.

The best thing to overcome: pray a lot, read the Word and know it, and he must take out what is in his eye before taking it out of other people’s eyes, so that people will not blame him and see the same problem in him.

In my country, someone went hunting one day in the forest, and he found a skull on the road. The skull said,
- Good morning, my friend.
- A talking skull!! Am I dreaming or is it real? And shyly he said “Good morning”. Looking right and left, If the skull moves, I’ll flee.
He fled. Two meters further down, the skull was there again.
- “Hello my friend.”
- “Why are you here?”
- “You answer me with confidence that’s why I always follow you. I want to tell you that if today I am a skull it’s because I have lost the flesh that was over my bones. Even my brain is not there anymore, everything is gone, but bones. Do you know why? Because I always saw people’s mistakes and never mine. So when I told an eye, “You misbehaved” and I condemned the eye, I cast out my eye; no eye, same for the ears, the nose and everything that was covering my face is gone and all these parts reproached my own faults but I refused to change. That’s why I am just a skeleton today.”

The person reported that event to the chief, and he invited all the members of the village to tell them about this incredible thing. They thought about it and found out that the one who had met the skull, not only hunt animals but hunt souls as well. It means that when we are pastors, servants of God, we might realise one day all the Christians have fled when we don’t look after our own bodies.

If people reproach your faults and you don’t want to change, this is what happens. Jesus said that nobody is perfect, so help each other through prayers, when you see your pastor’s mistakes, pray for him. Do not go and inform anyone what you saw, but kneel down in your room and tell God and God will help him. It is not propaganda and I am not against pastors but I tell you this because one day you might do this work, you will help other pastors, other Christians to build up God’s work properly.

May God bless you and may His power always be with you.
Let us finish our time tonight, we will pray and each one will pray for each family, and for their work.