Goals and Priorities for Pastors

I fear that too much of thinking about goals and priorities for pastors is influenced by business practices and not informed and shaped by the scriptures. This outline of Goals and Priorities for pastors is taken largely from On Being a Pastor by Derek Prime and Alistair Begg. And they did a great job of going to the Bible for their understanding of goals. Enjoy.

Feed the Flock - John 21:15-17 - When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Our goal as preachers is to provide spiritual nourishment for the flock entrusted to our care. We do this through faithful preaching of the scriptures.

Proclaim the Whole Will of God - Acts 20:27 - for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

This is once again a call to faithfully preach the Scriptures, but this is a call to preach all the scriptures. We will make God's will for salvation, sanctification and we will do it without hobby-horses or cowardly avoiding difficult truths.

Present Everyone Perfect in Christ - Col. 1:28-29 - Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

We are to strive to motivate every Christian in our care to grow. We are to show them the purposes of God for them in Christ. We as Pastors will be held accountable for this process because we are striving to PRESENT everyone mature in Christ. So our goal is to help them to grow in such a way that we will be able to present them to Christ.

Prepare God's People for Works of Service - Ephes. 4:12 - For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

It is arrogant for us to think that we have all the gifts necessary for the work of the ministry. It is foolish for the flocks we serve to think that we their Pastors have all the gifts necessary. We must take seriously the New Testament teaching on Spiritual Gifts and realize that all of us are necessary and that we all have gifts necessary for accomplishing God's will for our church. We as the Pastors must make it a priority and goal to discern giftedness and empower the people for ministry.

Equip God's People to Be Fishers of Men and Women - John 10:16 - And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

We must be concerned for the flocks participation in the Great Commission, to personally be fishers of men, and for the sheep who have not yet come. Therefore, we teach, we train, and we give an example.

Keep Watch Over Yourself and the Flock until the Task is Complete - Acts 20:28 - Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

We must keep watch over ourselves - they remind us of the greater victory for the Enemy when a Christian leader falls. We are also to help our people run their race, keeping watch over their souls.