9/18/26 LOCAL MANAGER
One of the responsibilities of the pastor is to "manage the church, lead the church, preside over the church." The translated word is "rule." This does not mean that a man becomes the ruler or sovereign over the church or the owner of the church. It means that a God chosen, God trusting, God following, God equipped man will serve his church people (flock) by leading, managing or presiding. The pastor is the shepherd, or more properly, the "undershepherd," (aka the assistant shepherd) since Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, the Great Shepherd and the Good Shepherd.
1 Timothy 3:1-7
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop (dlg note... seeks to oversee, superintend [dlg note... the local church]), he desireth a good work (dlg note... vocation).
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth (dlg note... manage, lead, be over) well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule [dlg note... govern, manage, preside over] his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Managing, ruling, overseeing, superintending infers loving, strong, principled leadership of the local body of believers.
Managing includes knowing the task, knowing the solution, knowing the people involved, directing a harmonious and concerted effort in fulfilling the task.
Shepherds lead the sheep, they do not follow them.
Shepherds feed the sheep, sheer the sheep and protect the sheep.
A pastor needs to understand his mission and his resources to fulfill the task. Managing includes training, correcting, directing, protecting, assigning, evaluating.
A pastor should be able to coordinate his people and the various aspects of the mission.
He should help each one find and develop the skills, gifts, talents, God has given to them, and coordinate a concerted effort by the entire body, using the variety of tools that God has given them.
The pastor should superintend corporate praise, worship, evangelism, Bible training, specialized ministries, unity, mutual support, as well as other areas of ministry.
THEN, the local church needs to submit to God's leadership through the anointed and appointed pastor.
Hebrews 13:7
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
Hebrews 13:17
17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Such a pastor with a willing body of believers is able to impact and influence the community and the world beyond expectation. The sum total of a unified body of believers is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
God has a plan for us personally, but He also has a plan for us corporately.
God reveals His plan to His chosen shepherd and leads the entire body through the leadership of the pastor.
Some people will never come close to God's plan for the individual because they will not surrender to Him.
Some people will experience some spiritual victory because they follow Him personally but are unaware of God's greater plan.
Some people will never reach their full capacity for ministry success because they never have a qualified pastor or mesh with a dedicated body of believers.
Some people will reach awesome heights of success because they align with God's plan for them personally and corporately.
It is the pastor's office and work to manage the household of faith, the local church.
The world needs to see individuals that are surrendered fully to Christ and working in unity with a local body.
