I’ve had a couple of people comment to me over the last couple of days that I’m a prayer warrior, or something along those lines.
I’m sorry to disappoint you guys but it’s just not true.
You see, a prayer warrior is someone who senses the call of the Spirit to pray and does so both often and with a strong desire to.
I’m not that person. I have the hardest time praying. Really, you don’t want to hear me pray out loud, it’s not pretty. I pretty much have to force myself to pray and even then, Irush through my prayers and get distracted very easily.
It’s only in times that I set aside to fast and pray that I come anywhere close to what should be a ‘normal’ prayer life.
Now I can already hear some of you objecting but let me continue…
My gift is that of Pastor.
I’m not saying that arrogantly or to boast, it’s just a fact. God gives each of us gifts, mine happens to be the gift of pastor.
The thing is, having this gift means I see things differently than many people I see things in a way that makes me think “What can I do to release the Church to do this?”
The apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists are there to equip the saints to do the work. (Ephesians 4:12)
I picture a pastor in two ways:
1) As a shepherd (the literal translation). The shepherd leads the sheep to the pasture, he guides them. Very rarely does he actually carry them, rather he shows them the way, He also NEVER eats the grass for the sheep or grows wool or fattens himself up for slaughter. That’s the job of the sheep. The shepherd just shows the way and keeps them on the right track.
2) A sports coach. Any team needs a coach. The coach shows the players what needs to be done and equips them to do it but then he sends them out onto the field to actually play the game. Yes he shouts encouragement and correction from the sidelines but he doesn’t suit up play the game with them. That’s not his (or her) role.
Pastors, like anyone else have to listen to God and obey. If God calls me to pray for you, I do it – but that doesn’t make me a prayer warrior, it means I’m obeying the call of God and demonstrating what it looks like when we pray for each other.
People often tell me I have the gift of encouragement. That is SO not true. The gift of encouragement means that you have a supernatural ability to be able to speak encouraging words in any situation. I can’t do that. I can give you a “woo hoo” and a slap on the back every now and then but I’m lost when it comes to real need.
The way I encourage is that of the coach shouting from the sidelines and I do it:
a) because I know everyone needs it and
b) because I want to demonstrate what encouraging people looks like and how easy it is.
This post really isn’t about me though… it’s about your pastor.
All too often, the church sees that something needs to be done and expects ‘the pastor’ to do it, when that’s really not his/her job (or gift). Your pastor/minister is there to equip you and the rest of your congregation to do the work of ministry. Their gift is very specific and there are people in your congregation who have the gifts to do whatever it is that needs to be done.
The Church needs to stop looking at the ‘leaders’ as the workers and everyone else as passive bystanders and start thinking about ourselves as a body in which all the parts have an essential function and are all neccessary. If any of us are being passive and doing nothing then the whole body of Christ suffers.
Go, do what God is calling you to do. Don’t give it to your pastor to do – as Nike says “JUST DO IT!”
Oh and you could read 1 Corinthians 12 if you need more convincing!
Very nicely said. I always appreciate your wisdom!
Thanks Bridget!
Love it! I agree wholeheartedly with the role of the pastor is to equip the saints to do the work of service. Evangelism is great, but it is not the primary role of the pastor. The pastor needs to feed the sheep. Many Christians are starving today because they are not being fed nor taught how to find spiritual food.
The Body of Christ needs solid teaching and the result of solid food will manifest itself by producing the fruit of the spirit in a believer’s life. The body of Christ will look different from the world as they begin to JUST DO IT!
I’d love to visit your church someday!
Deb
Amen on the doing it! You and I can’t do it all, Peter. 🙂
Deb, what you say is true, but on the flip side, many sheep keep getting fed and don’t do anything with it.
As far as prayer goes, I do see different gifts and callings that apply there, but a strong prayer life is valuable and important to every believer. I’m not disagreeing with you, but I think you can develop and have a strong, vigorous prayer life without being a “prayer warrior.” Just thinking out loud. 🙂
Oh, yes, you’re absolutely right, Jason.
Sorry, I should have spoken to that in my post. There is a big difference between saying “I’m not a [fill in the blank] but I do the best I can” and saying “I’m not a [fill in the blank] so I won’t even bother trying.”
Gosh who wants to be a fat sheep!
Hi Peter. I think I get what you are saying. If you are able to take people’s suggestions for your Church and help them figure out how to run with it, that’s a good thing.
Good thoughts. I must say, God has made me somewhat of a prayer warrior, I think it is still getting developed but I do find myself stopping and praying for people when the Spirit senses me, but yes, I have days I struggle too. I Do have the gift of encouragement as my # 1 Spiritual Gift, so it was nice to hear you mention it. I really like what you said about pastors, so true, and yes, way too many fat sheep, I’ll give that an Amen! But it reminds me that God is in control. God bless you all! Robin
Right on, Peter! This is exactly how my church views things, and I’m glad. “There are no spectators in the Church.”
Great post. I don’t know if you listen to any radio ministries, but I’d recommend Living on the Edge. There was a series, “Your Divine Design” that completely changed my outlook on that and I’ve since used that for small group study. It falls right in line with what you’re saying. The pastor pastors, the teacher teaches, etc.
My congregation (like I’m sure most do) is struggling with this. At a teen mentors meeting recently, our Evangelist (different polity, but that’s another conversation) thanked many parents for suggestions on how to make the teen ministry better, but noted that the reason we weren’t doing those things was because *they* weren’t doing those things. I told him I wanted to leap up and hug him for saying it. We put too much on our spiritual leaders and miss the point of all of us being part of the body, all of us having unique gifts, and all of us needing to contribute so that the church can grow.
Praise God you’ve identified your gift and are using it to God’s glory!
Great post. I don’t know if you listen to any radio ministries, but I’d recommend Living on the Edge. There was a series, “Your Divine Design” that completely changed my outlook on that and I’ve since used that for small group study. It falls right in line with what you’re saying. The pastor pastors, the teacher teaches, etc.
My congregation (like I’m sure most do) is struggling with this. At a teen mentors meeting recently, our Evangelist (different polity, but that’s another conversation) thanked many parents for suggestions on how to make the teen ministry better, but noted that the reason we weren’t doing those things was because *they* weren’t doing those things. I told him I wanted to leap up and hug him for saying it. We put too much on our spiritual leaders and miss the point of all of us being part of the body, all of us having unique gifts, and all of us needing to contribute so that the church can grow.
Praise God you’ve identified your gift and are using it to God’s glory!
(repost with right link)
I would call anyone faithful in prayer a prayer warrior.
In any war, there are soldiers on the front line, and other soldiers who support them from the sidelines in a multitude of ways. All are still called soldiers, whatever their position.
Without support staff–those “building up the body of Christ”–the front line people would not last long. I do not know you well enough to dispute your denial that you are a prayer warrior, but I have difficulty believing it.