Chapter 4: Restoring The Pastor Ministry:

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12).

A portion of the body of Christ has devoted itself to "equipping the saints for the work of service," and with some measure of success. As the passage above continues, this is essential if the church is going to mature to the stature to which we have been called, being nothing less than the stature of the fullness of Christ. Even though this has been one of the most evaluated, discussed, and taught passages over the last several decades within the advancing church, it is about to receive an even greater impetus. The church is about to go through a needed time of re-evaluating its definitions of these "equipping ministries." The result is going to be a much greater clarity of function for each of them, and a much greater flow of true ministry throughout the whole church. The ministry that may experience the most profound changes in this process will be that of the pastor. The result of these changes will not bring less significance in its place of ministry in the church, but one that is pivotal for releasing the other ministries and gifts into their fullness.

What Is A Pastor:

Ephesians 4:11 quoted above is the only place in the New Testament where the word "pastor" is found. Neither is there a description of the duties of this ministry given anywhere in the New Testament. Yet, today almost the entire ministry of the church revolves around this one office. How did a ministry that is but once mentioned, and is not even once described, come to so dominate the life of the body of Christ? Is this the way the Lord designed the ministry of His church? We must understand that the amount of attention given a certain subject in Scripture does not necessarily reflect its level of importance. Most evangelicals would consider the need to be "born again" one of the most essential doctrines in Christianity, yet it is only briefly mentioned twice in Scripture, with no real definition of its meaning given. When the Lord gives something with such importance so little definition, it compels us to seek Him for both the understanding and the experience. It is more important to be born again than to be able to describe it. In fact, being born again is impossible to understand until it is experienced. It is apparent that the Lord was ambiguous about the role of the pastor ministry in the church precisely because of its great importance, not the lack of it. The pastor ministry is actually much more, not less, than the present, popular model. However, it is radically different in many ways. The present popular model of the pastor ministry has usurped much of the responsibility delegated to the other equipping ministries listed in Ephesians 4:11. It has also had much of its responsibility usurped, mostly by the spirit of the world, or "secular humanism." Finding the Lord's definition for this ministry is imperative if the church is going to come into the authority and power required to accomplish her mandate for these times, which is to overcome this spirit of the world. All of the ministries are the manifestation of an aspect of the Lord's own ministry. Jesus was the Apostle, the Prophet, the Evangelist, the Shepherd and the Teacher. Serving in any ministry is simply becoming a vessel through whom the Lord can reveal Himself to touch the needs of His people. A man is not a teacher just because he is articulate, or has accurate doctrine, but because the Teacher lives in him. Likewise, a pastor is not just someone with a degree or ordination papers from a certain institution or organization, but a man through whom The Shepherd has chosen to reveal that aspect of His ministry. The most accurate example of a true Pastor is found in observing the Lord's own ministry as the Great Shepherd.

One For All And All For One:

Many try to recognize modern prophetic ministries by relating them to their Old Covenant counterparts, but this is a mistake. The Old Covenant prophet usually stood alone, while the New Covenant prophet is but one part of the equipping ministry of the church, and must function in proper harmony with the others to fulfill his calling. The same is true with the pastor. Modern trends have often caused pastors to try to stand alone in ministry, but this ministry will never come into its proper place of authority and release until it works in harmony with the other ministries given to the church. Many have tried to define the pastor by including the Lord's entire ministry—the apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic and teaching aspects, resulting in a tragic overburdening and distortion of the true ministry. This is probably the main reason why many modern pastors try to be all things to their people, which greatly dilutes their effectiveness in the sphere of authority to which they have been called. Failing to understand the God-ordained separation of responsibilities in ministry is a major cause of the devastating overload to the average pastor. For this reason many insurance companies now consider pastors "high risk." One insurance agent told me that many 35 year-old pastors have 65 year-old hearts. This is a major cause for the burnout many pastors now suffer after just a few years of service. Just as tragically, a major portion of the Lord's ministry to His church is not fulfilled, resulting in her not being properly equipped for the work of the ministry, not to mention the grievous weakness of the entire body. No ministry can function properly unless it is properly related to the other ministries given to the church. None of the New Testament ministries are complete within themselves. All will be out of balance, and out of the will of the Lord, to the degree that they are not in harmony with the other ministries. The present emphasis on the restoration of the prophetic ministry to the church should also result in a further restoration of the other equipping ministries. Each ministry is required for the full definition of the others. None will come into their full spiritual authority and anointing until they are all properly restored and related to their appointed place and stature. Even though the modern pastor ministry may have often assumed authority or responsibilities that were not given to it, much of this has been done out of necessity because the other ministries were not functioning properly. As the other ministries assume their correct responsibilities, and each can become more specialized, each will realize a great increase in true spiritual authority. Like a laser, as we are each able to focus, more power will be released. Many have seen their spiritual authority eroded because they assumed authority in realms where they had not been given it. When we stay within the realm that the Lord has appointed to us we are yoked with Him. When we are properly yoked with Him we have His authority, and this makes the yoke easy to carry. When we take yokes that the Lord has not given to us they are always heavy, sapping us of our strength and our anointing. The Lord is now working to bring about a great repositioning in his church, one that will bring us all into our proper place, which will result in a significant increase in our anointing and effectiveness. As we come into the harvest that is the end of this age, it is imperative that we are in our assigned sphere of authority or we will be overwhelmed with what is coming upon us. Even though the typical, modern pastoral ministry may be carrying many responsibilities and burdens which it has not been called to carry, it is called to have far more responsibility than it now has. The only way that those with this ministry will ever fulfill their calling is by having every yoke but the Lord's yoke removed from them.

The King's Master Chef:

The Greek word translated "pastor" in Ephesians 4:11 could be literally translated "a feeder." This reveals the basic function of this ministry—to feed the Lord's sheep. We may think that this is really the function of the teaching ministry which is listed after the pastor, but that is a different Greek word, which could be more accurately translated "instructor." Because of the seeming overlap of the pastor and teaching ministries, and with it being difficult to distinguish “feeding” the Lord's sheep from "instructing" them, many have concluded that Paul was really addressing one ministry—the pastor/teacher rather than the pastor ministry and the teacher ministry. In many cases there is a combination of these gifts in a single person. However, there are also many gifted teachers who have little pastoring ability, and there are many gifted pastors who are not gifted as teachers. The difference between "feeding" and "instructing" is that feeding has to do with providing the spiritual diet, while instructing has more to do with developing skills in a person. At a university the chef would do the feeding, but the professors would do the instructing. As a flight instructor I did not just impart knowledge about aircraft; I got into the airplane with the student to help them develop their skills as a pilot. Perhaps our pastor does all of this for us, but herein lies the question: Is he supposed to do all of this? Would he not have much higher quality spiritual food to serve if he was not trying to do the instructing as well, but rather relied on others to help believers apply their knowledge? The feeding of the Lord's sheep is critical; it must be given the very highest priority. We do not want to give the King's own household "junk food!" In biblical times, as we can see in Joseph's story, the baker (chef) was one of the king's most trusted and honored servants. What chef, who was given the commission to prepare meals for the president, or any potentate, would not put his very best into each meal? Such a chef would probably scour the world for the best ingredients for every dish, hire only the best assistants, and seek out only the best dinnerware on which to serve it. How much more should we put our best into what we serve the Lord's own household, whom we have been given this great honor of serving?

Who Then Is In Charge:

In the Lord's discourse concerning the end times, He includes a challenging statement that is obviously directed at the pastor ministry: Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes (Matthew 24:45-46).

To the consternation of the idealists who consider the present authority of the typical modern pastor as excessive, here we see that the ones whom the Lord calls to feed His sheep are "put in charge of his household." Because of the importance of His people having the proper spiritual food, the Lord has made the “chef” the manager of His entire house. Even so, this does not mean that he must personally do everything. We also see from the text in Matthew 24 that timing is crucial. There are certain foods that are appropriate to certain times of the year, and even certain times of the day. The Lord expects His pastors to be sensitive to the times, and the present needs of those whom he has been entrusted to serve. The "sensible slave" was the one who gave His household their food "at the proper time." This in itself is a full time job.

Loving The Lord And Tending The Sheep:

In a literal translation of John chapter 21, the Lord asked Peter if he loved Him. After Peter's affirmative response the Lord then directed Peter to "feed My lambs." Then the Lord asked Peter again, and after the affirmative response He exhorted him to "tend My sheep." After the third time, He directed Peter to "feed My sheep." Here the Lord is actually giving three different instructions to Peter. First to feed the lambs, then to tend the sheep, then to feed the sheep. The Lord made a distinction between "feeding" and "tending," and most shepherds would agree that there is a distinction. To feed the sheep is to lead them to a proper pasture. To tend them would include protecting them from predators and parasites, nursing them when they become sick, breaking up fights, etc., which are all typical of the modern pastor's duties. The Lord also distinguished between the lambs and the sheep, obviously concerned that neither group be forgotten. It is also important that the lambs were to be fed before the sheep. If the lambs are not taken care of first they are often overlooked. Even so, the charge is to feed both. This has proven to be a difficult balance for many congregations to find. Either they will gravitate toward emphasizing food for the younger believers, or for those who are more mature. To have a healthy flock, neither can be overlooked. In this passage we should also consider that the children are literal and not just spiritual. Many churches try to find ways to baby sit the children so that they can minister to the adults. In this we may have our priorities backwards. The Lord would have us to consider the care of children before the adults, lest they are forgotten or are just given the leftovers. If we put our highest priority on the children, by the time they became adults many of them would be shepherds themselves rather than requiring so much of our continued attention and ministry. It is also noteworthy that the Lord based Peter's responsibility to the sheep on his love for Him, not for the sheep. Of course Peter was to love the sheep, but the foundation of this ministry was a love for the Lord, not the people. The first commandment is to love the Lord, and then each other. If we get this backwards it will not be true, godly, love that is the foundation of our ministry. If we love the Lord more than we love His people, we will love His people more than we would otherwise. If we love the people, or the ministry, more than we love the Lord, we have become idolaters and will become unrighteously possessive, ultimately becoming barriers between the Lord and His people. The more that we love the Lord, the more that we will be prone to properly care for His people.

The Domain Of The Mind:

It is in this area of "tending" the sheep where much of a true pastor's authority and responsibility has been usurped by philosophies based on secular humanism. One of the fundamental needs of a Christian once he has been born again is to have his mind renewed, of which Paul exhorts in Romans: I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

According to this Scripture, our minds must be renewed before we can prove what the will of God is. For a Christian to "walk in the light" he must live by a different perspective, knowledge and understanding than is prevalent in the world. Yet, the domain of knowledge and understanding has almost universally been given over to the world in everything from education to mental health. Both education and "mental health" are the very essential, basic domains of the pastor ministry in the church. These must be recovered if the pastor ministry is going to be restored to its proper place in the church. Many Christians still think and perceive from the world's perspective because the world is essentially in control of the development of their minds. This is in fundamental conflict with the Spirit.

As we read in Ephesians:

If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:21-24).

The world's educational systems and mental health philosophies are in basic conflict with the renewing process that would remake us into the likeness of Christ. In fact, almost everything about these philosophies promote the development and dominance of what the Scripture refers to as "the old man," the "carnal nature," or the "flesh." Can we turn our children over to the world's schools, which are founded on the religion of secular humanism, to have their minds formed and then expect them to be Christlike and spiritually discerning?

PART II: The Pastoral Mandate For Education:

Until the turn of this century, schools were generally the domain of the church. Most of the great universities were founded by the church, but we have abdicated our responsibility in the field of education and turned it over to the world. To educate means to enlighten. The church was called to be "the light of the world," which means basically we are called to educate the world according to the ways of God. The church has a mandate in the area of education that must be recovered. There are political and legal considerations to this, but can there be any barrier to the will of God? Do I believe in Christian schools? Absolutely! In fact, if anything, I do not believe in public schools, which are a fundamental reflection of the failure of the church. I say this with the fullest respect for the proper separation between church and state. However, "public schools" are fundamentally religious in nature, promoting the religion of secular humanism, regardless of their claims. Understanding the creation is fundamental to religion. If there is a God who made us then He has a right to our worship and to dictate our lifestyle. If we do not believe that we were created, but rather evolved from slime, then we will worship ourselves. That is essentially what secular humanism is—the idolatrous worship of man. Public schools that teach evolution are teaching the religion of secular humanism—the worship of man as his own god.

Reasons For Our Failure:

Does this mean that we are sinning against our children by sending them to public schools? In a general sense, yes, but in an individual sense, possibly not. In a general sense the whole church has failed because we have abdicated a basic responsibility given to the church, and specifically the pastor ministry. As individuals, many do not have a choice but to send their children to public schools, and the Lord obviously has grace for them. Some children are also sent to public schools by the Lord as genuine missionaries. They are salt and light. However, if we are sending our children to public school just because we cannot afford to send them to Christian school, I believe that we would be better to cut off any or all luxuries, or maybe even some needs, to send them to a Christian school. We simply cannot afford not to do this. However, it is true that some parents could sacrifice even down to the barest necessities and not be able to afford to send their children to a Christian school. This is but another glaring failure of the church. Why are Christian schools not affordable, or even free, for the children of believers? There are usually several reasons for this. One of the most common reasons relates to the church's priorities. If the church in general spent the resources on educating her children that is spent on unnecessary buildings, or the programs that they develop to draw people when they do not have the anointing to attract them, many churches could today have a school that would be the envy of the world. Even so, the primary reason why Christian schools are unavailable for most Christian children, or are so expensive, is the lack of unity in the church. Not every congregation is called to have a school. Some congregations who have attempted to establish their own school have even been destroyed by it, and many others have suffered divisions or other serious wounds. However, if the church in just a typical school district would unite for the purpose of educating her children it could provide quality schools which would surpass that of any public or other private school. If the congregations who did not have the calling to establish a school would contribute their fair share to those who did, all would benefit through our ability to specialize on what we do best. This subject cannot be adequately covered here, but because of the times and the impending exponential increase of evil, this is an issue that must now be addressed by the church. The longer we wait to address it the more difficult it will be for us all, especially the children. Presently the wheels are coming off of most public schools. Not only is the evil that is taught, and tolerated, in public schools increasing dramatically—many are now becoming war zones. This lack of authority and control is the result of their denial of the ultimate authority—God.

Evangelism Through Education:

It is also important that we do not form Christian schools out of a "ghetto mentality" of trying to escape the world. We cannot be the light of the world if we are cut off from the world. This is why many Christian leaders are in opposition to forming Christian schools, but the mandate of God for this is actually the reverse. The Lord wants us to develop schools of such quality, order and peace that the heathen will beat a path to our doors to educate their children. This can become one of the church's greatest evangelistic tools, and possibly its greatest opportunity to impact the next generation for the sake of righteousness, sowing salt and light throughout the nation. Many congregations, denominations, and movements have already taken much ground in this area, and we need to learn from them so that we do not each have to "re-invent the wheel." There are serious difficulties with most Christian schools, but they must be addressed and overcome through the Spirit who has given us this mandate. The ultimate answers to many of our problems cannot be found until the church comes into unity. The church cannot fully accomplish its mandate in any area without unity. As churches start working together in the area of education they will also begin to realize their common interests in other areas. Every "joint" that is formed by two parts of the body coming together will build up the whole church.

Home Schooling:

Home schooling is an answer for many, and often provides a superior education to public and private schools. Not only can home schooling provide special bonding within families, but it allows for an even greater ability to focus on the special needs, and gifts, of individual children. The quality of education that is being realized through home schooling is now being recognized, and encouraged by some state governments, rather than just tolerated. With the new, easy to use curriculums designed especially for home schoolers now available, and being constantly upgraded, the home schooling movement is becoming a major, and important force in the field of education. It is not for everyone, but for those who choose this route it is proving to be extremely beneficial in preparing the next generation for their life and calling in the world. Many who are home schooling their children are also forming support groups to provide extracurricular activities, science, physical education facilities and for highly specialized types of instruction. This is giving birth to a type of education that seems to capture the best of home schooling and private schooling. This also provides the children with plenty of interaction with other children. It is obvious that a great part of the confusion and disorientation that many teenagers suffer is the result of too much interaction with other children, which magnifies the effects of peer pressure. Until the twentieth century most children had far more interaction with adults than with other children. With the institution of public schools this changed drastically. Now for most children school is the central influence in their life, and they spend far more of their time with other children than with adults. This results in many having their basic values influenced more by other children than by their parents. Regardless of how we educate our children, and certainly there are now a variety of valid options, we cannot keep giving our children over to the world to have their minds formed and then expect them to be godly! "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:6).

If we are going to be the "light of the world," we must provide the world with its enlightenment. The church must address this if we are going to fulfill our mandate, and prove our love for the Lord by "tending" His sheep, properly. When the church does, in unity, properly address her mandate for education, the properly renewed minds of Christian children and youth will astonish and light up the world with their brilliance.

Pastor Or Principal:

If you are a pastor and have read this far, you may have started to come under a heavy burden. It is probably hard to fathom how it would be possible to take on any other responsibilities, much less one as expansive and great as establishing and overseeing a Christian school. Please relax! Most pastors are not called to do this, but if you are, this is the Lord's yoke and you will actually find rest and refreshment for your soul by doing it. However, before we can get His yoke on we must get rid of all of the ones that He did not put on us! Most pastors are not called to be the principal or overseer of a Christian school, but for those who are, it may be their primary calling, not a stepping stone to "a real pastorate." Children are not second rate citizens in the kingdom, and children's pastors are not second rate pastors. In God's eyes these are some of the most important positions in the church. We must view children's and youth pastors as "real" pastors and give them the authority due this ministry. Pastoring children properly often requires helping the parents, which requires authority with adults as well if it is to be done properly. It is true that the primary responsibility for the education of children lies with the parents, not the pastor. However, having the responsibility for educating our children does not necessarily mean that we do it all. Paul explained to the Corinthians that they had "many teachers, but not many fathers." For a proper education it is likely that my children will need to study subjects that I am not qualified to teach. It is not my place to teach those subjects, but it is my responsibility to see that they have the proper teacher for them. No one will replace me as my children's father, but many different teachers may be required to properly equip them for their lives and callings. Neither can children's pastors, or Sunday school teachers, take my place as their father. I am the one who should provide the primary spiritual leadership for my children, but we all need the help of the ministries given to the church for this purpose. One of the greatest onslaughts of the enemy in history is directed at trying to destroy the emerging generation. This onslaught comes because of their destiny. The churches of the future, or possibly with a future, are those who would rather entertain and "baby sit" the adults so that they can equip the children. The present generation has not heeded its mandate to walk in its calling and possess its promised land, but the next one will. The Lord is now looking for the "Joshuas and Calebs" from the present generation who will lead those into their destiny. The spiritually discerning are not trying to make the children like them, but are trying to become more like the children so that they too can enter the kingdom. There is no building program, or program at all, that will pay the dividends like those which we invest in our children. If we really love the Lord we will properly care for both His sheep and His lambs.

True Church:

Our children's spiritual education and equipping is more important than their vocational education. Their spiritual education must be the foundation for all other learning, and this cannot be accomplished in just a couple of hours on Sunday. The church is presently in bondage to its four walls and its four hours. True church is twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week —it is in session continually in every household and on every job. The true gifts of the Spirit do not just function at eleven o'clock Sunday morning and seven o'clock on Wednesdays. We should be open to the spirit of prophecy at any time and anywhere. Neither do the true gifts have to come with all of the bombast we often attach to them, which is a stumbling block to unbelievers, as well as many believers. The Lord never meant for His church to be limited in the ways that it now is, and He never meant for education, which should fundamentally be the "renewing of our minds," to be limited to a classroom. Life is meant to be our classroom. In the Lord's school we never graduate, we just keep advancing.

True Academics:

This is not to negate the proper place of academics, which often requires classroom facilities. The Christian, more than any other, should excel in academics. Everything that we do is supposed to be done "as unto the Lord," and academics should be viewed as a means to help prepare us for His service with even greater excellence. True science is not in conflict with Christianity, true science will always lead to the Creator and reveal His Christ because "all things have been created by Him and for Him...in Him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17).

Jon Amos Comenius, who is called "the father of modern education," and was one of the greatest leaders of the historic Moravian Church, once stated, "Nature is God's second book." The apostle Paul said it this way, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made..." (Romans 1:20).

Science should be a special domain of the true faith, and Christians, more than any others, should excel in it. True science includes seeking to behold the glory of God in creation as well as the proper use of creation. The firm foundation that Comenius sought to establish through education was that Christ had triumphed, that Christ was The Truth, and therefore truth would always ultimately win over error. He believed that Jesus had overcome sin, and that His kingdom was continuing to move forward in history. He saw light as stronger than darkness, peace and justice stronger than violence, and the love of God, so prevalent in His creation that it would prevail in His new creation men. The primary purpose of Christian education must never be to try to escape the world, but to shine His light into the world. We are not called to just show a better way, but The Way. Christ Jesus is revealed in everything that was made, and He is the Reason for everything that exists. In this way true worship and love for the Creator compels us to true education, and true science, as each should magnify the Lord in our hearts. In this there must be structure and discipline, but structure and discipline that is born out of the most sublime purpose—that of seeking Christ.

PART III: The Pastoral Mandate For Mental Health:

Another foundational responsibility delegated to the pastor ministry is in the area that we now call "mental health." The authority entrusted to the church through this ministry has also come under a systematic attack through secular humanism. The amount of ground lost by the church through this assault has been a significant reason for the great increase in crime, violence and the overall disregard for life. However, there will be a full recovery of this mandate by the church, which will give the church spiritual authority over some of the most frightening evil powers now being released in the world. First, the church must recover the biblical perspective of what mental health really is. The only true mental health that we can ever know is Christcentricity. Christ is the Center of the universe, and everything that does not revolve around Him is eccentric (off center) and, to that degree, in delusion. To be "normal" according to the world's definition is to be in a state of serious mental imbalance. True mental health will only be attained when our minds have been renewed, when we have been delivered from the spirit of this world, and have taken on the mind of Christ.

The Basic Christian Faith:

Fundamental to the church recovering her power and glory is the recovery of the basic truth that the answer to all of our problems is found at the cross. Through the cross we have been given the power to heal any disease—physical, spiritual or mental. If we are without the solution to a problem it is because we are not fully ministering in the power of the cross. When we are confronted with problems that are out of our ranges they are meant to drive us to the throne of grace to find God's grace and answers. God's throne of grace is the cross, through which we receive the power of God and the grace of God to overcome every human problem. There is no problem found on earth that cannot be overcome through Christ.

Inroads Of The New Age:

For all of the attention that the church has given to the inroads of the New Age Movement into the church, we are soon going to wake up to the fact that an even more devastating infiltration has come through psychology, psychiatry and psychoanalysis than through all other sources combined. These have all worked to fundamentally turn men from the cross in their greatest area of need—the renewing of their minds. Pastors who turn God's people over to secular mental health professionals for help have made a fundamental departure from their calling, and have, in many cases, delivered the Lord's own sheep into the hands of wolves. Does this mean that all psychologists and psychiatrists are wolves? No. Many of them are actually sheep in wolves clothing—they are well meaning people who have taken on the wrong garments. We should not spend our time attacking psychology or psychiatry; these methods were only developed in order to fill the vacuum produced because the church abdicated her authority in this area. They are trying desperately to help fallen men from the consequences of the fall because we will not do it. In many cases this is the very noble attempt of drowning men trying to help their fellow drowning men. Meanwhile, the church sits on the life preservers and pays no attention to the whole world that is drowning around her. Psychological sciences have, in some ways, done an admirable job of illuminating the source of many "mental" problems. It is their remedy that must be challenged. Several studies have shown that people overcome "mental" problems faster with no help at all than with the help of a "professional." Many of those who were "helped," may feel better, but are even further from the truth and from the power of true deliverance than ever. Our goal is not to feel better about ourselves, but to be Christlike. This sometimes requires that we not feel better about ourselves, but that we allow "godly sorrow" to move us to genuine repentance. Only repentance will lead us to the cross where we find the only real answer for every human need. Secular psychology at its best is humanistic, and it is often diabolical. An important question now being asked by many in the church is whether we should include "Christian psychology" or "inner healing" in this? I am not familiar enough with how these have become "Christian" to take a position on them. The Christian counselors that I have met were sincerely trying to help their fellow Christians, and some even acknowledged that they were only trying to fill the void abdicated by the church. I have recognized a true pastor's calling on some of these Christian counselors, and I could not help but wonder why there was no place for them in the church. How could a pastor call himself a pastor if he must send his people to outsiders for counseling? Counseling is basic to the pastor ministry, and if we cannot handle it we should change our title. This is not to infer that they should leave the ministry, or even the leadership of the church, but to call them a pastor is a misnomer.

Why Heal The Old Man:

Regardless of whether someone calls himself a Christian psychologist, counselor, or pastor, we must understand that any doctrine or practice that has as its prescription for our healing the digging up of our "old man" to get him healed, is making a grave mistake. We can blame our present condition on our potty training if we want to, and it may have honestly had something to do with it, but why not just bury it, go to the cross, and be transformed into a new man? Even television news magazines have been blowing the whistle on the practice of some psychologists and inner healing specialists as dangerous, and often tragic. It has been the practice of some, while seeking to locate the blame for their patient's problem, to plant in the "sub-conscious" memories of their patients, child abuse, molestation and other violations which never took place. Some of the psychologists interviewed actually justified this practice by saying that it helped their patients to feel better about themselves! No one seemed concerned about the families that were ruined, or the relationships between parents and their children that were forever destroyed. This will be the source of some of the enemy's most devastating attacks on families and churches in the days to come. Many who claim to have been "helped" by psychology or inner healing may honestly feel better, but have been made chronically self-centered. From what were they helped? As Paul lamented, "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" (II Corinthians 11:3).

All of the psychology that is needed for this life is found in the Scriptures and we must learn to categorically reject that which has its source anywhere else. Regardless of the abuses, the answer is not to attack psychology, but to return to the cross where the answers to every human problem are found. The Lord intends to do more than just show the world a few people who have overcome their depression or low self-esteem. He wants to reveal "new creation" men, women, children and families who have been delivered from all of the power of the enemy, and all of the consequences of the fall. If we are going to fulfill the true shepherd ministry of Jesus in the church, we must first recover the fundamental Christian truth that Jesus is the answer to all of the world's problems, period. Everyone who is called to the pastor ministry has the power of that cross at his disposal, to give to everyone in need. Let us stop turning to any other prop or device that will never truly heal or deliver. It is the truth that sets people free. If we do not have the truth that can deliver people from their bondage, we do not have the truth of the gospel. "Healing is the children's bread." Basic to feeding the Lord's sheep is healing them, mentally, physically and spiritually. The pastor ministry involves far more than we have perceived, and through it the Lord is going to fully reveal His nature as the Good Shepherd who is the answer for every human need and problem. We do have a long way to go to recover all that this ministry is meant to be, but we must never be satisfied with anything less than a full recovery. Through this recovery all of the ministries given to the church will be able to take their proper place, and the glorious revealing of the Lord's own nature as the Good Shepherd will be fully revealed to the world again. Basic to the recovery of the pastor ministry is the understanding that no one man can possibly fulfill the whole ministry of shepherd to the Lord's people, even in one congregation. Much of the responsibility of this ministry has been abdicated to secular professionals because we have often tried to force the entire ministry upon just one person who we call the pastor. If we are going to fulfill our own ministries we must start working in teams with the other equipping ministries given to the church, just as the Lord Himself did as an example. The true maturity and authority of every pastor will be reflected in the maturity and authority of his team. Pastors are not called to be executives, or managers, but ministers of the grace and power of God. The true essence of this ministry must be recovered if the church is going to accomplish her mandate in this hour, but it will never happen until all human yokes placed upon it are removed.