WHY BE A PASTOR WHEN GOD HAS NOT CALLED YOU TO BE ONE?

There has been a continuous rise in the number of churches that closes down, the number of pastors or ministers committing suicide, caught in sexual immorality, etc. This issue should trouble the mind of every child of God. Why are those who ought to be teachers of the word of God  failing to walk according to what they preach? End times maybe? Are there factors that influence the growth in number of these occurrences amongst pastors in this present age and time? Jesus says in John 15:5 that "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." With this being known, are these fallen soldiers still remaining in the vine; that is in Jesus? Jeremiah 1:5 might just give the answer we seek to this question. The bible says in Jeremiah 1:5 that "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Every problem has a starting point, so I think it will be wise to find out if the pastors in this situation were ever called to serve as pastors by God in the first place. 

I have heard about people going into pastoral duty because of various reasons. Some of these reasons include: friends and family think they pray, conduct devotions and house-fellowships, talk, walk, dress, and behave (or act) like pastors. Some even say they had a dream of them being a pastor or preaching the word of God to a large number of people in a building that looked so much like a church and because of this, God might be telling them to become a pastor. Some went for a church convention and the minister preached about how important it is to serve God as a minister or pastor and its benefits. In all honesty, I have heard similar sermons and I must admit that I felt like I was the one being referred to at that moment. I even, at that point in time, considered becoming a pastor myself. I felt like the only reason why God might have created me was to become a pastor. It is quite unfortunate that a lot of people allow others choose a life path for them. Destinies are being altered because of factors such as fear, other people's opinion instead of God's opinion, and low self-esteem. Allowing others define or influence ones destiny is crucial because it can be a deciding factor between success and failure. Everyday becomes a not too joyous day when one isn't walking in the right path. It can determine if one lived a worthy life or a useless life. This is one of the many reasons why some people find it hard to wake up and go to work everyday. I do not blame them because a job that ought to be fun will either be difficult or boring to a person who isn't supposed to be working in that position. For example, a person who loves to write songs but was forced to study medicine won't find a lot of joy in treating patients that he or she would in writing songs. In the same manner, a person who ought to be a business man but becomes a pastor, not because he was clearly called by God, won't derive a lot of joy in preaching a sermon each week as he would negotiating a business deal. 

Few ways to know if you are truly called by God or not

• God speaks directly to you: No employer will hire an employee without talking to the fellow before offering that job to him or her. In a like manner, if God is to call you to serve him, he will without a doubt speak directly to you. There a various examples in the bible that backs this up. Moses in Exodus 3, Samuel in 1 Samuel 3, Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1,Paul in Acts 9, etc. 
• God makes a covenant or promise with you: Every company or firm has rules and guidelines every employee must follow. As long as an employee continues to abide under these rules and guidelines, he or her job is pretty much secured and the salary and benefit due to this worker will paid at the appropriate time. In a similar way, God also has a covenant with who so ever he calls to serve as a pastor or minister. A good example is found in Exodus 3:12 "So He said, I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." The reason why it is important to have a covenant with God is because it serves as an assurance that regardless of the trials you might be passing through while serving him, He will be there to rescue and deliver you. I know this because the bible says Psalm 138:2 that God magnified His word above His name.

So if you have never heard God speak to you directly or have a covenant with Him but claim to be a pastor or minister, it might be wise to go back to God and double check if you're actually on the right path to fulfilling your purpose on earth. The truth is that you will need something to fall back on when all hope seems lost. 

If you are convinced that you are called by God, are you prepared for the task at hand?

To be a pastor or minister is no joke. It is a huge responsibility. Not only will you be in charge of ensuring the member of your congregation are doing physically well and that their family is healthy, you also have to ensure that each one of them is growing spiritually. This, I believe, is the most vital of all responsibilities entrusted to pastors and ministers. The bible points out some things which God expects from pastors.

• All glory must be given to Him and Him alone: It amazes me whenever I see a pastor bragging about how big the congregation is, how large his or her ministry is growing, the amount of money the church generates from tithes and offerings, etc. They tend to forget that whatsoever is happening in the ministry is not happening because of them, the connections they have, how fluent and charismatic they speak, etc. The bible says "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44. The bible states clearly that God will curse a priest who does not give him glory. Malachi 2:1-2.  He also says, the the third verse of the same scripture, that he will corrupt the prophet's seed if glory isn't given to Him. So are you determined to give Him glory at all times? 
  
• You cannot cause others to stumble: As a prophet of God, or a pastor, you cannot afford to lead people astray. Matthew 18:6 says "But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea." These is scary! The easiest place to lead a lot of people astray is on the alter, because a lot of people listens and obeys words from the alter without going into the word of God to double check the accuracy of the word. In addition, Malachi 2:8-9 helps us understand that God will dishonor any priest, or pastor, that departs out of His ways (that is, there is no turning back) and causes others to stumble. 
• People ought to seek knowledge from you: As a pastor, you are expected of people to know things they do not know. A lot of people will expect you to give answers to all their questions and provide solutions to all their problems. I really do not know why this is so but it is gradually becoming the norm. Malachi 2:7. So dwelling in the presence of God is key if you're to know a lot of what people expects you to know. In addition, dwelling in the presence of God, or seeking God's face, makes a pastor prosperous and allows his flocks to abide and not be scattered. Jeremiah 10:21.
• You have to be 100% truthful always: Revelations 3:15 tells us about how God wants us to be either cold or hot; we cannot be in-between. As a pastor, you cannot speak falsely, especially when it comes to saying that God said something when he in fact did not say so. How many times have you heard preachers say God says this and that will happen but it never comes to pass? I am not saying these men and women of God are not true servants of God because of this, but I know that if it was God who truly said something will come to pass then it will without any doubt come to pass. God honors his words. "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19. The penalty or punishment for saying God said when He did not say is found in Deuteronomy 18:20. Jesus also warns us about this in Mark 3:28-39: "Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin." In other words, be careful of the words that proceed out of your mouth. 

In conclusion, serving God is a beautiful thing, and most likely the best job in the world if only the individual is truly being called of God. Remember, do not allow the opinion of others persuade you to do what you aren't convinced by God to do. Everyone has a purpose in life; make sure you are fulfilling yours and not trying to fulfill the purpose of someone else. The grace, power, and anointing to serve God and to fulfill our God-given purpose will be bestowed upon us in Jesus name. God bless you. Amen.