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Selecting a Pastor

By July 1, 2002November 9th, 2022No Comments

Q.

A church without a pastor was given Jeremiah 3:15 not long ago as an encouragement. Was offering this verse legitimate in this context?

A.
The verse reads, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (KJV). Jeremiah was writing to Israel and Judah, urging the people to repent of their backsliding. Amid strong warnings of judgment, Jeremiah told of hope—if God’s people would acknowledge and forsake their sin. God would gather a remnant of His people and bring them back to Jerusalem. There they would have spiritual shepherds (pastors) who would lead them into blessing.

That is the context. However, the fact that we are dealing with Israel and Judah does not mean that, in principle, God doesn’t provide New Testament churches with shepherds today. He does, and we need to pray concerning this matter of utmost importance. Many churches have been “burned” by failure to seek and understand God’s guidance in the selection of a pastor. Often they’re too quick or too slow, or they don’t take the time and effort to be discerning. The New Testament church is God’s institution for this present dispensation. If this is the case, certainly God is interested in leading in this area if people will allow Him to do so.

Perhaps I should take this opportunity to recommend a book published by Regular Baptist Press, designed to help those leaders in the local church who have the tremendous task of seeking a pastor: The Right Pastor: Seeking God’s Man for Your Church by Wesley Johnson.

This article appeared in the “Q & A” column of the Baptist Bulletin (July 2002) by Norman A. Olson. 

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