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Pastoral Calling and the Local Church Introduction The Christian ecclesias of the first century church were administered by local leaders. Paul had the pattern of appointing elders in the churches (Acts 14:23; 20:17). Paul gave leadership responsibility to Timothy at Ephesus also to Titus at Crete. Peter in speaking to elders of the parts of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia challenged them to be shepherds of God's flock. In fact, he refers to himself as a fellow-elder and, therefore, a shepherd. He also refers to Christ as the Chief Shepherd (2 Pet. 5:1-4). We see a pattern then in the first century church in which the administering of the neighborhood churches was done by elders whose function was to be akin to that of a shepherd. The word 'Pastor' is used once in the brand new Testament in Ephesians 4:11. In Latin, the term is derived from the term Pastoral is and in French, Pastor. Both words are translated 'Shepherd'5. The term 'Pastor' is therefore imagery of shepherding which should characterize the elders of the neighborhood ecclesia. 'Pastoral' is an adjectival word which, in the context that it's being considered, bears the following meaning: "relating to any office and work of a minister of religion." The definition brings out clearly our consideration in this Chapter: We will examine Pastoral calling with regards to its nature - that is, the office, and its own task - that is, the work. THE TYPE of Pastoral Calling Any office and work of the minister of religion or pastor or shepherd or elder, whatever title enable you to designate the office and work, are unique. Anyone may become a Pastor but not everyone can become a Pastor. Here, we are dealing with a specialized office into which entry is pre-conditioned by the influence of the divine and the human. There is a calling involved. We often hear people say, in the local church setting in Sierra Leone, "I'm called by God to ministry." A leader of a church which was started with the last five years and whose church keeps growing rapidly in a quantitative manner describes his calling by God as having occurred by way of a dream. Another leader went into a location in the West end of Freetown in 1993, took up residence there and began to organize evangelistic outreaches. Inside a year, he has won a few people to Christ and contains started a church. This same leader was in league with another leader who runs their own private ministry (a church). Through an interview with him, it had been found out that he could not pull alongside the other leader so he broke away from him to create their own independent ministry. When asked why he was wanting to establish a church in the brand new area into which he's got moved he replied, "I was called by God." He made no reference to the rift between him and the other leader that was the motivating factor for him to go off to start his own ministry; nor did he make reference to the conditions which caused him to possess sought residence for the reason that new locality and had consequently made a decision to make there his base for evangelism. Rather, it had been just the blanket statement, "I am called by God." A third example arrived of an interview with the National Superintendent of an evangelical church which has experienced Sierra Leone since 1969. He mentioned that their own call was firstly a subjective experience. The work of the ministry seemed worthy to him. He saw the work as noble. Such factors resulted from the strong-sense of God's call toward the ministry which can only be expressed rather than described. During such a subjective experience he had not been only in virtually any employment; yet, he felt a stronger pull in him for involvement in ministry which seemed noble and worthy to him rather than involvement in secular employment. Secondly, this leader described his call as also a target experience. The objective has to do with tangible evidences. Among such evidences was the need for manpower in the ministry of that church; thus, circumstances triggered the objective experience. Included in the objective experience was the confirmation of the leaders of the church. The leaders saw the worthiness of the man who had a solid inner drive for involvement in ministry. Over a period of time, sufficient reason for training, his sense of call was confirmed by the leaders and he became one who fulfilled the necessity for manpower. In cases like this, the subjective experience did not stand alone. It found fulfillment and confirmation in the objective. The next two questions were put to exactly the same leader: (1) Should one have a sense of call to be involved in ministry? Yes, iglesia cerca de mi replied. "One must create a desire or love for the Lord's work. Just having an inclination isn't enough. (2) What do we mean by call? "A series of events resulting in a climax. Objective occasions connecting and interplaying with the subjective." The forgoing three examples are representative of the perceptions which many local church leaders in Sierra Leone have concerning the nature of Pastoral calling. In the first example, it had been via the medium of a dream. In the second, it had been calling emanating from the person's availability from subjective feelings finding fulfillment and confirmation in objective realities. We will further analyse these types of calling and the characteristics of the patterns.
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