It is a honor and a privilege to be here tonight, recognizing the ordination of a man into the Gospel Ministry. I remember when I was ordained into the Gospel Ministry, August 22, 1999 at Greenwood Baptist in Valdosta, Georgia. It is a blessing to have God call a Pastor to a Church. It is my prayer that both Mission Chapel Baptist as well as Brother Ronnie Burns grow spiritually and physically, glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ by spreading His Gospel.

Jesus said “Upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). It seems that today the gates of hell IS prevailing against the church, but I don’t believe it is prevailing against Jesus’ Church. As long as the Church belongs to Jesus it has power. As long as the Church and it’s Pastors believe that “Jesus is THE Christ, THE Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16), that Church will stand strong though all the world stand against it.

My prayer for Mission Chapel Baptist and Ronnie Burns is that you grow together over the coming years to celebrate and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and the written Word of God, the Bible.

The Pastor Is A Shepherd Of God’s People

God loves His Church, and calls men out to serve His Church. God first called Apostles and Prophets. These men wrote the Scripture – the Word of God – that our Churches are built on. Once the Scripture was given, God gave the Church Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers (Ephesians 4:11).

The title Pastor (Greek poimēn) means “A Shepherd”.

God often uses Shepherds in His Work. God Himself is our Great Shepherd:

Psalm 100:3 (ESV) Know that the LORD, he is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Those who have believed on Christ for salvation are God’s Sheep. In the Old Testament, the people chose Saul to be the first King of Israel. The Bible says of Saul:

1 Samuel 9:2 (AP) There was not a more HANDSOME PERSON than Saul among the children of Israel …

He was a movie star – a celebrity – someone that, if he ran for President of the United States, he’d be a “shoo-in”. There was only one problem. As talented and beautiful as Saul was, Saul cared little for the glory of God, the Word of God, or for His people. Saul wanted to do things his own way. Finally God told Saul through the Prophet Samuel:

1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV) … rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.

God chose another man, a lowly shepherd boy named David to be the next King of Israel. David was a “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) because, God said, “he will do everything I want him to do”.

David heeded God’s Word. Though he failed God at times as all humans do, he loved the Lord and His Word. God promised that through David, God would send another to Shepherd His people. On the night that Jesus came into the world, faithful shepherds were watching their sheep at night. The Angel of God came and told them,

Luke 2:10-12 (ESV) … Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.

God used a Shepherd called David to lead His people under the Old Covenant. Now God sent another Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, to lead His people under the New Covenant. And God announced the coming of the Chief Shepherd through lowly but faithful Shepherds, watching their flock by night.

Our Chief Shepherd or Pastor is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said:

John 10:11, 14-15 (ESV) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 14 I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Jesus loves His Church. He suffered, bled and died for His Church. He rose from the grave, and sits on the right hand of the Father making intercession for His Church.

Just as God called David from the fields,
And God announced the Chief Shepherd to those faithful unnamed men.
Just as Christ was called to lay down His life for the sheep,
God calls unnamed and unknown men to watch over His Church.
The Pastor is a Shepherd. His primary calling is to share God’s Word.

The Bible says that the Pastor is to …

Ephesians 4:12-16 equip the Saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ… making the Body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Pastors are to work with the Word of God and in the power of His Spirit to equip the Saints, to help each believer grow to be more Christlike in their walk of faith. Every believer in the Church Age is a PRIEST. Your Pastor is a priest, but he is not YOUR priest. In the Church every believer is a priest with direct access to God. The Preamble to the Baptist Faith and Message states:

“We honor the principles of soul competency and the priesthood of believers, affirming together both our liberty in Christ and our accountability to each other under the Word of God.”

Each local Church is a kingdom of priests, and each person – whether male or female – has direct access to God. The Scripture says:

Revelation 1:5-6 (ESV) {Jesus} … loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The function of the Pastor – the Shepherd is to feed and equip every believer in his charge so that they will grow into Christian maturity, to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is not the Pastor’s opinion that matters, but what the Word of God has said. When Jesus prayed for His Church prior to going to the Cross, Jesus prayed for the UNITY OF THE FLOCK, saying “Father, let My Church be ONE, even as WE ARE ONE” (John 17:11). Jesus went on to say, “Sanctify them in the TRUTH – YOUR WORD IS TRUTH” (John 17:17).

The Pastor has oversight of the Church, leads the Church through preaching and teaching the Word of God. He is not LORD of the Church, but the under-shepherd of the Lord. The Chief Apostle said:

1 Peter 5:2-4 (ESV) … shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The Pastor is an “overseer”, that is, you “exercise oversight” on the Church. The Church belongs to Jesus – you all belong to Jesus. The Pastor is to “LABOR IN PREACHING AND TEACHING”, as the Scripture says:

1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

Pastors are called to “Oversee” the flock, to insure it adheres to the Word of God. When the Apostle Paul got ready to leave Ephesus, he warned the Pastors in that city, saying:

Acts 20:27-30 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

You are called of God to lead the Church, to feed the Church, but always to remember to not be “domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock”. Live out your faith. Be patient with the Church. Love it, and lead it toward Christian unity. Glorify God in all that you do. Remember, this is Christ’s Church. When you serve the Church, you serve Jesus.

The Church Is Christ’s Prize Possession

Just as the Pastor has a calling, the Church has a calling. Your Pastor is human, and as all humans do, he will make mistakes. Church, if you want a better Pastor, help him. The Bible says:

Hebrews 13:7 (ESV) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

As your Pastor leads you, follow him. Imitate his faith. Pay attention to the Word of God that he shares with you, and do Christ’s Word. The Bible says:

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Love the Pastor that God has given you, and lift him and his family up in prayer daily. Realize this, too …

Your Pastor and his wife are human.
They, like you, will make mistakes.

The devil will do his best to bring disharmony to the flock, to scatter it if he can. Do not allow him to do so. As a Pastor, I have made many mistakes in my lifetime. When your Pastor makes a mistake, do as Jesus said in:

Matthew 18:15-17 (ESV) If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

Try and handle any division in the Church at the lowest and most private level. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 13:34-35 (ESV) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

As Christians we are to love the Lord Jesus with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. We are also to love one another. My prayer is that you will grow in love, both for God and for one another.

As we prepare to lay hands on Brother Ronnie, praying for Him, let me pray for Mission Chapel Baptist as well as for its new Pastor.