On Being a Pastor by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg

Author:Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg [Prime, Derek J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780802431196
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Published: 2013-09-17T08:00:00+00:00

KEY WORDS IN PASTORAL CARE

There are at least four key words in the New Testament used of pastoral care, and they are of equal importance: encouragement, exhortation, admonition, and counsel. All Christians need encouragement, whether to persevere in godliness or personal evangelism or to develop their spiritual gifts and to discover their proper place in the body of Christ. Although all believers ought to encourage one another, it is the particular responsibility of undershepherds to do so. This is not surprising, since they are the chosen instruments of God the Holy Spirit, the God-given Encourager of His people. Filled with the Spirit, we encourage others. As we make a pastoral visit or sit down to help someone seeking counsel, our deliberate purpose should be to encourage that person. Paul singles out the timid and the weak as those who are in special need of encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

Alongside encouragement goes exhortation. They cannot always be separated, but exhortation has much more of a directional element within it than encouragement: It tells us what we should be doing. Two typical instructions like, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10) and “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4) are exhortations, and they both tell us what we should be doing. The Scriptures consistently point us in the spiritual or moral direction we should go. In exhortation, using the Scriptures, we point one another in the right direction. When we counsel married couples, we will exhort them to love each other. Counseling children, we will exhort them to honor their parents. Although the exhortations are familiar, they should still be given.

Admonition—in terms of warning and correction—must, where necessary, accompany both encouragement and exhortation. In giving a warning or a rebuke, we should be quick to give praise where it is due (1 Corinthians 11:2), since that makes correction easier to accept. The New Testament regards admonition as the particular province of undershepherds (1 Thessalonians 5:12). We may have to warn against idols (1 John 5:21) or possible spiritual wolves (Acts 20:29). Admonition is much more difficult than encouragement or exhortation, since there may be greater uncertainty as to how it will be received. But that unknown factor must not hinder our exercising it. All need admonishing on occasions.

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