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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 and to Titus at Crete. Peter in speaking to elders of the regions 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 because the Chief Shepherd (2 Pet. 5:1-4). We visit a pattern then in the initial century church where 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 local ecclesia. 'Pastoral' can be an adjectival word which, in the context that it is being considered, bears the next meaning: "relating to any office and work of a minister of religion." This is brings about clearly our consideration in this Chapter: We will examine Pastoral calling in relation to its nature - that is, the office, and its own task - that is, the work. The Nature of Pastoral Calling Any office and work of the minister of religion or pastor or shepherd or elder, whatever title enable you to designate any office and work, are unique. Anyone could become a Pastor however, not everyone can become a Pastor. Here, we have been dealing with a specialized office into which entry is pre-conditioned by the influence of the divine and the human. You will find a calling involved. We often hear people say, in the local church setting in Sierra Leone, "I am called by God to ministry." A leader of a church that was started with the final five years and whose church is growing rapidly in a quantitative manner describes his calling by God as having occurred through a dream. iglesia en houston went into a location in the West end of Freetown in 1993, used residence there and started to organize evangelistic outreaches. Within a year, he's got 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 together with the other leader so he broke from him to set up his 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 their own ministry; nor did he make mention of the conditions which caused him to have 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'm called by God." A third example came out of an interview with the National Superintendent of an evangelical church which includes been in Sierra Leone since 1969. He mentioned that his 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 a strong-sense of God's call toward the ministry which can only be expressed instead of described. During such a subjective experience he was not only in any employment; yet, he felt a stronger pull in him for involvement in ministry which seemed noble and worthy to him instead of involvement in secular employment. Secondly, this leader described his call as also a target experience. The objective is due to tangible evidences. Among such evidences was the necessity for manpower in the ministry of that church; thus, circumstances triggered the target experience. Contained in the objective experience was the confirmation of the leaders of the church. The leaders saw the worth of this man who had a solid inner drive for involvement in ministry. Over a period of time, and with training, his sense of call was confirmed by the leaders and he became person who fulfilled the necessity for manpower. In this instance, the subjective experience did not stand alone. It found fulfillment and confirmation in the objective. The following two questions were put to exactly the same leader: (1) Should one have a sense of call to be involved in ministry? Yes, he replied. "One must develop a desire or love for the Lord's work. Just having an inclination is not 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 next, it was calling emanating from the person's availability from subjective feelings finding fulfillment and confirmation in objective realities. We will further analyse these examples of calling and the characteristics of the patterns.
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