The Path to Being a Pastor: Book Review by Jeff Bush

By Bobby Jameson

• Instead of asking if you’re called, ask yourself two other questions: Are you qualified to be an elder? Should serving as an elder be your job? 

• If you want to pastor, you must meet the qualifications of a Biblical elder. 

• Two problems with using the word “calling.” First is exegesis, and second is entitlement.

• We are called to holiness, but Bible doesn’t seem to use the word calling as to a vocation. If the vocational call is from God, you shouldn’t question yourself and others cannot question it, in fact, they need to get behind what God is doing. 

• Aspiring to be a pastor (as opposed to called) is best for the following reasons:

1. 1. 1. 1. It is more Biblical language — 1 Timothy 3:1
         2. It is more Humble — it suggests you are not there yet. 
         3. It is more Accurate — maybe you will be a pastor or maybe not, but calling implies you have to be the moment you are called. 
         4. It is more Fruitful — how can you serve and develop into this role. 
         5. It is more Freeing — instead of the lightning from heaven, it puts emphasis on if you qualify and if others believe you are qualified. 

• Desire + Ability + Opportunity. 

• If you candidate at a church and they do not call you, there’s nothing further for you to do there other than pray. On a smaller scale, what opportunities are before you right now to better prepare for ministry?

• A good question to ask yourself is, “Would someone at your job be able to tell if you were aspiring to be a minister?” 

• When 1 Timothy 3:1 uses the word faithful, it’s speaking of behavior more than belief. 

• Leadership in the home is prime proving grounds for leadership in the church. 

• Fathering and eldering overlap in many areas. 

• An elder must be: 

1. 1. 1. 1. An example. All Christians should be, but an elder must be. 
         2. Able to lead others. This starts and can be detected by how he leads his family. 
         3. Apt to teach God’s Word. 

• Pursue godliness. Pursue godliness more than you pursue position or publicity or prestige. Pursue godliness more than you pursue the pulpit. Pursue godliness more than you pursue others’ recognition of your godliness. Pursue godliness when no one is looking and no one cares. Pursue godliness when it seems like godliness is not getting you where you want to go.

• How is your online presence? Are you soon angry? Are you a brawler? 

• Reaction breeds overreaction. 

• If you’re not godly out of the spotlight, you won’t be godly in it. 

• Learn to pastor from other faithful pastors.  Seek godly examples. Place yourself under godly influence. 

• Every pastor is a sheep before he is a pastor. 

• Live a life others can imitate. If everyone read the Bible like you do, would they be better as a result? If they prayed, spoke, responded on social media and clicked the links you do, would they be better as a result?

• Aim to be mistaken as an elder before you are an elder. 

• Learn to care for souls. 

• You want to be a leader, then lead something. Whether a wife or family, small group, class or reading group, can you lead others? 

• Prayer is not preparation for a pastor’s work, it is the pastor’s work. 

• Flee pornography. It will sink your hope, rob your joy, cause you to not be blameless, and harm your marriage and your soul. 

• Pastor your children— Ephesians 6:4
  • • • Lead them in prayer and in worship. 
      • Attend to your children individually. 
      • Learn to love what they love because you love them. 

• Suffering is a stewardship, and you can steward it in the right way. To profit from suffering, you must prove it. 

• Being under authority is just as important as being in authority. How you handle one determines how you handle the other. 

• Just because you have ambitions doesn’t mean they are good or godly. 

• The opposite of ambition is not passivity rather selfless ambition. 

• As good as pastoring is, Jesus is better.