Eight Covenant Commitments I Promise To Keep as Pastor

When Jan and I moved to Idaho last year, we knew about the need at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church. The two-year old church plant had been praying quite some time for the Lord to send them their first staff pastor. What we did not know was whether I would be the answer to that prayer.

Over the last six months we have seen clearly the Lord’s hand in bringing us to this rural community of some thirty people to serve their pastoral needs. This Sunday, Lord willing, the elders will lay hands upon me. I will be installed as their first vocational elder/staff pastor.

With a humble heart and great awe at God’s kindness in entrusting yet another pastoral stewardship to me, I pledge to live out the following commitments with the Spirit’s help however long it will please Jesus for me to serve the sheep of this pasture:

1.  I will not neglect to pray for your welfare in every way (1 Sam. 12:23; Acts 6:4; 3 John 2).
2. I will study diligently in order to preach and teach the word faithfully from our pulpit (2 Tim. 4:1-2).
3.  I will guard the deposit of sound doctrine (1 Tim. 6:20) and constantly point you to the sufficiency of God’s grace (2 Cor. 12:9) and the power of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:3-5).
4.  In partnership with my fellow elders, I will exercise spiritual authority as a caring shepherd among you (Acts 20:28)–not as a tyrant (3 John 9), but as a servant (Matt. 20:25-28)–striving to be an example to the flock (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:3).
5.  I will do my absolute best as a peacemaker (Matt. 5:9) to safeguard the unity of TRBC with all humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance in love (Eph. 4:1-3; Rom. 12:18; Heb. 12:14).
6.  I will seek to help equip you as believer-priests (1 Pet. 2:5) for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12) in accordance with your spiritual gifts.
7.  I will invest spiritually in other men so as to disciple them into greater depths of spiritual growth, with a view to raising up future generations of leadership (2 Tim. 2:2).
8. In all things I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls (2 Cor. 12:15), laboring always for your joy (2 Cor. 1:24) not in my own strength, but by the grace of God I trust and pray will always be with me (1 Cor. 15:10).

Pray for me (1 Thess. 5:25), please, for these are no small things to promise and I fear I am so often inadequate for the task.

Praise the One who makes us competent as ministers of the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:4-6)!

Question: What one thing might you do soon to encourage your pastor as he labors to keep his commitments at your church?