The passage tells us to choose our leaders (shepherds) based on their lifestyle. If they are living a godly lifestyle, we must follow and imitate it. In his book Help Me to Fit in My Own Church, T.D. Jakes tells us not to choose them for any other reasons—not due to their church size, charisma, or what they say. The fruit of their lives should be evident.
I remember when I lived in Florida, my former pastor said that if we heard, knew, or even saw that he was cheating on his wife (who was a stronghold in his life previously), we were to leave, not pray for him and stay, but to leave and pray for him. He said that if sin was in the camp, then Satan was also there. As Mr. Jakes said, “Your pastor should have some positive results from his or her conduct. They might start struggling, but eventually, there should be some fruit.”
Too many people choose a pastor based on everything but their life. I’m fortunate enough to have had the wisdom to choose godly pastors as my shepherds. I have been in churches where I immediately knew I would not fit in. Others took me time to realize that. When I first moved to Memphis, I visited a few churches that I saw on television (some that I saw on television, I just totally ignored. I sometimes get uneasy feelings about those who are in the kingdom. I have a feeling that something is not right, but I can’t put my finger it).
I was never one for church hopping; seeing the different types of atmospheres within the churches was an eye-opener. But I knew that I couldn’t connect to their vision. It wasn’t much about how the service was run but their vision and what they were doing to further it. One thing that I’ll keep repeating is that I “need the word.” I don’t (and the majority of the body of Christ doesn’t either) have time for playing. I know that God’s kingdom needs to be furthered.
The second thing I want to touch is having a godly spiritual leader.
The third thing that I want to touch on is the passage in the book that says God must remove our rough edges to help us fit into the church that we are in. God placed me here for a reason, and that’s where I’m to stay and grow.
I never agree with everything that a pastor says. Will I obey them if they are teaching the word? Yes. Will I follow them if they have a calling from God to do a particular thing and it is according to the word? Of course, I will. There are some things a pastor is doing that I don’t necessarily agree with or think will succeed, but I keep that to myself. But I understand it's not a big deal as long as it doesn’t cause me to compromise my walk with the Lord.
Another thing Mr. Jakes said that stuck with me was: “Get involved. Become contributors of your time, your energies, and your finances. When you serve, God gives you a special grace and anointing. It will never be attained through a tape or a book. It comes from yielding yourself to the work of the Lord.”
I remember when I started volunteering my time to clean up the church while I was looking for a new job. I needed something to occupy my time (there was no need to give the devil room to play), and the blessings started immediately. I don’t think many people realize that when they get busy with God’s business, God will get busy with their business. I was once one of those people, but I’m happy to know that now. My love for the Lord and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is shown through my work in the local church.
In closing, I really enjoyed the book, and Mr. Jakes provided much insight into how I need to fit into my church.
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