Cameroon Bible Institute

The pastors tools, authority, wisdom and grace

Authority is sacrificial, truthful, just, merciful, and compassionate.
it pushes us to mature in the Lord. Authority teaches about God’s immanence and his transcendence because of the healthy boundaries it sets. Authority is submitted to God.
Pastors are not called to exercise bad authority that exists for those with greater authority to use those differences for their own selfish ends.
The other side of authority is submission to authority which involves “deferring by moral constraint to another person’s judgment and deploying your resources for the sake of fulfilling that person’s judgments” training us toward growth. As a pastor we should understand that submission isn’t demeaning, because human authority isn’t absolute. There are boundaries that preserve our dignity as image-bearers. Authority comes in two distinct types: authority of command and authority of counsel. Both have the “right to issue directives that bind the conscience,” but only the authority of command has the right to enforce it
Wisdom as a pastors tool should be used carefully.The counselor must understand that wisdom waits and listens. Pastors have to think before speaking and they must be well acquainted with the bible, hold a right view of God and themselves in relation to God. Counselors have to use wisdom to reframe and must note that wisdom is not the same as giving advice.
Grace is the most important of all the tools of a pastor. A pastor must be ready to share grace. Use scriptures to bless and encourage people . Have sympathy and understanding that is, Grace should influence our conduct, especially in ministry. Pastors must understand that grace not only saves us, but gives us the privilege of and the ability to minister to others. Pastors have the special privilege of serving people by providing leadership, oversight, instruction, exhortation, and responding to needs. As a steward of God’s grace, leaders reflect that grace by giving of themselves for the sake of others.