“…whatever is …excellent…think about such things” (Phil. 4:8, NIV). “…everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (I Cor. 14:40, NIV).
I EXCELLENCE OF GOD & REVERENCE.
II EXCELLENCE IN THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PURE GOSPEL (Kerygma).
IV EXCELLENCE IN PRAYER.
V EXCELLENCE IN LOVING & CARING FOR YOUR FAMILY.
VI EXCELLENCE IN LOVING AND RESPECTING THE PEOPLE.
VII EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATION.
He wrote the following introduction to the above guidelines for pastors at the beginning of 2019:
"This article may be good to help launch the New Year with special help for Pastors. It is entitled Excellence In Pastoral Ministry and is designed to help any Pastor who wants to have excellence in Ministry with all of its special benefits. To me, this teaching is a vital part of being Godly because everything we learn about God is always excellent. God bless, Dan Beller.]
I EXCELLENCE OF GOD & REVERENCE.
- “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple…the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isa. 6:1-3, NIV).
- “His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth, His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from His hand, where His power was hidden” (Hab. 3:3-4, NIV).
- “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come…Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:8-11).
- Solomon’s temple and the New Jerusalem – “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek Him in His temple” (Ps. 27:4, NIV).
II EXCELLENCE IN THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PURE GOSPEL (Kerygma).
- Must convey God’s love, grace and power. Salvation is by God’s grace, through faith and not of works. (Eph. 2:8-9)
- Believing in Jesus is the only way to salvation. (Acts 4:12 and John 3:18)
- If we just preach personal conviction, then many will be lost who may have been saved if they could have heard about the love of God and the death of Jesus as our sacrifice and substitute.
- Feed the sheep (Pastor must be well fed also). Correction from the pulpit is usually counterproductive. Jesus taught the importance of “feeding” and “giving pastoral care” to the “sheep and the lambs” in John 21:15-18.
- Preach from the overflow.
- Don’t expect sympathy or preach for sympathy. This practice may divide the congregation or the church board.
- Don’t expect justice – “…if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” (I Pet. 2:20, NIV)
- Betrayal – Don’t take it personal but commit it to God. “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it…But it is you…my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship…” (Psalms 55:12-14, NIV).
- Prayer and preparation – Preach from the overflow!
- Guard the pulpit and protect it from those who pursue selfish interests.
- Show dignity and respect for the glory of God & the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
- Have positive and loving attitude. “Preach to the majority who are for you instead of the minority who are against you.”
- During the Message, imagine that everybody loves you and this will help you not to be reactive.
- Must be at your best in the pulpit, especially on Sunday morning.
- The anointing and healing is there.
- Preach love and give love, as your example, to the congregation. In due time, they usually become somewhat like their pastor.
IV EXCELLENCE IN PRAYER.
- Prayer in S. Korea saved them from communism. As a result of the leadership of the Yoido Full Gospel Church and Prayer Mountain, there are about 1200 Prayer Mountains in Korea now. There are now 5 a.m. prayer meetings in most churches and all night prayer meetings every Friday, with 250,000 in attendance. The largest churches in the world are in S. Korea – Full Gospel, Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian.
- Prayer is fellowship with God. Quote from Henry Blackaby – “The early morning devotion is a time of fellowship with God.”
- My prayers at E. T. from the beginning.
- My personal prayers for wisdom, love and power (in that order).
- My personal directives from the Holy Spirit: I run this race with perseverance. (Heb. 12:1, NIV); I fear the Lord and I shun evil. (Prov. 3:8); I cry out to God night and day for victory over the enemy. (Luke 18:7)
V EXCELLENCE IN LOVING & CARING FOR YOUR FAMILY.
- Include the family in the schedule & have regular meals together.
- Spend private time with your spouse.
- Give priority time to the children – attend school functions and community events with them; have private time with each child; be a good listener, instead of “preaching” to them; show unconditional (Godly) love to them.
- Keep regular office hours and try to avoid bringing the “church business” home.
- Schedule 1 day off each week – “Six days shalt thou labor…” (Ex. 20:9)
- Take periodic breaks and vacations with the family.
- The Pastor must also give special attention to his/her own health – Spiritual, emotional and physical.
VI EXCELLENCE IN LOVING AND RESPECTING THE PEOPLE.
- God’s people are called his “treasured possession.” (Ex. 19:5, NIV, Deut. 7:6 & 14:2, NIV, Ps. 135:4, NIV and Mal. 3:17, NIV) It is important to know that we can claim all the O. T. promises because we are “Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) In Titus 2:14, NIV, we are called, “…His very own” and in I Pet. 2:9, NIV we are called “a people belonging to God” and in the Expanded Translation, by Kenneth Wuest, “a people formed for God’s own possession.”
- Trust God to cleanse and mature the people and have special classes for new converts.
- Prayer changes people and situations better than “preaching at them.” What is true preaching?
- Understand that the local congregation is fragile and make room for immaturity.
- Give special attention to the Sr. Adults: Love them and listen to them –- they are not your enemy…have monthly fellowship meeting and mix with them…remember 50th Anniversaries.
- Example of Asbury Methodist (Tulsa, OK) – The Chapel for Sr. Adult Service at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning. On one Sunday, in the Sanctuary, the pastor gave special recognition to 216 couples who had been married for 50 years or more. This recognition happens periodically throughout the year with an appreciation banquet at the end of each year.
VII EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATION.
- Monthly Board Meetings – The board makes policy but the paid staff administrates the policies as directed by the Sr. Pastor and are accountable to him. The Sr. Pastor is then accountable back to the board.
- Weekly Staff Meetings – for coordinating the church calendar, progress reports and accountable for assigned tasks. Perhaps a good time for meeting with the “volunteer staff” is 1 hour before the Sunday night or Wed. night services.
- Be careful about changing paradigms for worship format or infrastructure. We now have different cultures to deal with. The best plan is to have different types of worship services for different ages and cultures.
- Children’s Church.
- Youth Worship Service with their kind of music (message can be by the Sr. Pastor via close circuit).
- Sr. Adult Worship Service with their kind of music.
- Regular Worship Service in the Sanctuary with traditional/blend music.
- Ethnic Worship Services – Hispanic, Korean, Iranian, etc.
- Keep the momentum going and do not disrupt something which has been working well.
- Tend to details.
- Follow up meetings.
- Stop the development of opposition.
- Damage control.
- Quality control – clean church, clean restrooms, clean entrance and lobby, thermostats, all doors unlocked, light on pulpit, pleasant greeters (not “gate keepers”), ushers, attractive church sign and other signage throughout the church plant, etc.
He wrote the following introduction to the above guidelines for pastors at the beginning of 2019:
"This article may be good to help launch the New Year with special help for Pastors. It is entitled Excellence In Pastoral Ministry and is designed to help any Pastor who wants to have excellence in Ministry with all of its special benefits. To me, this teaching is a vital part of being Godly because everything we learn about God is always excellent. God bless, Dan Beller.]