LESSON TWO
THE PENTECOSTAL PREACHER

•	THE PASTOR IS THE SHEPHERD OF THE FLOCK.
•	The meaning of the word, "Pastor" is "Shepherd" or "Feeder." 
•	Jeremiah speaks of this office. 
•	"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15). 
•	"And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them" (Jeremiah 23:4).
•	His work lies mainly within the church. His first obligation is to feed the sheep. 
•	Jesus commanded Peter once to feed His lambs and twice to feed His sheep. 
•	Peter was grieved that Jesus should ask him three times, "Lovest thou me?" 
•	But there was a truth that Jesus wanted impressed indelibly upon Peter's heart and so He repeated it three times, "Feed my sheep." 
•	Peter learned his lesson well and later was able to exhort the elders: "Feed the flock of God, which is among you" (I Peter 5:2). 
•	The pastor's great work is to teach, instruct and father the flock; his responsibility is to see that the church is a healthy, spiritual church (Ephesians 4:11- 16).
•	In order to feed the sheep he must be a constant student. 
•	A person simply cannot feed others until he has first been fed; he cannot give out to others that which he has not first digested himself; he cannot teach others that which he has not first learned himself.
•	One of the greatest needs in the present day church is for pastors with a divine call to pastor or shepherd the flock of God. 
•	Preachers - there are many - men of ability, talent, and training, men who can entertain and sway an audience with their eloquence and personality; but few are the men who are willing to lay down their lives for the sheep. 
•	Pastors after God's own heart who will sacrifice their own lives in order to shepherd the flock are not too numerous. 
•	Happy is that assembly which has for its pastor a man who will be more than a preacher and a leader, but will combine these qualities with that God-given quality of being a "spiritual father" to his people.
•	"Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers" (I Corinthians 4:15).
•	THE PASTOR'S MINISTRY LIES MAINLY WITHIN THE CHURCH. 
•	Scriptural Reference: "And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11).
•	Of the many phases and callings of the Christian ministry, the work and ministry of a pastor stands out as being one of vital importance. 
•	Jesus himself has placed pastors in the church to minister to the church. 
•	In Ephesians 4:11-16 his work is defined as:
•	Perfecting the saints,
•	Work of the ministry,
•	Edifying the body of Christ,
•	Until the whole body is brought into a condition of divine health, maturity, strength and unity. 
•	The church in such healthy condition will just naturally make increase of itself in love. 
•	In other words, if the pastor succeeds in bringing the church to a proper spiritual condition in Christ, souls will naturally be born into the family, and the Lord will add to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47).
•	Many times it takes real effort, time and prayer to keep saints walking the straight and narrow path, to lead them into deeper spiritual life, and to watch over their souls that they be not led astray by the enemy. 
•	To keep a soul in the fold true to the Lord is more important than winning a new convert. 
•	The writer once asked a Bible class, which he was teaching which, was more important as far as the work of the ministry was concerned. 
•	A minister in the class answered that it was more important to win a new convert, giving for his reason the parable of the ninety and nine (Luke 15:3-7). 
•	However, this parable proves the very opposite, for the hundredth sheep lost out in the wilderness was plainly a backslider and it was for this backslider that was the shepherd's main concern.
•	It is the backsliding of the people of God, which turns a pastor's hair white and puts the wrinkles in his brow. 
•	It is for the sheep that has wandered that he lies awake nights and for which he agonizes in prayer many long hours. 
•	When the saints are right with God it is a simple matter to get sinners to give their hearts to the Lord for each child of God is an influence for good. 
•	On the other hand, each backslider takes down to the pit with him scores of souls who might have been saved if he had remained true.
•	THE PASTOR MUST LOVE THE FLOCK.
•	Scriptural Reference: "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11).
•	The greatest characteristic of pastor is that of love and sacrifice. 
•	The pastor is but an under-shepherd being guided by the spirit and example of the chief shepherd. 
•	The chief shepherd died for the flock and it is this SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE that must grip the heart of every Holy Ghost pastor.
•	"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sakeshall find it" (Matthew 10:39). 
•	"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24).
•	The writer has had some experiences along this line which he shall never be able to forget, and for which he deeply thanks the Lord. 
•	Once while there was some trouble in his church, he was quite discouraged, and was even considering resigning. 
•	One evening while he was driving with his mind on the difficulty and struggling with the temptation of leaving that particular pastorate, he heard a voice, not audible but nevertheless so real that he knew it was of God. 
•	"The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, but the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." 
•	The writer was able to say, "Thank you, Lord" and was saved from running away from the will of God.
•	The pastor should have a heart that is filled with love for his people. 
•	In his work, "heart-power" will help him more than anything else will. 
•	The majority of all people are reached more easily through the affections than through the intellect. 
•	They are looking for love, sympathy, understanding and patience. 
•	It is the minister's business to try to understand their battles and struggles that he might be able to help them better with all of their problems.
•	For this reason a pastor should live on the same level and standard of living, as his church. 
•	For reasons, which are quite apparent, he should be a married man with at least one child. 
•	If they should be unfortunate and unable to have children of their own, they should be all means adopt one child if not two. 
•	Only a parent can understand the problems of parents, and be able to advise and instruct in a spirit of love and sympathy.
•	THE PASTOR MUST BE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH EVERY DETAIL OF THE CHURCH.
•	When a pastor is installed into a new pastorate, the first few weeks are extremely critical. 
•	The new faces and new crowds will bring to him new inspiration. 
•	However, along with this new inspiration will come new challenges and new problems to be solved. 
•	There will be a honeymoon period, which may be very deceiving to him. 
•	During this period of time he may permit himself to be influenced by the wrong people, and he may make errors in judgment that will never be forgotten by the people. 
•	He must remember that first impressions are sometimes lasting ones. 
•	He should be much in prayer and look constantly to the Holy Spirit to guide him in all decisions. 
•	Until he knows the church thoroughly he should be very slow in making decisions that would affect the government of the church.
•	The new pastor must acquaint himself with all departments and workers in the church. 
•	He must check whether or not there is a church roll, and if there is, whether or not it is complete and up-to-date. 
•	If there is no membership roll, he must at once take steps to see that he has a complete list of all members and adherents with their addresses. 
•	He now can proceed to visit systematically throughout the entire assembly that he might become familiar with every family and home.
•	After he has been installed, and he has acquainted himself with every department, the workers, and the saints themselves, his next great task is to win the confidence, respect and love of his flock. 
•	Many times the pastor is called upon to reprove and rebuke and this most certainly is part of his ministry as a "father" to the flock (II Timothy 4:2).
•	However, let the new pastor beware just what liberties he takes before he has won the confidence and respect of his people. 
•	"They know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5).
•	The fact that he is a good preacher does not make his voice the voice of their shepherd. 
•	The sheep must learn to know his voice. 
•	He must be firm but with that firmness great care and tenderness until they know his voice. 
•	Otherwise, he may create dissension and opposition that he may never be able to completely overcome.
•	THE PASTOR MUST MAINTAIN CORRECT ATTITUDES.
•	A new pastor must remember that his predecessor has the affection and confidence of the church, which has been won through possibly many years of faithful, sacrificial ministry. 
•	Never should he allow a spirit of envy or jealousies arise in his heart against the former
minister. 
•	Never should there ever arise a spirit of competition between the two ministers, or the comparing of their ministry to the disadvantage of one them. 
•	Remember that both are ministers in the same body and working towards the same end - not for self, God forbid, but for the establishment of Christ's kingdom. 
•	One minister sows, another waters, and still another may reap, but it is God who gives the increase (I Corinthians 3:6-7).
•	However, it might be wise also to add that the departing pastor should give his successor every opportunity and the only fair thing for him to do is to sever whatever connections he possibly can with his former pastorate. 
•	Once he has said farewell to the church, his responsibility is finished, and he should never be influenced to give advice to, nor interfere in the slightest way with his former flock.
•	There is a principle that the incoming pastor would do well to remember. 
•	If the saints speak well of their former pastor, in all probability they will speak well of him when he leaves. 
•	If they are critical of their former minister, in all probability they will also be critical of him. Therefore, He should be glad to hear the praises of his predecessor. 
•	He must remember that he cannot hide his attitudes towards his fellow ministers. 
•	His sheep will detect his true attitudes and judge him accordingly.

LESSON TWO
SELF HELP TEST

A. Explain the difference between a "hireling" and a "shepherd."

B. What is meant by "heart-power?"

C. Write a paragraph explaining the following statement: "The pastor's ministry lies mainly within the church."

D. What should be a minister's attitude towards his predecessor?

E. "They know not the voice of strangers." (John 10:5). What application does this Scripture have to the ministry?