What do people expect of their pastor? That answer varies with every individual, but I can answer for myself what I would expect of my pastor. That should explain for you what kind of pastor I strive to be. Most importantly, I expect a pastor to be an evangelist. Sharing the gospel is job one. It means sharing the gospel not just “professionally” in sermons, Bible studies, and counseling, but being a personal ambassador for Christ. A pastor shouldn’t hide the fact that he is a pastor. In fact, when people learn that I am a pastor often there are questions that he or she has that can springboard into talking about the Savior. Preparation is important. Reading and studying to understand the Bible’s message is important. A pastor should spend a good deal of time with personal and professional Bible study.
The pastor needs to know people. Not just the members and prospects of the congregation, but the people of the community. Community events, organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, and neighborhood activities help him do this. The pastor’s work is connecting the gospel with people. You have to know them in order to know the right message, approach, and application.
A pastor should work hard, and be willing to do whatever he can to serve the church. The ministry is not a 40 hour a week job. It is more of a lifestyle. Like any professional, he is a pastor no matter what he is doing, and should behave accordingly. Pastors can offer humanitatian assistance to the needy, do any kind of labor, sit quietly with people, play with the kids, spend time with the family, work on administrative duties for the congregation and the church at large. Time management skills are important to keep the work of the gospel at the forefront, but a pastor should be willing to clean out the storage shed, clean a toilet, and water flowers as needs present themselves.
A pastor should read a variety of literature. This expands his vocabulary, knowledge, and experience base, making his conversations, sermons, and teaching more interesting and informative. I am currently reading John Grisham’s novel “Playing for Pizza”, John Morris’s “The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth–Past, Present, and Future”, Isaac Azimov’s “Guide to the Bible” (Giving a liberal, secular viewpoint on the Bible which I find offensive and worthless, but which seems important for me to know.)
A pastor needs to maintain the privacy of his contacts. Confidentiality of counseling situations and personal information must be maintained. The pastor needs to use discretion in his conversations, and never spread gossip, slander, or hearsay.
Everyone, of course, has many subjective expectations. I want my pastor to be likeable, to have a good sense of humor, but also to have the ability to be serious; if married, to have a family that reflects Christian attitudes; and to be balanced in his approach–not focussing overly much on one pet topic or issue, nor spending too much time in one activity while neglecting others. A pastor needs to be well-organized, but flexible enough to deal with a wide variety of situations and people.
