Every year I like to reevaluate myself based on how I ministered to myself, my family and, my church in the previous year. Through Bible reading, prayer and, conversations with brothers and sisters in Christ I seek guidance to focus on what’s important for the year ahead.

Every time I do this I find that there’s not too much to learn but too much to be reminded of. The basic thing I need to be reminded of is that I serve under Jesus which means that I’m called to emulate his three offices (prophet, priest, king) and be obedient to his mission. The following five reminders come under this wider umbrella of serving under Jesus. They were helpful to me and maybe helpful to you. Here we go.

A pastor is…

1. Not a motivational speakers but a prophet. My job is not to make people feel good nor to make people good. My good advice at the end of the day does not matter. I’m called to preach the Gospel which is the “good news” of God. It is not my message therefore, I’m called to be faithful. No need to improve it, lest I lose it. The Gospel does offer hope but only after provoking despair as the brutal facts about humans and God are presented.

2. Not a CEO but a king. I’m called to lead a local body of believers modeling after Jesus. I’m not called to head up a corporation. I’m not called to look over peoples shoulders and demand fast numerical results from them on a quarterly basis. I’m called to model repentance, sacrifice and, service for them and give them therefore, the freedom to follow. Note that Jesus never asked his disciples for the numbers. His throne was a cross and his crown made of thorns and that’s exactly what he asked his disciples for. I am to read the Bible disproportionately more than books on leadership.

3. Not a celebrity but a priest. I am not called to promote myself but to promote Jesus. I am called to be with people regardless of who they are and what they posses and, to see them as broken individuals- just like myself. I’m called to identify with their pain and to help mediate their healing through (and only through) the Gospel.

4. Not a business owner but a steward. The church that I have planted does not belong to me. The people that attend it do not belong to me. The church belongs to Jesus therefore, the people. I have no accomplishments apart from his building of his church. I am called to take care with my life of the lives the he has entrusted and will entrust to me and that’s it.

5. Not the savior of the world but a sinner that needs salvation. I cannot solve everybody’s problems nor save my whole city. There will always be one more sermon to preach, one more sick person to heal and, one more meeting to attend. First and foremost I am a father and a dad. No salvation of souls, physical healing or mega church will replace my failure as a husband and dad. Secondly, the ministry cannot save me, not even my preaching of the gospel. I need the gospel as much as anyone else and the gospel means surrender. Thirdly, I need to be a team player and have a broad view of the Kingdom of God.

Even if you’re not a pastor these are good expectations for you to have for your pastor. They might come short just as I might come short at the end of this year but, that’s why reminder 5 exists.