Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 1 Peter 5.2-4

The Christian Ministry: Part I, chapter VI
Charles Bridges (1794-1869)
“The Scripture justly insists – that Ministers should be ‘holy’ – in a peculiar sense men of God – men taught of God – men consecrated to God by a daily surrender of their time and talents to his service – men of singleness of purpose – living their work – living altogether but for one end; and for the promotion of this end, ‘moved by none of the afflictions that await them; neither counting their life dear to them, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the Ministry which they have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.’ Such was the Apostle Paul, the living exemplar of his own instructions…”

The reward of the pursuit of holiness is joy. Not only in the life to come, when the Chief Shepherd at last appears, but now, today, in every aspect of your walk with and work for the Lord. What obstacles keep us from pursuing holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7.1)? Are we so busy in ministry that we cannot take the time for periodic retreats throughout the day into the presence of the Holy One? Are we so in the thrall of silly diversions and mindless distractions that we are unable to discipline our minds to be fixed on the things that are above (Col. 3.1-3)? Christ intends His Bride to be presented to Himself as holy, but the sheep will not rise above their shepherds. We will not succeed as shepherds unless we follow the example of our Good Shepherd and present an example of holiness before the people we serve. Where do you need to increase in holiness today?

Holiness is best pursued with the company and assistance of others. Do you have a soul friend? Are you a soul friend to others? How might pastors be of more help to one another in this important matter?

Pastoral Hope Initiative
The Pastoral Hope Initiative is a comprehensive assessment protocol which allows you to take a thorough look at the state of your walk with and work for the Lord. Using a combination of assessment tools and online consultations, we can help you establish some baselines and directions for growth in your life and ministry. Watch this brief video. If you’re interested in going forward, drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Vision of the Holy
Holiness begins in our vision of Christ. Download the free PDF, Glorious Vision:28 Days in the Throne Room of the Lord, and discover a clearer and more compelling vision of Christ as revealed in Psalm 45.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.