Among the unsung heroes of God's great church are its humble, faithful pastors scattered in thousands of communities around the world. These men are on the firing line where individual members come daily into mortal combat with the enemy of souls. The very foundations of the church of God are rooted in their ministry. Their work is vital. It is often rugged and filled with distressing problems, with little glamour or fanfare. Although they may not appear to be accorded the honor frequently given to a faithful evangelist or a dynamic executive, theirs is a work for God of which there is none higher. In His solicitude for the spiritual health of His people, God has said: "I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" (jer. 3:15).
We are living in a most solemn time. All have a work to do requiring diligence. Especially is this true of the pastor, who is to care for and feed the flock of God. The one whose special work it is to lead the people into the path of truth, should be an able expositor of the word, capable of adapting his teachings to the wants of the people. He should be so closely connected with heaven as to become a living channel of light, a mouthpiece for God.
A pastor should have a correct understanding of the word and also of the human character. . . . One man usually performs the labor which should be shared by two; for the work of the evangelist is necessarily combined with that of the pastor, bringing a double burden upon the worker in the field.—Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 260.
To you, the pastors of God's people everywhere, we would say in the words of Eileen Duggan:
You are the mates of Christ, His dearest friends
With whom He loves to sit and yarn awhile.
A working man is surest of His smile,
And He will say to you when living ends:
Come, make yourselves at home, my friends, my friends.
You are the heart of Christ, His healing heart.
That drives its love through every flowing vein.
You are the mind of Christ that shoots its light--
Through all the world and back to Him again.
You are the mirror that reflects the might
That won our battle with a sword of pain.
This number of THE MINISTRY is in honor of our dear pastors the world around, and all other faithful workers for God who labor in humble capacity away from the limelight of the religious stage. No greater honor is accorded any man than that expressed in the following words of inspiration:
The true ambassador of Christ is in perfect union with Him whom he represents, and his engrossing object is the salvation of souls.—Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 261.
J. A. B.
