SERVING AS OVERSEERS
"Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers,
not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly."
1 Peter 5:2 (NKJV)
This passage is very important for whoever is serving in the ministry work:
a. Whoever is serving, overseeing, or pastoring the people of God, should not do the work as if he is being forced to do it—not by compulsion, but willingly (1 Peter 5:2).
b. Another point is; the work should not be done for dishonest gain, but be done eagerly, and with enthusiasm (1 Peter 5:2).
Whoever is craving for money or material gain should not serve in the
ministry work (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7).
Whoever in the ministry work and he is greedy for money, and he is covetous, such has found himself in a wrong field of operation.
God wants the prosperity of His servants, He wants them to be
blessed materially (Psalm 35:27; 1 Corinthians 9:9,10,14), however, their desires or primary motives of serving should not be about material rewards or wealth acquisitions (1 Peter 5:2).
Whatever you are doing in God's vineyard should not be done as if you
are being forced or compelled to do it (1 Corinthians 9:17,18).
Do the work as unto the Lord
I. Be passionate and enthusiastic about it.
II. Do it willingly and not for dishonest gain.
III. Be eager and diligent in the doing of the work.
IV. A minister should not lord it over the people entrusted to him.
V. He however should be an example to the flock, the people under his leadership ( 1 Peter 5:3).
How does a minister lord it over the people under his leadership?
• When the minister is not taking spiritual oversight of the people but
wants to milk them. It is against the law of civility to milk the cow you have not fed.
• A minister who is making merchandise of the people, using them as a means of making money; such is equal to lording it over the people.
• When you, as a minister, are using gimmickry to strip the people of their substance—material possessions, goods, wealth or whatever—it is equal to lording it over the people.
• When you are bossy, dictatorial or domineering, in your leadership style; it amounts to lording it over the people.
In God's vineyard or ministry leadership, a minister is called or assigned and appointed to be a servant leader. The leader should see himself as a coworker or co-labourer in God's vineyard with the people under his leadership. When a minister approaches the work of God with this mindset, he would not be bossy in his leadership style or pattern. He would not have an overblown or exaggerated views of the self.
A believer or a minister should not think of the self more than they ought to (Romans 12:3). Superiority complex is not of God, neither inferiority complex is.
Relate with the people under your leadership as God would want you to do. In the verse 4 of the same chapter of 1 Peter 5, we are told that when the Chief Shepherd appears, that is, Jesus Christ, the leader or minister who does well would receive a crown of glory that would not fade away.
The coming or appearance of the Chief Shepherd is when and not if, which means He will eventually appear or come, even if it tarries, He will surely come.
If you know that you are put in that leadership position by God, to represent Jesus Christ who will surely come someday; you will do the work well and not lord it over the people you are assigned to lead (Matthew 24:45-51).
Are you willing to receive Jesus when He comes? Are you expectant of His coming?
Peace.