PASTORAL THEOLOGY Part Thirteen. (THE MINISTER’S PERSONAL LIFE AND FAMILY).

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THE MINISTER’S PERSONAL LIFE AND FAMILY.

Take heed unto thyself 1 Tim. 4:1-6. If the pastor is to do his best work, he must exercise real care in the matter of his own personal life. His great responsibilities and the influence he exerts as minister of God calls loudly for such care., some of the things he should give careful attention are:-

1. HIS DEVOTION HABITS:

In his busy life the pastor must ever be on guard lest all his time be taken up in feeding the souls of others and there is no time to nourish his own soul.
Songs. 1:6.

a. He should have time daily to read the scriptures devotionally for his own benefits with no thought of preaching or teaching in mind. Neglecting this will be reflected in the bareness of the pastor’s ministry.

b. He should have a definite time each day to pray.
Have a prayer list, pray definitely,

b. He should learn to worship with his people. He should be well prepared when he gets to the pulpit not only to lead his people in worship but whole heartedly worship God with them.

1. HIS HEALTH:

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Who need a strong body more than the pastor? Therefore, he should exercise some care in keeping himself physically fit. His physical well-being will have much effect upon mental and spiritual well-being. He should understand that his body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20.

a. Receive sufficient rest at night at least five hours or six hours sleep every night will help the minister have strength for the day’s work. He should fine some time for relaxation during the week. It is not bad to take a whole day off per week for this.

b. He should have a vocation at some time during the year. When he can leave the parish and spend at least two of three or more weeks elsewhere for site seeing interacting with people and get new ideas.

c. He should provide for himself some sort of suitable exercise, for bodily exercise profits for our health.

d} He should seek to eat properly. Balance diet and self-control are important in this aspect.

e} He should have a physical checkup every few years.

1. HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

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Not only should his heart be clean, His hands should also be clean and neat in his person. Be careful to wear clean clothing, under-wears handkerchief and tie should also be clean.

Be careful to keep your teeth clean. Your hair neat or be trimmed and combed. Your shoe polished, finger nails trimmed.

In summary, the minister should remember that he is a representative of Jesus Christ. And cannot think of Christ as being dirty. Therefore, be careful to maintain a good personal appearance.

1. HIS STUDY:

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a. Have a place prepared for it. Preferably church.

b. Have regular hours for it.

c. Have plan for it.

d. He should never cease his study habits.
Once a pastor or Christian worker ceases to study and read in his field he will begin to fail. 2 Tim 2:15.

e. He should give attention to reading. 1 Tim 4:13
Reading maketh a full man” _Bacon.

What ought a minister to red?- Biography, History, Exposition of scriptures. devotional literatures, current events, science, exploration, in formations. etc

f. He should accumulate well-chosen library, successful ministers have invested more on books.

1. HIS HOME.

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The bible says of the Bishop, that he should be “one that rule well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity”. Read 1 Tim 3:4-5.

a) he should give time to the home, in order to guide his home in the right way. He must not be a stranger to his wife and children so that will influence them to Godliness and this will in turn help him in the ministry.

b) Too much time must not be given to the Home. Some ministers (pastor) spend too much time.

c) The pastor should lead his household in family devotion for their spiritual growth. Cheerfulness should be in the home and unselfishness as well as hospitality 1 Tim 3 : 2, Titus 1:8;

1. THE PASTOR’S WIFE.

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In considering the pastor’s wife, we shall look at her role in the home, to her husband and to the congregation.

a. Her first responsibility is to her home. She should be the queen of the parsonage. Her home should be a model and ideal for others to imitate. There should be orderliness, hospitality, neatness, happiness, and attractiveness.

b. The pastor’s wife should not seek to fill too many positions in the church so that she is not loaded down to many responsibilities.

c. She can be of service in the matter of certain calls that need to be made.

d. She can be of great help to her husband in connection with certain personal problems with which he may faced. For instance when the pastor’s moral gets low because of criticism, poor attendance.

e. She may exercise a very precious ministry among the women and girls of the congregation; in counseling with girls or women who have problem.

f. She must learn to be tight-lipped. This is true also for her husband. She must keep secret and confidential matters so as not to betray the confidence reposed on her.

g. The pastor’s wife ought to give all diligence toward the training of her children so that they will be credit and not hindrance to the work of the church.

h. She must not be so interested and involved in the affairs of the church that she neglects her own children. She should love people.

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