Is your Pastor a Minister of God?
Keep Paul the Apostle in mind when you go through this check list for a model Minister of God
1. Is he a man?
2. Is he a Christian?
3. Is he saved / born again?
3. Does he have a calling / mandate from God for his 'full time' ministry?
5. Is he concerned about your soul? (Has he ever asked you, "Are you saved?")
6. Does he preach the right gospel (Not prosperity)?
7. Does he talk to you about your spiritual health?
8. Does he inquire you about your prayer life?
9. Does he ask you about what you are reading in the Bible lately?
10. Does he encourage you to ask him Bible-based doubts?
11. Does he ask you about how you earn your money?
12. Does he tell you that your job at a cigarette factory, a bar, a beauty parlor, massage center, or a dance club is ungodly?
13. Does he question you if you have questionable habits – smoking, drinking, adultery, usury (kandhu vatti), pornography (internet, print media, cinema, and TV Serials)?
14. Does he talk to you about your dress when it is not modest enough – Tees exposing men's six-packs, chest and biceps, tight-fitting denims / jeans and leggings, low cut tops (exposing cleavage), mini and micro skirts /shorts, text-printed T-shirts and Chuddidhars with no dhuppattas, and your makeup with lipstick, eyeliners and nail-polish?
15. Does he know that you have debts and that you are contributing to the church amidst this debt? (Does he add that you should first clear your monetary debt before you bring the offering?)
16. Does he encourage you to develop a personal relationship with God? (instead of asking you to come to himself with prayer requests)
17. Does he talk to you with a real concern about your children?
18. Does he visit you occasionally? (not during the first week of every month)
19. Does he allow you to express your point of view?
20. Does he listen to what you are telling him?
21. Has he been with you during a challenging time?
22. Does he say, “I want you, not your money”?
23. Does he condemn your laziness and loitering?
24. Does he own a well-read bible?
25. Does he have a trade/ profession? Does he possess a special skill to earn otherwise?
26. Does he have exemplary God-fearing children?
27. Does his wife obey and honor her husband? (Does she arbitrarily take decisions ignoring her husband's opinion or dominate her husband in every way?)
28. Does he dress modestly?
29. Does his wife and children dress modestly?
30. Does he maintain accounts of income and expenditure?
31. Does he pay taxes or file IT returns?
32. Is he accountable to a higher authority about his money-matters?
33. Does he have a spiritual mentor from whom he learns doctrine and behavior?
34. Does he trust you with church money for at least some of its expenses?
35. Does he produce accounts, vouchers, bills, invoices, and receipts for church expenses when demanded for them?
36. Does he preach about sin, punishment, and repentance?
37. Does he preach about sanctified living?
38. Does he preach that Christians must live a life different from the world and not compromise with the worldly system?
39. Does he live a crucified life and set a good example to follow?
40. Does he visit you after calling you to ensure your availability?
41. Does he encourage you to offer money in the offertory rather than handing it to him in person?
42. Does he allow you / your children to participate in the service by singing, playing music, or sharing the word of God?
43. Does he return a gift as quickly as you gift him one?
44. Does he stand for the right side of an argument?
45. Does he hold his temper even if one provokes him about his education, skills, social standing, color, or caste?
46. Does he show hospitality by welcoming you to his house and giving you good food at his own expense?
47. Does he immediately share the gospel with any new entrant in the church gathering?
48. Does he say frequently that Christian life is not a bed of roses?
49. Does he take pleasure in his trial, infirmities, difficulties, and persecutions?
50. Does he play down / talk less on supernatural experiences he has had in the past?
Has your pastor passed in this test with at least 40% marks? (20 answers correct)
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