Pastoring by the Spirit

There is an anointing to stand in the office of pastor.

Pastors can be led of the Spirit in carrying-out their ministry, just as much as the evangelist or prophet are.

One day I was sitting in church, feeling quite discouraged. This happens rarely, but I was too discouraged even to go forward on the altar-call to be prayed-for by the pastoral team.

I sat there and said to myself, "If I was a pastor, and I knew one of my members was feeling the way I'm feeling right now, you know what I would do? I would step down off the stage, walk up to him, ignore everyone else in the building, and talk with him."

And before I even finished speaking my pastor stepped off the stage, walked up to me (I was sitting towards the back of the auditorium), turned around a chair to face me, and sat down and talked with me, ignoring everyone else, until they'd turned the lights out in the building and everyone else had gone home. He didn't even finish praying for others on the altar-call! I felt comforted to say the least.

That is pastoring by the Spirit!

On another occasion, a family in our church was being farewelled to begin service as missionaries. The whole family including the children came to the front of the church to be prayed for. Suddenly our pastor asked their daughter, "Is there anything you wish you could be taking with you but can't?" Little did our pastor know that she longed to take their family pet - a dog - with them, but the cost of transporting it by air was prohibitive.

So our pastor asked if anyone in the congregation wanted to help the family send their dog, to come and see him after the service.

Our pastor was no doubt led of the Spirit to ask that question.

Pastors can be supernaturally led, to effectively carry out their calling. My pastor is one who is.