God's Gift

Most Christians know the scripture-John 3:16 "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life." The scripture suggests that God is a loving God and gives only his very best. He did not give a goat, or a lamb or even an angel, but gave his only begotten son. That's the thought that came to me when I read in Ephesians 4:11-"he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...." Another thought followed-God actually gave the church, the world, pastors. Pastors are essentially gifts from God. Now, if a gift is truly a great gift, then one will use it and use it and use it up. Now, some would call that "burn out", and that may be so, but what's a gift for if not to be used. Sometimes we forget that we don't belong to ourselves and really have no right to ourselves-'we have been bought with a price', and God should be able to do with us as He pleases. Therefore, it would behoove us to earnestly strive to realize the practical primary principles of pastoring or what I call Pastorology.
Ray Phillip Owens, Sr., is an ordained Elder in the Methodist tradition (African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church), and the senior pastor of the "Uncommon" Cameron Grove Church in Broadway, North Carolina, He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Charter Oak State College in New Britain, Connecticut, and the Master of Divinity Degree from Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, North Carolina. He has written numerous articles for his denomination's publications and serves as associate editor and writer of a local Christian publication called "The Shepherd's Voice" in Raeford, North Carolina. He serves as the Chief of Protocol in the Central North Carolina Conference.