If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a church builder. Servant Leader, Pastor, Worship Leader, Youth Pastor, lover of Jesus. You’ve committed yourself to building God’s house. So the question I have for you, the one I regularly ask myself is:

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Why do we show up? Why do we serve? Why do we lead? What is a church for?

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I think our answer can be found in Matthew 28:16-20

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and

said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you

always, to the very end of the age.”

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This is the famous passage of scripture known as the Great Commission. A commission is simply an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or to a group of people. The Great Commission is the instruction, the command, the duty given by Jesus to all believers for all time.

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1. Go and make disciples of all nations

2. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

3. And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you

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This great commission from Jesus is bookended by his authority and his presence. He begins by saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…” and ends by saying, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We can rest assured that anywhere we go, we go with the authority and presence of Jesus.

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If we understand why we serve we must also understand how.

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Making Disciples — I believe that’s happening each Sunday you gather. The Gospel is preached, an invitation is extended, and disciples are made in a moment of decision. Thank you, God!

Baptizing — This happens regularly at our church after our Sunday services. You may also have Baptism Sunday or a rhythm in your calendar that includes baptism. 

Teaching — Jesus said, “Teach them to obey everything” EVERYTHING! Jesus, are you saying you actually expect us to do everything you taught? Not just believe it? Not just profess it? Not just intend it? But actually do it?

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Every Sunday we receive powerful, biblical, potentially life-changing teaching. I say “potentially life-changing” because the transformational power is not in hearing the word but in doing the word. We read in James Chapter 1, it is the application of God’s word that will make a practical difference in our lives. Here’s my question to you, the leader: Are you teaching people to obey everything Jesus commanded? Maybe we have a hard time teaching people to do everything Jesus commanded us to do because we haven’t even considered that as a viable possibility. It’s not that we have tried and failed, it’s that we have never even thought to try.

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Our job as the church, our commission, is not just to lead people to make a decision to follow Jesus or to encourage them to make a public declaration of their faith in Jesus, it is to teach them to obey Jesus. To actually do what he commanded. To imitate the life that he lived. It is a great privilege and a great responsibility. So how do we do it? How do we shepherd, pastor, and lead those we’ve been entrusted to steward? Here are 7 quick thoughts on how to pastor a person:

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1. Build a Relationship

Some relationships come more naturally than others, but no relationship develops by accident — this requires intentionality and time. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

2. Ask the Hard Questions

If you’re going to pastor someone, you are going to have to get comfortable asking the hard questions. The people I have the deepest relationships with are not necessarily the people I have known the longest but rather the people who have not shied away from difficult or uncomfortable conversations.

3. Share Your Struggles

Honesty is the baseline for intimacy. Any meaningful relationship is going to require honesty. Are you willing to share some of yourself and your life? It doesn’t have to be everything, in fact, it shouldn’t be everything. This is going to require discernment and discretion. Vulnerability is not unloading all your stuff on someone, it’s being willing to share your own fears, weaknesses, and faith journey in order to encourage someone else.

4. Encourage From God’s Word

I don’t just want to offer people good advice, I want to offer God advice. How well do you know God’s word? Get the word in you and it will become for you a well from which you can draw for yourself and others.

5. Offer Specific Direction

We can’t solve everybody’s problems—that’s not our job—but it can be helpful to offer specific direction. People grow gradually. We can’t do everything at once, so help people identify one thing they can do next.

6. Follow Up On Progress

Don’t just offer specific direction, follow up on progress and check in. A phone call or text goes a long way to remind someone you’re with them. 

7. Don’t Give Up

Good things take time. Paul said to the church in Galatia: “I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Pastoring people can be painful, it can be messy. When you’re performing surgery, you may get a little blood on you. Thank God we’re not the doctor, we’re just the physician’s assistant. We’re not the one changing hearts, we are just here to assist the Great Physician as he does what only he can do.

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If you are not committed to growth and development, don’t expect to have any success in helping other people in their growth and development. Leaders go first. Leaders provide people with an example to follow. Paul said to the church in Corinth, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”

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You are not God, but you can be good.

You can be a good leader.

You can be a good example.

You can be a good teacher.

You can be a good pastor.