“Where Do You Wanna Go?”

by Reverend Tom Coronite

January 19^th, 2025 10AM

Ephesians 4:7-16 & 2Timothy 4:1-5

Summary:

This Sermon uses the question of where to go as a framework to discuss the role of the church and its pastor.  Reverend Coronite begins by sharing a personal anecdote about deciding where to eat with his wife, which he then relates to the broader question of where the church wants to go.  He suggests three possible answers to this question.  The first is that the church wants to go back to the past. In this case, the pastor will function largely as a chaplain, performing little more than ceremonies and rituals.  The second is that the church is content to stay where it is. Here, the pastor will function as a minister, doing ministry for the church, which is focused on the present.  The third is that the church wants to go where God leads it. In this case, the pastor will function as a true pastor, equipping the members of the church to do ministry.  The role of the pastor is defined as equipping the saints (the members of the church) to do ministry, bringing them to biblical and spiritual maturity, and protecting them from false teachings and other negative influences.  The pastor is also a teacher, preaching the word of God in all circumstances.  The sermon distinguishes between the office of pastor as a verb, something that someone does, and as a noun, which focuses on the person.  Focusing on the person can lead to superficial considerations, while focusing on the role leads to the question of whether the person is dedicated to the job. A key question is whether God is with the person who is called to be a pastor.  The focus should be on Christ and building up the body of Christ, not on individual gain. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing that all members of the church have gifts and roles in building up the body of Christ, with the unifying role of pastor as a very important gift.

-JTH