Approachable People
For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered . . . . (Titus 1:7 NKJV)
As Paul continued with his list of pastoral prerequisites, he wrote that a bishop mustn't be quick-tempered. A more contemporary way of putting this would be that a pastor shouldn't have a short fuse. He shouldn't be the sort of person who's prone to being angered easily but should have a high tolerance for hassles and difficulties. Something is spiritually 'off' when a minister constantly loses his composure because an angry attitude doesn't accomplish God's righteousness:
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20 NKJV)
This doesn't mean that a pastor should never be angry. In fact, the Bible acknowledges there are certain situations where anger (without sin) is an appropriate response (Ephesians 4:26). But Paul was talking about something different here. He was referring to the kind of anger that defines a person's character. The sad effect is that people no longer feel the freedom to approach their pastor when they should. I can't ask a question like that because he'll chew me up and spit me out! I can't confess that sin because I'll get blasted. A pastor ought to address and confront sin when necessary, but he should also be approachable.
Jesus was approachable. People weren't afraid of Him 'going ballistic' on them when it came to their sins. There were even several occasions when people felt the freedom to interrupt Him with their problems (John 4:47; Mark 7:25; Matthew 17:14; Luke 18:38). And we're told that parents were comfortable with Jesus handling their little children (Matthew 19:13). None of this would have happened if Jesus had the reputation of being quick-tempered.
Let's take it one step further and ask ourselves whether we're quick tempered. But, Pastor Bob, I'm not planning on being a pastor anytime soon. It doesn't matter. All of us, as Christians, are called to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6). Our Lord wasn't easily angered but projected a sense of approachability and accessibility, and so should we.
DIG - What does it mean to be quick-tempered?
DISCOVER - Why is it important for you to be approachable?
DISPLAY - Find out if your acquaintances consider you to be an approachable person.
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At the age of 24, Bob Coy left a coveted position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, Bob and his wife, Diane, moved to Fort Lauderdale and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. As senior pastor, he has become well known for his unique style in expounding the Scriptures, making them come alive and relate to those of us living in the 21st century. His teaching style emphasizes the believer's "life application" of the highest standards of God's truth while his delivery captures the loving heart of God's Spirit.
Pastor Bob has had the rare privilege of watching God's miraculous hand move in the individual lives of those in the fellowship as well as the corporate body as a whole. From the first meeting in a living room with four in attendance, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale has now become home to over 17,000 men and women from the tri-county area, and ranks as the eighth largest church in the country. Though many have tried to attribute its rapid growth to numerous reasons, no one is more surprised by the phenomenon than Pastor Bob, who gives total credit and all the glory to God alone.
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