1 Tim 1:5 -- Every Pastor's Mission Statement

Nearly a year ago my wife and I were driving west across the Oregon Cascade mountains and to pass the time she read to me from a small pamphlet discussing issues pastors have to deal with. It was all very good and spoke to my heart, but the one thing that has stayed with me is the author’s use of 1 Tim 1:5 – “Now the purpose of the commandment is love, from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…” It struck me how this single verse defines the mission of a pastor. So, for the next few entries I am going to discuss some of what it speaks to me. For example, what is a pure heart? What defines a good conscience? What is faith and what makes it “sincere”? How do those things fit in with love?

I think this is a proper discussion for the context of this blogger since we are engaged in planting a new church. We are seeking to bring unbelievers into the Kingdom of God and a pastor’s job is to nurture new believers into maturity in the faith. In other words our goal is “…love, from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…” Keep that in mind as you read the next few posts.