One of the things that I truly appreciate about Paul's epistles to the early churches (found in the New Testament)... is the pastoral flavour each epistle exudes. There may be rebuke, theological discourses and very hard stuff to swallow... but Paul always ended on a warm and encouraging note. The recipients of his epistles were obviously very dear to his heart - and he exhorted, encouraged and implored them as a father would to his own children. They could rest assured that he cared deeply for them, thought of them often and prayed unceasingly for their needs - even while he laboured and suffered for the sake of Christ's gospel. Paul never seemed like he was too far away - even when he was at the other end of the earth or manacled in some cruel, forlorn prison.
You can read more on the circumstances unique to the church each epistle was to address at this link, which I thought was very helpful.
Being pastoral is, of course, concerned with discipleship - and fulfilling
the Great Commission (per Matthew 28:18-20)... something that I would like to
take seriously in the weighing of my daily words and actions. Being pastoral is not just the responsibility of your church pastor (and I am not one).
Reading through 1 and 2 Thessalonions today made me wonder if my blog was doing enough with regards to being pastoral.
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