# Bunyan's Portrait of a Pastor



## Mushroom (May 28, 2009)

Here is John Bunyan's description of a Pastor, a Shepherd of the Lord's flock:



> Inter. Then said the Interpreter, Come in, I will shew thee that which
> will be profitable to thee. So he commanded his man to light the Candle, and
> bid Christian follow him, so he had him into a private room, and bid his man
> open a door; the which when he had done, Christian saw the Picture of a very
> ...


Now Bunyan seems to infer that a pilgrim ought to take care, and examine closely those who would presume to take that Office. Is that appropriate for laypersons to do, and if so, what would that entail in practice?


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## Wannabee (May 28, 2009)

First of all, thanks for the quote. It's convicting.

Second of all, I read it to say that Christian is to only follow a shepherd whose mind dwells on the things of God and Scripture and whose eyes are on the Lord and not the things of the world, "lest in thy Journey thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right, but their way goes down to death." This is how to measure a man of God.


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## EricP (May 28, 2009)

I don't believe that Bunyon was giving his "shopping list" of qualifications for a pastor. In Interpreter's house Christian was shown a variety of "excellent things" (like the man with the unsanctified heart, etc), and more or less shown the spiritual reality behind those that Christian met in the world. That being said, it IS a wonderful description of what a real pastor should be...


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## Houston E. (May 28, 2009)

And this can't be done by simply standing behind a pulpit once a week.


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