For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. I Corinthians 4:15 (Amplified Bible, AMP)

There are a lot of people teaching the Word. We have no lack of instructors in the Scriptures. Yet, like Paul said, we have few fathers in the faith. There is a big difference between and instructor and a father.

A father doesn’t just tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. He carries you in his heart and walks you through life’s trials. He doesn’t just tell you; he shows you. And he sticks with you even when you mess up. A father in the faith will instruct you in the things of God, but he will also demonstrate it in his own life so you can grow up in the faith and imitate him. An instructor simply instructs, but a father loves.

Now, I’m not saying that Bible teachers don’t love people. But when you are seeking a shepherd- one who will be your pastor- you need more than information. You need a father (or mother if its a woman). You need someone who will assume responsibility for your growth.

A real father will pray over you in his prayer closet, sincerely desiring God’s best for you. He loves you and is willing to sacrifice his time to cover you in prayer and help you in whatever way he can. And just as we don’t all have the same father in the natural, we don’t all have the same spiritual father.

Jim and I once moved 1,000 miles just to be a part of a church that we believed God wanted us to be in. And while we enjoyed the church and the ministy we received there, we discovered that the pastor was not our father. He was a father in the faith- but he was not OUR father. You see, someone can be a father but may not be the right father for you. And you’ll know when you find him- or her.

So, today I encourage you to not just seek someone who gives a good sermon or who prophesies or gives you goosebumps in service. When you need a pastor to watch over your soul, find a father.