Introduction
We are faced with a world where it is difficult to distinguish a false pastor from a true pastor. It has become very difficult to tell who is the true pastor and who is the false pastor, just like a male and a female of insect. The reason is because the false pastor looks so real. That's why the false pastor is so good at covering himself up right now to looks like the true pastor. The false pastor seems holy on the outside. He also preaches well and prays hard. He devotes himself in serving the church as well as serving the community a lot. He also focuses on world missions. So people praise him. Not only the church members are proud of him, but also the people in the community call him a “good pastor.” Even his family members say they respect their sincere husband and father. But inside, the false pastor is a slave to all kinds of greed. He loves money like a Pharisee. He is only fattening himself. He also loves another woman. He's not only coveting his neighbor's wife, he's even coveting church women. His lust for honor is rising higher and higher. He can't fathom how high he wants to go. He says with his lips that he is fulfilling a great vision for the glory of God. But in his heart he is fulfilling his desire and ambition. Now he is pursuing his own glory, even stealing the glory of God. There are more and more of these false pastors. And the more and more they are, the more they are sinning against God. As a result, more and more believers are getting hurt and suffering from the false pastors. More and more believers are leaving the church because of the false pastors. Even those who have left the faith are now innumerable. There are more and more anti-Christians as well as those who curse, criticize, and condemn pastors.
In this reality, the believers are searching for a true pastor. They want the true pastor. They are looking for the honest pastor. Because they fear God, they long for the honest pastor who deeply examines himself before God. The believers want to meet the pastor who truly loves Jesus, the pastor who loves them with the heart of Jesus Christ, and the pastor who humbly serves like Jesus. They want the pastor who proclaims the word of truth right from the pulpit, and the truthful pastor who struggles to live faithfully in life according to the word of God proclaimed. Many believers, who have lost their will to live their life of faith because of the hypocrite pastors who cannot be an example like the Pharisees, want the true pastor. What if we pastors were false, hypocritical, and not like true pastors?
I took this opportunity to prepare a manuscript for the book “Love, Marriage, Family,” and also prepared the manuscript for the book “Church, Pastor, Christ.” I have edited the writings I have written so far into three parts: “The true church,” “I want to be a true pastor,” and “Lord, I want to be a Christian.” First, after preparing the manuscript for the book “The true church,” I prepared the manuscript with the title “I want to be a true pastor.” I am grateful and happy to be able to share this manuscript with you by e-mail or through internet websites. To the pastors who receive and read this manuscript, “Lord, I want to be a true pastor,” I hope and pray that you too can pray “Lord, I want to be a true pastor” as well. I hope and pray that those church members who receive and read this manuscript can be able to pray for your own pastor, ‘Lord, please make our church pastor a true pastor.’
In Him,
James Kim