Ask The Pastor IS pastoral ministry!

Oct 16, 2012, 10:55pm

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I have been doing Ask The Pastor on Life 100.3 FM in Barrie for 3 1/2 years now, voluntarily. I have done so because I thought it was a great opportunity to serve God in a way that reaches our generation - through radio ministry and the answers get recorded and people can listen to a Life pod cast in the week in they miss it. One thing I have encountered that has surprised me - people don't consider it pastoral ministry because it is not serving at a church somewhere.

Really? Not pastoral ministry? I have counseled people off the air staying almost an hour sometimes long after the ATP segment has been over because they needed a pastor to talk to and help them and pray for them. I have counseled through the week and prayed with people from all over the listening area - Barrie, Peterborough, Owen Sound, Huntsville, into Pickering, Newmarket, Angus, Wasaga Beach, and other places. The hour I spend per week is literally like a weekly church meeting done through the ministry of Christian radio. I have to prepare for each week like I would for a sermon. The congregation that meets Mondays at 9 pm is from all over and is in the thousands I have been told.

When I have been between churches and had interviews for church pastoral positions, I was asked where I was pastoring and because I was between churches I would gladly say, "On life 100.3 doing Ask The Pastor." To my dismay they would ask, "Yeah, yeah, but where do you pastor? What church?"

I am blessed that Life has been so supportive to me at times when I have been between church ministries. They see the programme as I do - pastoral ministry that can have reaching impact beyond a Sunday morning. I am at Stayner EMC now as Youth Pastor and the youth love the fact that their youth pastor is on the radio every Monday night taking tough questions, and is also a part of the Life Announcers as well.

To those who think what I do on Monday nights isn't pastoral ministry, not in the "real" sense, I would urge you to reconsider your position. In some countries all they have is radio. On Monday nights I am as much a missionary pastor to an audience as someone in a different part of the world. God has blessed this ministry He has seen fit to allow me to continue to do for these 3 1/2 years, and I have loved every minute of doing it. There have been people come to Christ as a result of the show, people whose lives have been impacted to live for Him more. It would be amazing to meet everyone who listened on Monday nights but highly impractical to do. Through the emails, texts, Facebook questions, and phone calls - and even the hand delivered questions - I have seen God's hand at work giving people a place to go when they feel they had none to turn to.

This is pastoral ministry - don't kid yourself. I pray for the programme and so do many others. I thank God and Life 100.3 for the opportunity to serve in this way. To God be the glory! A-men!

Pastor Andrew Robertson