ASK PASTOR JESSE

Hi! I’m Jesse and I don’t have all the answers. As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered over and over. They’re sometimes about theology and the Bible, but more often they’re about everyday life, and they can’t be answered easily or quickly. If you’ve never had the opportunity to ask a pastor tough questions this is the place to ask them, and I’ll do my best to respond honestly, authentically and biblically.

Pastor, priest, reverend, minister; why so many

titles?—Marcus, VIC I remember once trying to describe what a pastor was to someone I'd just met. While I did my best to try and differentiate "pastor" from "priest", I eventually gave up and said, "Yep, I'm basically a priest!" The short answer is, depending on what tradition of Christianity you belong to will determine the word you use. Think of it like ice-cream. Chocolate chip, vanilla and hokey pokey are all ice-cream but they're distinct flavours. It's the same with Christians. Most Protestants (those who trace their tradition's roots

back to figures like Luther, Calvin or Zwingli) will have a pastor or minister. The word pastor derives from the Latin word for shepherd. Catholics, Anglicans and Lutherans use terms like presbyter, priest, bishop and reverend and are typified by hierarchy and tradition (Protestant hierarchy is by comparison much more laissez-faire). Some churches also have differing views as to what the pastor should or shouldn't do. Some believe they should be a paid employee while others believe they should work part-time (like the apostle Paul in the New Testament, who was by trade a tent-maker). At the end of the day, despite differences in title, what most traditions can agree on is that the pastor should do one thing above all else: care for the church. They should care deeply for people, work with them and do what they can to help the church and community to thrive.

I've met some Christians who don't drink, while others seem fine with

it. What's up with that?—Steph, NZ That's true! Some Christians have no issues with alcohol, while others abstain religiously. Personally, I do not drink, which is something the Seventh-day Adventist Church promotes strongly. Alcohol is mentioned extensively in the Bible (more than 280 times). Certain passages celebrate it as a "bringer of joy" (Psalm 104:14,15) while others condemn its overuse as a shortcut to violence and excess (Galatians 5:19–21). So, how should we view alcohol? Regardless of your stance, there is a clear biblical principle that can benefit us all. In his letter to a church in the city of Ephesus, early Christian leader Paul counsels these followers of Jesus to be "careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise . . . do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:15, 18,ESV). Paul doesn't tell these Christians not to drink but reminds them that living in an abiding relationship with God is far better than any high a pint of beer or glass of wine can offer. You could even say the same about food, sex and hobbies! I personally choose not to drink—but not just because it's what my tradition promotes. As a pastor I've seen the devastating influence alcohol can have on communities, families and individuals. I've also seen friends and family members suffer because of alcohol. My own dad struggled with it when he was my age, though thankfully he's been sober now for over 30 years. Regardless of what you believe, we can all agree that drunkenness often leads to bad decisions with permanent consequences. My question is: if you understand the dangers, why risk it? Many of us drink because it's a social obligation but are we really counting the costs associated? Beyond the social issues, you have to consider the dangers of liver disease, diabetes, a range of cancers, impotence, high blood pressure and more. Personally, it's not a risk I'm willing to take.