All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters. 15 You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “ Abba, Father. ” 16 The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. 17 But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.
Howard Rice frames the work of the pastor in a new metaphor that renews both pastors and those they serve. The pastor as spiritual guide is one who finds his or her core identity in helping persons find meaning in life through a transforming relationship with God.
From the perspective of spiritual guidance, the primary skill brought to the work of pastoral ministry is one’s own faith and willingness to share one’s journey with others who are seeking.