Armor Bearer in the Bible
The church ministry leaders or pastors often require the services of an armor bearer. Armor Bearer in the Bible, in the Old Testament times, the kings chose officers to carry their armor and stand alongside in battles. That’s why these personnel are called armor-bearers. Various passages mention armor-bearers, like 1 Samuel 14:7,16:21, 31:6, and Judges 9:54.
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What is an Armor Bearer?
Armor bearers mostly support the church pastors during the prayer services. However, their precise sets of duties depend upon the requirements of the church ministry leaders. Generally, the male armor-bearers serve the male leaders, and the female armor-bearers serve the female leaders. This is because the armor-bearers sometimes support the leaders in personal tasks too.
Below is a detailed description of the training and duties of an armor bearer:
Armor Bearer Training
Usually, the experienced and older armor bearers are called upon to train the younger and new armor-bearers. But some pastors or ministry leaders train their armor-bearers themselves to learn how to attend to them personally.
School of the Bear Armor
While there is no specialized education for an armor-bearer, a Christian ministry class of any kind proves beneficial to them.
The founders of the website Armorbearers International, Karma Brown and Varn Brown, authored a book that serves as a training guide for the armor-bearers. Previously, they have served at a Covenant Church in Texas and help other bearers.
Armor Bearer Duties
Earma Brown outlines five major duties of armor bearers for the complete fulfillment of their role:
Armor Bearer Praying
As per Mrs. Brown, the essential duty of armor bearers is to pray for their pastor. She states that the intercessory prayers will reduce and remove several mental, physical, and spiritual troubles of the armor-bearer and the leader. Some pastors may also encourage a dedicated time of fasting and praying without drinks or food.
Valuing the Role
Mrs. Brown advises that the armor-bearers should be respectful of the role and the related duties. Usually, the post of the personal assistant is equivalent to that of an armor bearer. A bearer’s role can practically conduct all the ministry leader’s tasks if the latter delegates them. Considering the importance of their post, it is recommended that they respect themselves to gain respect from others.
Being a Watchman
Armor bearers are expected to be aware of the probable dangers and problems that may occur. This is similar to how a watchman in biblical times stayed alert and kept guard in the face of likely dangers. So, when a bearer senses any problem, he needs to inform and consult with their pastor and act accordingly.
Serving as Representative
On some occasions, the bearers need to represent their leader or pastor. However, if the armor-bearer feels ambiguous about the leader’s response in a similar situation, they may resolve the issue later.
Displaying Perseverance
An armor bearer’s job requires a long-term and steadfast commitment on the part of both the bearer and the leader. The services related to ministry vary from church to church, and the tasks of armor bearers may appear demanding. Sometimes, the armor-bearers need to travel alongside their leaders to help them in other parts of service. This calls for sensitivity and resilience to understand the leader before accepting the job.
