Photo: John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash
The Value of Hindsight
After 30 short years in fulltime ministry, what advice would I give to the next generation of pastors taking their first steps?
Or, to put it another way, what would my older pastor self, say to my younger pastor self? What advice would I give myself if I was able to time-travel back down the years?
There is no calling in the world more wonderful and joyful than that of Christian ministry. The privilege of serving Jesus Christ, the joy of seeing Christians grow in grace. Pastors have the best job in the world.
But the ministry is also a difficult place. Too many young men entertain romantic and unrealistic views - possibly a by-product of myths passed around on social media. Here are seven realistic truths from one pastor's perspective.
#1 You Never Stop Learning
No-one ever 'arrives' in ministry.
Of course not, since, a disciple is by definition a learner (remember: disciple = mathetes = learner). And because ministry is becoming more like the Great Shepherd.
Until we reach the pearly gates we have an infinite learning curve to climb.
Continue to learn by constant prayer, meditation, reflection and reading. About the only thing one totally learns is how little one really knows.
But don't be discouraged by the proverb, "The more I know, the more I realise how little I know, so what's the point studying?"
Continue to learn all you can about the four Ps of ministry, Pastoral, Prayer, Preaching and Politics (=leadership).
#2 You can't solve every problem
The young pastor discovers to his amazement that the church which everyone else views as being filled with lovely saints is, in point of fact, populated with a hundred and one pastoral issues.
That's life in a broken world, East of Eden, even within the church.
The danger then is that the young pastor imagines he's responsible - and even more disturbing, able - to fix all these problems. Alas, he will soon discover that some roots run so deep that only the Great Shepherd can displace them. Some doubts and sins so firmly entrenched that they may take decades to untangle, if at all, this side of eternity.
Pastors are responsible to pray for all the sheep, to love them and to help them where we can. But we are not called to be healer of all. If a young pastor tries to carry that burden on his slender shoulders he will break under the colossal weight.
#3 Let the church fix the church
Let the elders carry big pastoral burdens with you. That's what they have been appointed for. And then teach church members to carry each other's burdens and thus fulfil the law of Christ. Organising the church into small home groups led by elders or godly leaders is one way to build natural mutual care into the flock.
The practice of one famous London preacher of the last century whereby congregants queued up outside his 'office' after morning worship to have their problems solved by the 'expert' is unbiblical, ridiculous, preposterous and smacks of evangelical priestcraft rather than the priesthood of all believers.
What a joy to hear that all manner of problems were solved without a pastor's intervention, or even prior knowledge of!
Sheep can care for sheep too.
#4 Sheep go astray
It's all too easy for the young minister to blame himself when sheep go astray. Of course sometimes we play a part in the blame, if we have not cared for, or sought out the lost wanderer.
But it is a brute fact of farming life that sheep go astray. I lost count of the number of times I drove through the roads of North Yorkshire only to find a sheep or two - or more - loitering dangerously at some hairpin bend in the road.
It's not your fault! Wandering is what sheep do! Our Lord Jesus had to restore a rather senior wandering sheep by the name of Peter on one occasion and on another many 'sheep' just deserted him....
When sheep stray, don't blame yourself. Pray and see if you can bring them back. Sometimes you can't and then you'll have to entrust them to the Great Shepherd.
Met the type who claim they hardly ever go on holiday, there is so much work to do? Ministry martyrs?
Remember then too the young minister on his deathbed who was convinced he would have enjoyed a longer profitable ministry had he not killed his 'horse' (horse = the body God gave him to carry himself from one place to another).
No church respects a lazy pastor - why should they? Hard work is one of the foundations of respect in any walk of life. But since we are human and not divine, and since our Man-God Example needed rest, it's OK to take a full 24 hour day off per week. It's OK to go on holiday to recharge batteries. It's OK to take sabbaticals.
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
#6 Opposition is normal, get used to it
This is one of the hardest aspects of ministry, but probably only because of our foolish pride. Our Master was opposed at every turn - and we can expect nothing different.
Sometimes that opposition arises out of jealousy: people are jealous of your gifts or 'position' (whatever that means, seeing pastors are slaves of Christ). Sometimes because we have been the Lord's chosen instrument of rebuke to an individual or schismatic party. Sometimes opposition spreads from a ravenous wolf Satan has snuck into the flock, and the shepherds failed to spot and kill.
Sometimes it comes from the most unexpected places.
Sometimes people will blame-shift and criticise their pastor, vicariously, for their own wrong life decisions. You would truly be amazed what people blame their pastors for!
Jesus wants us to be concerned only when everyone speaks well of us. To earn the crown of universal approval, what rebuke, praytell, have we failed to issue? What sermon have we refused to preach? What individual have we failed to rebuke?
Opposition is part and parcel of pastoral ministry. You will never get over it but you must get used to it.
#7 Never - ever - give up
And finally, never give up. Just keep going, through times easy and times difficult, through thick and through thin. Through weary times and eagle-soaring seasons. When everyone approves and when no-one approves. When resources are great and when resources are low. Through seasons of unity and moments of fractious dissension.
Let absolutely nothing move you.
Do not look for earthly rewards, for human approval, do not seek to climb illusionary pastoral career ladders. Instead look for the only approval that matters, the Lord's heavenly Well Done.
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