As a follow up to John Brand’s open letter to those training people in church contexts, a further letter to the editor appeared in the next month’s issue from David Randall. You can read it here but it may be behind a pay-wall.
So, in summary, he contrasts what Brand had referred to as “real-world ministry” of “preaching twice a Sunday plus midweek with a “go-easy-on-myself attitude,” He suggests that we need, and thus, such young men lack
“Jeremiah’s sense of a burning fire in his bones that he couldn’t keep in (Jer.20:9) and Paul’s sense of compulsion to preach the gospel (1 Cor.9:16). “
All fine sounding words and I trust sincerely meant out of a heart concern for the Gospel. However, there is first of all, the risk that the letter writers move from sharing their opinions on how church should function into recklessly attempting to read the hearts of others and judge them. I’m sure that there are men who find themselves as parts of teams where they preach a few times a month and who lack such burning zeal. I fear though that there are men who have made themselves busy in churches that offer them those 2 or 3 preaching opportunities each week and may well enjoy public speaking but may just as much lack Jeremiah’s “burning fire in his bones” and Paul’s “compulsion to preach the Gospel.” As regards the latter, Paul isn’t talking about a desire to fill all the set piece moments in a 21st century reformed chapel but rather about a burning desire to use every opportunity to proclaim the good news about Christ. For Paul, that might be in the market place, writing a letter from prison, chatting to co-workers whilst mending tents, addressing a potential convert one to one, speaking before public authorities or teaching through the evening to a gathered church in a home.
So at the same time, I am sure that there are men with that burning compulsion who serve in churches where they preach twice every Sunday and once midweek. There are also men who speak once or twice a month but still share that burning fire.
A few pastors have written a letter together in response. One of the things they helpfully pick up on is that there is a rather dismissive attitude in such approaches to burn-out. They rightly note that older and retired guys now express regret at how they were so busy in the piulpit that they forgot their family. I personally had the opportunity when fresh out of theological college to preach with a view at a few churches with that kind of culture. In at least one case, the previous pastor, a mature man from a prior generation had ended up burnt out, depressed and out of ministry.
Now, it is worth saying that there are plenty of other causes for burnout and depression. I write as someone who has experienced the latter. I also would accept that it is possible to preach three times a week and not be burnt-out. There are two reasons for this. First because burn-out isn’t really about exhaustion and tiredness but rather a combination of factors that shatter you emotionally and physically. Second because the simple act of standing and speaking publically, several times a week is something that many people are able to do, lawyers, teachers, politicians, lecturers, actors etc. Indeed, many pastors did this in their previous jobs.
However, there are two factors to consider here. First, if preaching isn’t just a performance or routine then the cost is not in the physical effort, it’s in the emotional and spiritual energy poured into that moment and in responding to the follow up. Secondly, because I have tended to find that church culture that encourages focus on one man and in busyness at church brings with it all kinds of unhelpful demands that put pressure not just on the pastor and his family but on the members’ families too.
David asks
“if men are too busy to commit to such regular preaching, then perhaps they are too busy with other things.”
Well perhaps it would be worth asking what those “other things” might be before we decide that they are “too busy” at them. It is possible of course that they are struggling to manage their time on social media, busy attending fraternals and conferences or simply putting their feet up watching daytime TV. We should be alert to the temptations that the world around us offers and guard our hearts against them.
However, there are lots of other things that a young pastor may well be doing. First of all, he may be taking seriously Paul’s charge to wannabe elders that they should first be able to manage their own home. I take this to be something that should come first throughout ministry rather than something you do until you are appointed. So, perhaps the pastor is prioritising time with his family. Maybe the best place he can be on Sunday evening is praying with his little ones and reading them a Bible story and helping put them to bed? Maybe he’s talking to an anxious teen about to face those bullies at school on Monday.
As well as being able to teach, being self-controlled and stewarding his household, the elder is meant to be one who is hospitable. Note that it’s the elder and not his wife who is meant to give hospitality! So, some of his time will be given to opening up his home to others.
Those three sermons don’t just take up the 3 hours of the meetings but also preparation time. So, it’s not just about how he sends his time on a Sunday or Wednesday evening but what he does instead of preparing the talks. Is it possible that he is visiting church members or getting involved in personal evangelism, door to door or conversations in the street. He may be prioritising time to train others over trying to do it all himself. Finally whilst he may not preach a formal midweek sermon, he may well be doing lots of Bible teaching in smaller contexts through 1-1 discipleship and interactive small groups.
All of this is important because there’s much more to the work of a pastor/elder than preaching sermons and in fact, in my experience, following up in other ways to help people apply the one thing they’ve learnt from God’s Word this week is more beneficial than attempting to give them something new again using the same format.
So, please don’t judge pastors against a legalistic and formulaic measure. L ook instead at the fruit of their ministry.
Faithroots 