The Plague of Lazy Pastors - by David Mathis

Found here. My comments in bold.
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This confused and errant author references Scriptures that teach something very different than what he is writing about.

Not understanding the biblical role of pastors, he dooms them to a ministry that places an unbiblical burden on them, which will inevitably result in burn-out and failure.
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The apostle Paul thought and spoke of Christian ministry as labor. He abhorred laziness in the pastorate. (Undocumented assertion.)

Paul did not see the office of pastor as a nice fit for guys with soft hands who prefer an indoor job. (The "office of pastor," apparently a reference to Ep. 4:11-12:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up...

This is the only reference to this office. 

The author equates the office of pastor with the titular head of the local church, a paid staffer with everyone else working as subordinates. Nothing in the Bible indicates this structure.)

Pastoral work, and good teaching in particular, is hard labor (there is nothing in the Bible about pastors being teachers.)

— labor that is not only cursed and opposed, but specifically targeted by Satan, who loves to focus his attack on opposing lieutenants. If he can cut off the supply lines and defenses, he will soon overwhelm and defeat the ground troops. (Notice the rank of pastor in superiority to the "ground troops," meaning lay people. Nothing in the Bible supports this as a model for the Church.)

Good pastors, Paul makes plain, must be laborers (1 Timothy 5:18), (Let's quote the Scriptures, since the author seems reluctant to do so:

1Ti. 5:17-18 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” [Deut. 25:4] and “The worker deserves his wages.” [Luke 10:7]

Do you see the word pastor here?)

hard workers, in particular in their labor of preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 4:13–16; 5:17). Such is the ministry of pastor-elders in the local church: to teach and exercise authority (1 Timothy 2:12). To labor in, and lead through, teaching the words of the risen Christ in the inspired writings of the apostles. “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13). (Ah, an actual Scripture quote. Again, however, pastor is not mentioned.)

Christ calls pastors to labor in their feeding of the flock through sound teaching. (Undocumented assertion. The Bible does not teach this about pastors.)

And diligent word-work — both in preparation and presentation — is not easy work, not when it is done well.

Honor Men Who Work Hard

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). Not merely “especially those who preach and teach,” as it is often paraphrased, but “especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” (Um, elders.)

Doubtless some pastors will labor more in preaching and teaching than others. All pastors (What? Pastors?)

are to be skilled teachers (1 Timothy 3:2; (Overseer...)

2 Timothy 2:24; ("The Lord's servant...")

Titus 1:9), (Overseer.)

but inevitably some will have abilities and proclivities to preach and teach more than others. But it’s not gifting that Paul highlights, but “labor” that he says is especially deserving of appreciation.

The labor of preaching and teaching is the central labor of pastoral ministry, (Undocumented assertion. The Bible does not teach this.)

and while churches should stand ready to provide financial support for all good pastors, (Undocumented assertion.)

we should have a special concern — the especially — for those who bear the burden, and do the hard work, of the central pastoral labor: preaching and teaching. (Undocumented assertion.)

A pastor who doesn’t emotionally sweat and strain over his words is a pastor falling short of his calling. (Where in the Bible does it say that pastors should do this?)

God means for pastors to be workers at their teaching. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). (Timothy was not a pastor. And pastors are not commanded to be the teacher.)

Good teaching doesn’t just spill over. It requires diligence and vigilance. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16).

Teaching with a Tether

Part of what makes pastoring hard work is that we teach with a tether. (No, what makes it hard work is misunderstanding the role and duties of the pastoral office.)

We don’t just sit down with a blank piece of paper, or show up to address an attentive church, and speak off the top of our heads. Unashamed workers “rightly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Week after week, day after day, the words we breathe out to feed the church are not our own thoughts on the matter.

Christians have a Book. (And they have the Holy Spirit.)

And good pastors are happily tethered to this Book (How about being informed by the Holy Spirit?)

— which is the most powerful, proven, life-changing Book in the history of the world. Good pastors are unavoidably Book-men. (It is clear that the author doesn't have the first idea of what a pastor is.

We would rather a pastor be a man of prayer. We would rather a pastor be a man broken-hearted over the pain and sickness of the flock. We would rather a pastor serve the flock as one who cares for them. 

We would rather they father: 

1Co. 4:15-16 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

"Guardian" is 

paidagógos (παιδαγωγός, οῦ, ὁ): a trainer of boys, i.e. a tutor

Usage: a boy's guardian or tutor, a slave who had charge of the life and morals of the boys of a family, not strictly a teacher.

"Father" is 

patér (πατήρ, πατρός, ὁ): a father

3962 patḗr – father; one who imparts life and is committed to it; a progenitor, bringing into being to pass on the potential for likeness.

That is the office of pastor, a father, a nurturer, one who cares for the flock. The pastor serves alongside the apostle, prophet, evangelist, and teacher, assisting them in maturing in the faith to Christ-likeness.)

Being men of the Book demands headwork and sustained mental effort. We study. Many of us learn and reference the original languages of Hebrew and Greek. Before making applications, we first wrestle with what the text means and does not mean. And being men of the Book requires heart-work. Before turning to tell others what the Book says, we first put ourselves under its teaching, for repentance and faith.

Most Solemn Charge

Then, when we craft words in writing, or say words in speaking, we inevitably put ourselves out there for criticism — with preaching (Word change from pastor to teacher to preacher. Now he's talking about the office of teacher.)

being even more taxing than writing because you can’t edit what you say in public. Survey after survey reports modern man fears public speaking more than anything else, including death. Add to that the weight of speaking, in the context of worship, on behalf of God. There is no more solemn charge in all the Bible than this:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:1–2)

Christian preachers may make every effort to “hide behind the cross,” but we cannot long hide behind the pulpit. Preaching exposes a man. In time, even when he tries to hide, a preacher inevitably reveals his own heart and life, borne witness in what he’s willing, and unwilling, to address. And in addition to what happens in the moments before our hearers, we anticipate the final day, when “we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). (Let's quote the whole verse: 

Ja. 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

No mention of pastors here.)

(...)

Free to Work Hard

The Reformation recovery of such ultimate rest for the soul produced a different kind of people — and a different kind of pastor. Not a lazy and apathetic people. But the kind of people with new energy and freedom, new vision and hope, fresh initiatives, fresh freedom from self, and new desires to expend self for the good of others. The kind of people who have the Spirit of God at work in and through them.

Those who best know the grace of God in Christ — and pastors should know him well, if not best — are the freest people on the planet to give themselves to work hard. The gospel has liberated us with Christ’s full righteousness in our place and Christ’s own Spirit now dwelling in us. (Finally he talks about the Holy Spirit. For a brief moment.)

In him, we have been freed from self-protection to pour out our energy and give our time and skill and creativity to blessing others, rather than serving self. Good pastors lead with and model, as examples to the church, a new ethic for all those who are in Christ (Ephesians 4:28) — inwardly first, and then unavoidably outward. 

With such a heart, then, we receive the mantle of preaching and teaching not mainly as a privilege but as a call to self-sacrifice. Not mainly as an honor, but as a summons to gladly bear a burden for others. Not mainly as comfort, but as a calling to hard work.

Work for More Joy

As we labor in preaching and teaching, as we work hard at good words, whether written or spoken, we learn the lesson that a hard day’s work makes for a happier evening than a day of laziness and distraction. And for a happier soul. Which makes us a better vessel for the joy of the church.

When we do not eat the bread of anxious toil but enjoy the soul-sustaining food of Christ himself, we see hard work as an opportunity, not a burden. Hard work is more satisfying than laziness, both in the moment (if we have eyes to see) and, without a doubt, on the other side of our labors. “Christians will work hard,” writes John Piper, “but they will work more for the joy of all the good their work can bring to others than they will out of fear at what men will think if they fail.”

You will not find the happiest people in the world lying on couches. Pastors, let’s show that world that one of the most reliable places to find them is in pulpits.