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This is so wrong, so misguided. It almost seems the author is intentionally deceiving us. There isn't a single truth in the entire article regarding the idea of pastor. Astonishing.
This is so wrong, so misguided. It almost seems the author is intentionally deceiving us. There isn't a single truth in the entire article regarding the idea of pastor. Astonishing.
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“Part of my responsibility is to send younger pastors into the land that I cannot go—the future.”
I heard these words roughly ten years ago while serving as a pastoral intern under Mark Dever. Prior to that I’d been a pastor for seven years, but I had never even considered that faithfulness in gospel ministry meant investing in other pastors. I had struggled enough to be a pastor, let alone help other pastors.
Yet the more I studied Scripture and watched pastors I respected, I became convinced that pastors have the opportunity and responsibility to train other pastors. (The author will not demonstrate this biblically.)
I heard these words roughly ten years ago while serving as a pastoral intern under Mark Dever. Prior to that I’d been a pastor for seven years, but I had never even considered that faithfulness in gospel ministry meant investing in other pastors. I had struggled enough to be a pastor, let alone help other pastors.
Yet the more I studied Scripture and watched pastors I respected, I became convinced that pastors have the opportunity and responsibility to train other pastors. (The author will not demonstrate this biblically.)
Not all pastors will do this work the same way, but every pastor should be devoted to the work.
Pastor training isn’t just another item on our to-do-list; in one sense, it’s central to our task. We want to protect and proclaim the gospel not only in our generation but also in the generations to come. We must train younger pastors to take the gospel to the land we cannot go.
THE BIBLICAL MODEL (The author will not present the biblical model.)
As the gospel went forth from Jerusalem, sinners repented and churches were planted. The Lord called Paul and Barnabas to appoint “elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting” (Acts 14:23). God charged them with the responsibility to recognize, train, and establish pastors to lead churches in carrying out the Great Commission. (The author term switches from elder to pastor. In addition, there is no mention of the Great Commission here. Twice in one sentence the author is wrong.)
But pastoral training wasn’t reserved for the apostles. Consider Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). Part of the way Timothy would “guard the good deposit” of the gospel (2 Tim. 1:14) was by training other men to faithfully teach it to others. (There is no mention of "pastoral training" here.)
Paul gave a similar commission to Titus: “I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). The Apostle Peter seemed to expect younger men to be humbly training under experienced elders while they awaited their opportunity to serve in a similar capacity (1 Pt. 5:1–7).
When you search the Scriptures, you don’t find seminaries training pastors, you find pastors training pastors. (No, you do not. In this passage there are elders. The author referenced the 1 Peter verses which clearly explain this, if he'd bother to quote them:
Pastor training isn’t just another item on our to-do-list; in one sense, it’s central to our task. We want to protect and proclaim the gospel not only in our generation but also in the generations to come. We must train younger pastors to take the gospel to the land we cannot go.
THE BIBLICAL MODEL (The author will not present the biblical model.)
As the gospel went forth from Jerusalem, sinners repented and churches were planted. The Lord called Paul and Barnabas to appoint “elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting” (Acts 14:23). God charged them with the responsibility to recognize, train, and establish pastors to lead churches in carrying out the Great Commission. (The author term switches from elder to pastor. In addition, there is no mention of the Great Commission here. Twice in one sentence the author is wrong.)
But pastoral training wasn’t reserved for the apostles. Consider Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). Part of the way Timothy would “guard the good deposit” of the gospel (2 Tim. 1:14) was by training other men to faithfully teach it to others. (There is no mention of "pastoral training" here.)
Paul gave a similar commission to Titus: “I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). The Apostle Peter seemed to expect younger men to be humbly training under experienced elders while they awaited their opportunity to serve in a similar capacity (1 Pt. 5:1–7).
When you search the Scriptures, you don’t find seminaries training pastors, you find pastors training pastors. (No, you do not. In this passage there are elders. The author referenced the 1 Peter verses which clearly explain this, if he'd bother to quote them:
1Pe. 5:1-2 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow-elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers...
There is no mention pastors here. The elders are the shepherds and overseers of the church.)
To be clear, seminaries have their place, but churches must not outsource the work of training gospel ministers. Seminaries should serve as a supplement to a church’s pastoral training efforts, not a substitute for it.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
Being a pastor who trains pastors requires thoughtful leadership. What follows are five elements that go into developing a pastor-training ministry. Reading these may feel daunting, but I encourage you to bring brothers along with what you’re already doing as much as possible.
1. Entreat God desperately.
Jesus gives pastors to his church as a gift (Eph. 4:7–16; (What about apostles, evangelists, teachers, and prophets?)
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
Being a pastor who trains pastors requires thoughtful leadership. What follows are five elements that go into developing a pastor-training ministry. Reading these may feel daunting, but I encourage you to bring brothers along with what you’re already doing as much as possible.
1. Entreat God desperately.
Jesus gives pastors to his church as a gift (Eph. 4:7–16; (What about apostles, evangelists, teachers, and prophets?)
1 Cor. 12 (There is no mention of pastors here.)).
Unless he gives them and makes them grow, all of our training will be in vain (Ps. 127:1). So “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38). (Laborers are not pastors.)
Plead with God to raise up pastors for you to invest in. Pray that he’d raise up pastors to serve alongside you, pastors to send out from you, and pastors to one day replace you. (Or, how about we pray that the church would embrace the elder-led model the NT teaches?)
(...)
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared at the 9Marks blog and is used with permission.
Garrett Kell
Garrett Kell, a Regular Contributor to For The Church, is the Lead Pastor of Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia. He is married to Carrie and together they have four children: Eden, Haddon, Phoebe, and Graham.
(...)
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared at the 9Marks blog and is used with permission.
Garrett Kell
Garrett Kell, a Regular Contributor to For The Church, is the Lead Pastor of Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia. He is married to Carrie and together they have four children: Eden, Haddon, Phoebe, and Graham.
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