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This is bad teaching and bad advice. The author gets absolutely nothing correct about the biblical role of pastor. He piles onto pastors the very things that make them fail, as if enduring the negative impact of being a pastor is something noble, expected, and part of the job. In other words, the work of pastoring is definitionally failure.
This is bad teaching and bad advice. The author gets absolutely nothing correct about the biblical role of pastor. He piles onto pastors the very things that make them fail, as if enduring the negative impact of being a pastor is something noble, expected, and part of the job. In other words, the work of pastoring is definitionally failure.
Even worse, the author doesn't quote a single Scripture. Not even a snippet. Astounding.
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A young twenty-something sits stapled to the pew, gripped by the power of his pastor’s sermon. The exegesis is precise, the illustrations are impactful, the zeal is palpable, and he is held in rapt attention to the Word of God. Everything snaps into focus as he thinks to himself, “This is what I want to be. This is what I want to do with my life. I want to be a pastor.”
Praise God!
The church always needs more pastors, and when a young man expresses an honest desire for the noble task (1 Tim. 3:1), the church should celebrate. (Let's quote the Scripture:
A young twenty-something sits stapled to the pew, gripped by the power of his pastor’s sermon. The exegesis is precise, the illustrations are impactful, the zeal is palpable, and he is held in rapt attention to the Word of God. Everything snaps into focus as he thinks to himself, “This is what I want to be. This is what I want to do with my life. I want to be a pastor.”
Praise God!
The church always needs more pastors, and when a young man expresses an honest desire for the noble task (1 Tim. 3:1), the church should celebrate. (Let's quote the Scripture:
1Ti. 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
Notice the verse is about overseers, not pastors. An overseer is part of a group of men who administer the church, that is, the elders:
1Pe. 5:1-3 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: 3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
The elders are charged with being the shepherds and overseers.)
But what if this young man aspires to something he doesn’t understand? What if he—quite mistakenly—thinks that pastoring is just preaching great sermons, leading big meetings, and studying, writing, and praying forty hours a week? (It's the author who doesn't understand. Pastors are not preachers or meeting leaders. Pastors care for the flock. They have the gift of helping [1Co. 12:28], they are relationship builders and encouragers [Ep. 4:11-12]. They may be part of the company of elders, but it isn't required.
The author doesn't know what a pastor is, yet he presumes to teach about it.)
My aim in this article is not to scare young men away from ministry, but to give them a clearer vision of what a life of shepherding looks like and to challenge them to count the cost before entering it (Luke 14:28-29). The ministry of the pastor is a ministry of sacrifice, most of which is unforeseen.
Here is my appeal to the aspiring pastor: brother, count the cost.
1. COUNT THE EMOTIONAL COST
Jesus, the great shepherd, wept over the flock (Luke 19:41). (Jesus was weeping for the Jews because they missed the day of His visitation and now faced judgment and destruction. This has nothing to do with pastors.)
His ministry was one of deep emotional distress (Luke 22:44). (Sigh. In this verse Jesus was in anguish because of the cross He was about to face.)
We are not greater than our master (John 15:20). Gospel ministry was an emotional cost to Jesus, and it will be to us too. Defections from the faith will shake you. Writer’s block will aggravate you. Biting sheep will frustrate, sadden, and wound you. And because Jesus loves you, he will humble you (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Pastoral ministry isn’t easy; it’s not supposed to be. (Yes, it is supposed to be easy, that is, joyful and empowered. It is easy to overcome difficulty when doing so in the power of the Holy Spirit. Further, serving in the church carries a certain respect:
We are not greater than our master (John 15:20). Gospel ministry was an emotional cost to Jesus, and it will be to us too. Defections from the faith will shake you. Writer’s block will aggravate you. Biting sheep will frustrate, sadden, and wound you. And because Jesus loves you, he will humble you (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Pastoral ministry isn’t easy; it’s not supposed to be. (Yes, it is supposed to be easy, that is, joyful and empowered. It is easy to overcome difficulty when doing so in the power of the Holy Spirit. Further, serving in the church carries a certain respect:
He. 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.A healthy, Spirit-ordered church will be functioning as a body [1Co. 12:18] in the context of love [1Co. 13].
If it isn't, the leadership is failing.)
The good news is that God will work his strength in your emotional weakness. But make no mistake about it, the ministry will take an emotional toll on you (2 Cor. 11:28, Phil. 2:28). (Sigh again. Let's quote the verses, with some context:
2Co. 11:23-28 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one... 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Paul was an apostle. He was defending his apostleship to the Corinthian church. They thought he was inferior to the "super apostles" [2Co. 11:5]. He was forced into touting his credentials. He had all these troubles, plus the additional burden of caring for all the churches.
This has nothing to do with pastors.)
If it doesn’t, something’s wrong. (Leadership certainly carries with it some personal risk, but to suggest that something is wrong if the leader isn't miserable is false and damaging.)
2. COUNT THE FAMILIAL COST
Having a family to serve with you in the ministry will, in many ways, be a blessing (1 Cor. 9:5). (Sigh. Let's quote the passage:
2. COUNT THE FAMILIAL COST
Having a family to serve with you in the ministry will, in many ways, be a blessing (1 Cor. 9:5). (Sigh. Let's quote the passage:
1Co. 9:2-6 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
Again we find Paul was defending his apostleship. The Corinthian church clearly had a problem with Paul. He was contrasting their attitude about the other apostles with their attitude about him. This has nothing to do with a pastor's family serving in ministry.)
Nevertheless, aspiring pastors should know their family will experience the cost of ministry with them. (If a church leader is serving in such a way that it impacts his family negatively, something is wrong. In particular, something is wrong with the attitude of that leader who would allow his family to be harmed for the sake of the ministry.)
Little of your family life will remain untouched by the trials and difficulties of ministry. This is not theoretical. I’m talking about your wife and children. Being a pastor’s kid, even in a healthy church, has its challenges. Being a pastor’s wife, even in a really healthy church, can still be quite trying. Even though you will take most of the direct hits, your family will almost certainly catch some of the shrapnel. (This is so wrong. We can't even begin to form words to articulate how wrong this is.)
To be sure, the proximity of a pastor’s family to the church brings unique blessings! But there is no such thing as an unmitigated blessing in a fallen world. Even in churches where “pastor’s wife” is not considered an office, and where pastors’ kids are allowed to just be kids, your family will still experience life in the local church differently than everyone else, and sometimes painfully. (No, no, no! The problem is that the church has elevated the pastor to CEO, answer man, problem solver, snow shoveler, meeting leader, and resident expert. However, there is nothing in the Bible that tells us there should be a singular expert presiding over a church body.)
3. COUNT THE SPIRITUAL COST
My friend Shai Linne says that Satan has special, fiery arrows just for pastors. I think he’s right, especially if you’re the main preaching pastor. (There is no such thing as "main preaching pastor.")
Even in churches with shared preaching responsibilities, the senior pastor will do most of the public teaching, (There is no such thing as "senior pastor.")
Little of your family life will remain untouched by the trials and difficulties of ministry. This is not theoretical. I’m talking about your wife and children. Being a pastor’s kid, even in a healthy church, has its challenges. Being a pastor’s wife, even in a really healthy church, can still be quite trying. Even though you will take most of the direct hits, your family will almost certainly catch some of the shrapnel. (This is so wrong. We can't even begin to form words to articulate how wrong this is.)
To be sure, the proximity of a pastor’s family to the church brings unique blessings! But there is no such thing as an unmitigated blessing in a fallen world. Even in churches where “pastor’s wife” is not considered an office, and where pastors’ kids are allowed to just be kids, your family will still experience life in the local church differently than everyone else, and sometimes painfully. (No, no, no! The problem is that the church has elevated the pastor to CEO, answer man, problem solver, snow shoveler, meeting leader, and resident expert. However, there is nothing in the Bible that tells us there should be a singular expert presiding over a church body.)
3. COUNT THE SPIRITUAL COST
My friend Shai Linne says that Satan has special, fiery arrows just for pastors. I think he’s right, especially if you’re the main preaching pastor. (There is no such thing as "main preaching pastor.")
Even in churches with shared preaching responsibilities, the senior pastor will do most of the public teaching, (There is no such thing as "senior pastor.")
which means his words will be consistently held under greater scrutiny by the congregation. He’ll talk more, which means his ministry errors will receive greater exposure. The senior pastor’s pulpit ministry (There is no such thing as "pulpit ministry.")
will, in a sense, represent the doctrinal position of the church, which means he will be a lightning rod for controversy, disagreements, and attacks. (There is nothing in the Bible that suggests a singular man should be the center of the church in any context.)
Pastors must endure criticism like Moses (Num. 12:1), (Why?)
Pastors must endure criticism like Moses (Num. 12:1), (Why?)
false accusations like Joseph (Gen. 39:11-20), (Why?)
abandonment and betrayal like Paul (2 Tim. 4:10), (Why? And by the way, none of these men were pastors or church leaders.)
and must take up the cross of sacrificial love like Jesus (John 13:34). (Sigh again. Let's quote the passage:
Jn. 13:34-35 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
This is not about what pastors or leadership should do. These verses apply to all Christians.)
4. COUNT THE PHYSICAL COST
You’ve probably seen the comparison photos of presidents at the beginning of their first term and the end of their second terms. In the first picture, the newly appointed president looks young, virile, and strong; in the second picture, the presidential veteran looks haggard, tired, and old. Hard jobs wear on bodies. Being a pastor is like many other blessings in a fallen world: really good but really hard. (No, no, no. Please, just stop it. Stop lying to us.)
Early mornings and sleepless nights are all too frequent. A busy ministry schedule easily pushes out time for regular exercise. Stress eating (or not eating) is common. (If this is the result of pastoring a church, then the pastor is failing, period.)
We may like to think of our bodies as cast in iron, but Scripture tells us that they’re more like jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7), which all too easily crack under consistent pressure.
CONCLUSION
The young man who sits in awe of the public ministry of the pulpit needs to know that the pastor who preaches to the church must also shepherd it. (Suddenly the sparse documentation completely disappears. Probably because there is nothing in the Bible that tells us the pastor is the preacher is the shepherd.)
To be an under-shepherd (Term-switching.)
in God’s church is a noble calling and a life well spent (1 Tim. 3:1). Yet the aspiring pastor must never forget that a call to pastor is a call to suffer. (Just a flat no. There is no Bible verse that even suggests such a thing about pastors or leaders. A Christian living his life for God will certainly experience persecution and suffering, but it has nothing to do with leading a church.)
It is my prayer that any young man reading this article will rise up, by God’s grace, and embrace such a calling, knowing that this light and momentary affliction will produce an incomparable future glory (Rom. 8:18, 1 Pet. 5:10). (With a final flourish, the author references two more out-of-context Bible verses.
It is my prayer that any young man reading this article will rise up, by God’s grace, and embrace such a calling, knowing that this light and momentary affliction will produce an incomparable future glory (Rom. 8:18, 1 Pet. 5:10). (With a final flourish, the author references two more out-of-context Bible verses.
If this man is a pastor, he ought to quit immediately. If he's a Bible teacher, he ought to find another vocation. This is just so bad, we are at loss for words. No one should take this man's advice.)
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