As I work my way through seminary, I have been challenged and encouraged by many books. I recently finished the book, Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp, and it is among the best. In chapter 5, Joints and Ligaments ,Tripp gives extremely helpful advice to pastors and to churches. In his book, Tripp has shown the need for pastors to come out of their isolation from the congregation and receive God's grace and nourishment from the body.
Personally, I have noticed the almost subconscious pull toward isolation within the pastoral ministry. In the transition from being a church member to becoming a pastor, there are significant changes. One of the changes that takes place is the transition from being fed and ministered to by the church, to becoming one who mainly feeds and ministers to the church. Another aspect of this transition is the change that takes place from being a "normal church goer", just like everyone else, to now being a person whom others look up to and is perceived to be "extra spiritual"or to have "spiritually arrived". Both of these assumptions are flawed. Biblically, pastors and teachers have a high calling and are required to meet the biblical qualifications of church leaders and overseers (1 Timothy 3). They are responsible for shepherding God's church in a way that is faithful and honoring to God (1 Peter 5:1-4). However, pastors are also still in need of God's grace and are still in the process of being made to be more like Jesus (sanctification). Pastors still battle the flesh daily, wrestle with temptations, and are still constantly having to put to death their indwelling sin (Galatians 5, Colossians 3). Pastors have not arrived; they still need to confess their sins and receive forgiveness and purification from their daily sins (1 John 1:5-6:2). Pastors, just like other Christians, have to daily recognize objects that they love and worship more than God and turn from those things. Pastors still wrestle with feelings of anxiety, depression, and questions of purpose, just like other believers.
Since pastors are also still in progress, I found Paul Tripp's list of eight "steps that can work to bring pastors out of isolation and into more regular contact with the essential and normal ministries of the body of Christ" very helpful. Here they are:
"1) REQUIRE YOUR PASTOR TO ATTEND A SMALL GROUP HE DOESN'T LEAD.
2) PASTOR, SEEK OUT A SPIRITUALLY MATURE PERSON TO MENTOR YOU AT ALL TIMES.
3) ESTABLISH A PASTORS' WIVES' SMALL GROUP.
4) PASTOR, BE COMMITTED TO APPROPRIATE SELF-DISCLOSURE IN YOUR PREACHING.
5) BE SURE THAT YOUR PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY ARE REGULARLY INVITED INTO THE HOMES OF FAMILIES IN YOUR CHURCH.
6) MAKE SURE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS REGULARLY MENTORING YOUR PASTOR'S WIFE.
7) MAKE SURE YOUR PASTOR AND HIS WIFE HAVE THE MEANS TO BE REGULARLY OUT OF THE HOUSE AND AWAY FOR WEEKENDS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
8) MAKE SURE COUNSELING HELP IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO THE PASTOR, HIS WIFE, AND THEIR FAMILY." (Tripp, pp. 79-82)In his book, Tripp expounds on each one of these areas and his insights are fantastic. I recommend reading the book if you have a little free time.
May we all, pastors and non-pastors, continue to grow in the grace of Jesus as we come to know and love Him more every day!
~Trev
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