Thoughts on Young Preachers FOR CHURCH MEMBERS (2)

When I first started at the prison, I was green as springtime grass. There was one time I was walking with a Lieutenant and walked right past some trivial contraband. To be honest, I did not see it at all. The Lieutenant scolded me and the other officer with us for not seeing it. By the time I was five years in, I could walk in a cell and sense there was something hidden in a wall or bed frame. What a difference a few years of experience made.

As a pastor, I have often wished that the Bible contained a book called Standard Operating Procedures for pastors. In this book, there would be a detailed daily list of procedures that the pastor should adhere to. It would also address what the pastor is to do in difficult situations. This book does not exist, and pastors must spend much time in prayer seeking God's will. That is because the Christian life is to be walked "by faith and not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7). Knowing this reality does not make the pastor's job any easier or less stressful.

Young pastors are going to make mistakes (so will older pastors). Pastoring is the only job I know of that does not receive a learning curve. The moment a man takes the title of pastor, he is expected to know what to do and when to do it. When he fails to meet the church's expectations, they feel he is a poor pastor. Some will then want to fire him so that they can get a new, more seasoned pastor. If pastors are constantly fired, how do they become seasoned pastors?

Another problem with this mindset is that it places the church in authority of the hiring and firing of pastors. During the pastoral search process, most churches will pray for God to "send" the man He would have to pastor them. When they call a pastor, and he prayerfully accepts the position, the church thanks God for sending them His man. If God calls and sends His man to fill a pulpit, what right does the church have to fire the pastor because he does not meet their expectations?

Do not misunderstand. I am not talking about issues of grievous sin in the pastor's life. If a pastor is unrepentant of sin and is bringing shame on the church and the name of Christ, he should absolutely be fired. I am talking about his failure to meet their (the church's) extrabiblical expectations.

Some people are natural leaders, others are not. Some people are natural planners, others are not. Some people are natural administrators, others are not. You get the point. This does not mean that a person cannot learn to do these things, but it may take them some time.

In the book of Acts, there was a young preacher named Apollos. He was a gifted speaker, but his doctrine was not where it needed to be.

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 18:24-28

A couple of things to note are 1) the church at Ephesus did not forbid him to preach or run him out of town (fire him); 2) a couple of church members mentored him and taught him "the way of God more accurately; 3) He went on to have a successful ministry as an evangelist, teacher, and apologist (He greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ).

Help young pastors learn the role and expectations of the church. If the expectation is not a Biblical one, and he is not gifted in that area, find someone else who is. Many churches never truly prosper or mature because they do not keep a pastor long enough to establish a ministry. They are constantly in a storm of uncertainty because they are sheep without a shepherd. Some churches even develop the mindset that they do not actually need a pastor; they only need someone to fill the pulpit. This is unbiblical and unGodly!