Over the past two months, it has been my privilege to attend numerous state convention annual meetings—preaching, teaching, hosting Gateway events, and interfacing with pastors and other leaders. A common theme in both the meetings and the conversations has been the wearisome ministry season pastors and other leaders have endured since the pandemic began. To put it in a phrase, ministry leaders—particularly pastors—are weary and worn down.
While there are many reasons for this, one of the primary sources of emotional depletion among pastors is dealing with petty conflicts between church members over issues like masks, vaccines, and other pandemic-related issues. Pastors are shepherds who prefer to keep watch over peaceful flocks. They are also peacemakers—people who promote peace—rather than look for ways to stir up dissension. When trouble comes among their followers, it takes an emotional toll on pastors and other leaders.
One biblical leader recorded his experience about the impact of conflict among his followers on him. Paul appealed to the Philippians (2:2) to “make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” A leader’s joy is affected by the way his followers treat each other, not just the way they treat the leader. When a pastor has members arguing, debating, or disputing with each other, he pays an emotional price. Church division is a joy-sucking distraction for a pastor.
Seminary presidents are not pastors, but we still lead religious communities. The spiritual maturity of the Gateway community during the pandemic has been energizing for me as their leader. While our employees and students have many opinions on pandemic-related issues, they have consistently kept our mission at the forefront and worked hard to minimize divisive debates about extraneous issues. They have given me the gift of deference and support.
Give your pastor and other church leaders the same holiday gift this year. Stop needless arguments over divisive issues. Recognize pastors and other leaders are making hard decisions about nebulous issues with almost no frames of reference or best practices to guide their choices. Determine to support your pastor and other leaders, with humility and deference, rather than add to their burden by sharing your joy-robbing opinions on “what they ought to do.”
Pastors are dutiful shepherds. Most have stayed faithful during the pandemic, fulfilling their calling and providing pastoral care to hurting people. They have demonstrated supernatural patience and remarkable endurance. Stand with your pastor by choosing to be a cooperative part of their flock. By doing so you add to their joy and contribute to their resiliency. That’s a Christmas gift every one of us can give this year.
Read More
Comfort Twice Over
When we provide comfort to fellow believers, we are the means by which God has chosen to provide his comfort.
Inheritance & Glory: Our Vocation
For believers, while heaven may seem long away, our eternal inheritance is already available to us in the here and now.
Listen
Brian Borgman
On this episode of The Jonathan Edwards Center Podcast, Dr. Chris Woznicki interviews Dr. Brian Borgman regarding his book, Jonathan Edwards on Genesis. They discuss Edwards as an exegete, as an interpreter of scripture, specifically looking at Genes
The Dents
Tyler sits down with longtime missionaries and retired Gateway faculty, Don and Anne Dent. The Dents served with the IMB for over 30 years and most recently at Gateway Seminary. In this episode, they reflect on their past experiences from working in the mission field
Watch
Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival
Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.
Jonathan Edwards and the Baptists | Douglas Sweeney, Nathan Finn and Chris Chun
Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.