Avoiding ministry landmines

I’ve often commented on our Baptist system whereby young ministers are sent to the pulpit immediately after announcing their call to divine service. Thus, some of us began to preach at 15 or 16 years old. And I have friends who began to pastor churches by age 18.

Having young pastors might become more common since research shows a shortage of pastors. I’m yet searching for answers to this trend. A denominational official told me lately that he thought churches don’t encourage commitment to vocational ministry as we once did, and many seminary graduates are choosing to plant new churches rather than taking established churches with rules and traditions.

But it’s also true that pastoring a church is a different responsibility than preaching sermons. Pastors administer the church and set the pace in ministry and evangelism. A common issue with young pastors is they may have undeveloped people skills – plenty of enthusiasm but a lack of practical wisdom.

I know whereof I speak as I recall my early days as a pastor.

I remember a man whom I saw as a threat, and he did suggest to some leaders that our church needed a new pastor. The issue was primarily my leadership. Rather than fearing him, I should’ve partnered with him.

It was years later that I heard John Maxwell’s Claude story.

Maxwell said Claude was the church’s “influencer.” What Claude said had weight and people followed him. Maxwell said he chose to go to Claude first with ideas, and then made himself vulnerable by asking Claude for help. I always found it funny when Maxwell said he pastored his church with God and Claude. (It’s even funnier since Maxwell pronounces the name like “Clod” rather than the way we addressed my Uncle Claude McCary, “God and Clod,” as it were.)

Some might counter that a pastor should answer to God first of all and fear the face of no man. True enough. But it’s also true that pastors may get little accomplished if they demand obedience from behind what Teddy Roosevelt would call the “bully” pulpit!

Another value in including others is ownership. Many pastors have discovered to their chagrin that they railroaded some program in, but then discovered they were the only ones who felt commitment to see it through.

Theological seminaries have been accused of not teaching people skills, and this was probably true for many years. The seminary I attended began a program of ministry studies in which we were required to work in local churches and meet with local pastors each month to discuss our work. This is certainly a worthy initiative. Seasoned pastors can help younger pastors avoid landmines in the ministry mind field.

Reflections is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.