The first priority of a man of God is to be a godly man. But how does a pastor—who is, above all things, to be a man of God—progress in godliness (also known as holiness, Christlikeness, and sanctification)?
Before answering that question, let me remind you that just being in the ministry will not make you more godly. In fact, the ministry can be the means of making you more ungodly if you are not actively, intentionally pursuing godliness.
A pastor, like all other Christians, grows more godly by means of rightly-motivated obedience to the God-given command in 1 Tim. 4:7: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB).
The practical, everyday ways we live out obedience to this command have historically been referred to as “spiritual exercises,” “spiritual practices,” or more commonly today, “spiritual disciplines.”
The spiritual disciplines are the practices found in the Bible that promote godliness. They consist of personal spiritual disciplines (those we practice alone) and interpersonal ones (those we practice with other believers). Thus, private prayer or worship are personal disciplines, and prayer or worship with others are interpersonal ones. Though the interpersonal disciplines are at least as important as the personal ones, this article focuses on a pastor’s practice of the personal spiritual disciplines.
It’s easy to believe that if we practice the disciplines found in Scripture, then we are godly. But that was the deadly error of the Pharisees. These hypocrites diligently practiced many biblical disciplines, but Jesus said they were the epitome of ungodliness. To them, the disciplines were merely deeds to do, and doing them meant they were godly and pleasing to God. What they missed was that the external practice of the disciplines is not the measure of godliness, but the means to it. Godliness is being like Jesus and is characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), not merely by how often or well you practice the disciplines designed to develop godliness.
To put it another way, God has chosen the means—the biblical spiritual disciplines—through which we experience and enjoy Him and are changed by Him. These are the “sacred pathways” where we can expect to encounter Him. Zacchaeus, we might say, wanted to meet Jesus and—knowing the path Jesus would take—put himself in that path. In His grace, Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus’ desire to meet Him and transformed him. Our role, therefore, is to discipline ourselves to get on the God-ordained paths where we can expect by faith to meet Jesus.
Nothing about this is automatic or mechanical, as the Pharisees believed. We must rely on the Holy Spirit and seek Christ by faith when we engage in the disciplines. Nevertheless, it is true that there is no consistent growth in grace apart from the practice of the biblical spiritual disciplines.
We are not called to spiritual passivity, where we do nothing to seek God and just wait on Him to “zap” us with godliness when He is ready. Rather, He has given us a command: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” And although God gives us the desire to do that, He doesn’t do it for us. We are to discipline ourselves. And since this is a Spirit-inspired command, it must be possible to obey it without legalism, but by Spirit-empowered effort.
Remember that “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” was written first to Timothy, a missionary associate of the apostle Paul who was serving in the role of a pastor in Ephesus. So the spiritual disciplines are for you, pastor, not just for your people.
It is not as though your people will grow spiritually and become more Christlike by practicing the spiritual disciplines, but you will grow by virtue of being in the ministry and preaching sermons. No, pastor you are a Christian first and a minister second. And you will grow in grace the same ways that all believers do—by means of the biblical spiritual disciplines.
In fact, a good argument can be made that pastors should be devoted to the disciplines even more than their people. The work of the ministry can provide many opportunities for spiritual growth because it necessarily requires the immersion of your life in the things of God. On the other hand, without engaging in the spiritual disciplines that promote godliness in your own soul, eventually the discouragements, pressures, and routines of ministry will make you more ungodly, turning you into a prideful professional, an ogre at home, or a hypocrite in the pulpit. Your own holiness is your first priority and greatest asset in the ministry. Holiness is pursued and developed through the means God has given: the disciplines by which we experience His presence and grace.
Pastors also need to practice the biblical disciplines to enjoy the blessing and power of God in ministry. Can we expect to help others grow in grace and closer to Christ without doing so ourselves? Can we expect the Lord to cause our church to flourish spiritually if we neglect the means of godliness in our own lives?
Puritan pastor and theologian William Perkins warned pastors of stepping into the pulpit with “unclean feet to handle the holy things of God with unwashed hands.” This is exactly what we do when we attempt to preach and pastor without the holiness that comes only through the Spirit-filled practice of the spiritual disciplines.
Yes, pastoral ministry places overwhelming demands on us and our time. But whatever you do, don’t let the ministry keep you from Jesus.
A third reason pastors must practice the spiritual disciplines is to fulfill their responsibility to be “examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3), that is, examples of Christlikeness and of how to live as a Christian. This includes being an example in your personal piety, showing people how to experience God and grow in godliness through the biblical practices designed for these purposes.
Your people need to “see your progress” (1 Tim. 4:15) in devotion to and conformity to Christ. Your flock needs to know that their shepherd consistently spends time with the Chief Shepherd. They want your words and your life to say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).
Pastor, think back to when the Lord called you to His service. Recall your passion for Him when you first began your pastoral ministry. Likely those were days of much sweet communion with Jesus. Have the passing of the years, the increase in responsibilities, and burdens of ministry hardened your heart? Made you more cynical? Caused you to rely more on your skills and experience than on the fruit of time spent in the pursuit and enjoyment of God?
Have you “abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4)? Then “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first” (Rev. 2:5). Return to the spiritually-refreshing, joy-giving, ministry-empowering practice of experiencing God through the biblical spiritual disciplines.
The post Pastors and the Spiritual Disciplines appeared first on Focus on the Family.
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Before answering that question, let me remind you that just being in the ministry will not make you more godly. In fact, the ministry can be the means of making you more ungodly if you are not actively, intentionally pursuing godliness.
A pastor, like all other Christians, grows more godly by means of rightly-motivated obedience to the God-given command in 1 Tim. 4:7: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB).
The practical, everyday ways we live out obedience to this command have historically been referred to as “spiritual exercises,” “spiritual practices,” or more commonly today, “spiritual disciplines.”
What Are the Spiritual Disciplines?
The spiritual disciplines are the practices found in the Bible that promote godliness. They consist of personal spiritual disciplines (those we practice alone) and interpersonal ones (those we practice with other believers). Thus, private prayer or worship are personal disciplines, and prayer or worship with others are interpersonal ones. Though the interpersonal disciplines are at least as important as the personal ones, this article focuses on a pastor’s practice of the personal spiritual disciplines.
It’s easy to believe that if we practice the disciplines found in Scripture, then we are godly. But that was the deadly error of the Pharisees. These hypocrites diligently practiced many biblical disciplines, but Jesus said they were the epitome of ungodliness. To them, the disciplines were merely deeds to do, and doing them meant they were godly and pleasing to God. What they missed was that the external practice of the disciplines is not the measure of godliness, but the means to it. Godliness is being like Jesus and is characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), not merely by how often or well you practice the disciplines designed to develop godliness.
To put it another way, God has chosen the means—the biblical spiritual disciplines—through which we experience and enjoy Him and are changed by Him. These are the “sacred pathways” where we can expect to encounter Him. Zacchaeus, we might say, wanted to meet Jesus and—knowing the path Jesus would take—put himself in that path. In His grace, Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus’ desire to meet Him and transformed him. Our role, therefore, is to discipline ourselves to get on the God-ordained paths where we can expect by faith to meet Jesus.
Nothing about this is automatic or mechanical, as the Pharisees believed. We must rely on the Holy Spirit and seek Christ by faith when we engage in the disciplines. Nevertheless, it is true that there is no consistent growth in grace apart from the practice of the biblical spiritual disciplines.
We are not called to spiritual passivity, where we do nothing to seek God and just wait on Him to “zap” us with godliness when He is ready. Rather, He has given us a command: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” And although God gives us the desire to do that, He doesn’t do it for us. We are to discipline ourselves. And since this is a Spirit-inspired command, it must be possible to obey it without legalism, but by Spirit-empowered effort.
Are the Spiritual Disciplines for Pastors?
Remember that “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” was written first to Timothy, a missionary associate of the apostle Paul who was serving in the role of a pastor in Ephesus. So the spiritual disciplines are for you, pastor, not just for your people.
For your own growth in godliness
It is not as though your people will grow spiritually and become more Christlike by practicing the spiritual disciplines, but you will grow by virtue of being in the ministry and preaching sermons. No, pastor you are a Christian first and a minister second. And you will grow in grace the same ways that all believers do—by means of the biblical spiritual disciplines.
In fact, a good argument can be made that pastors should be devoted to the disciplines even more than their people. The work of the ministry can provide many opportunities for spiritual growth because it necessarily requires the immersion of your life in the things of God. On the other hand, without engaging in the spiritual disciplines that promote godliness in your own soul, eventually the discouragements, pressures, and routines of ministry will make you more ungodly, turning you into a prideful professional, an ogre at home, or a hypocrite in the pulpit. Your own holiness is your first priority and greatest asset in the ministry. Holiness is pursued and developed through the means God has given: the disciplines by which we experience His presence and grace.
For blessing and power in ministry
Pastors also need to practice the biblical disciplines to enjoy the blessing and power of God in ministry. Can we expect to help others grow in grace and closer to Christ without doing so ourselves? Can we expect the Lord to cause our church to flourish spiritually if we neglect the means of godliness in our own lives?
Puritan pastor and theologian William Perkins warned pastors of stepping into the pulpit with “unclean feet to handle the holy things of God with unwashed hands.” This is exactly what we do when we attempt to preach and pastor without the holiness that comes only through the Spirit-filled practice of the spiritual disciplines.
Yes, pastoral ministry places overwhelming demands on us and our time. But whatever you do, don’t let the ministry keep you from Jesus.
To be an example to the flock
A third reason pastors must practice the spiritual disciplines is to fulfill their responsibility to be “examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3), that is, examples of Christlikeness and of how to live as a Christian. This includes being an example in your personal piety, showing people how to experience God and grow in godliness through the biblical practices designed for these purposes.
Your people need to “see your progress” (1 Tim. 4:15) in devotion to and conformity to Christ. Your flock needs to know that their shepherd consistently spends time with the Chief Shepherd. They want your words and your life to say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).
Pastor, think back to when the Lord called you to His service. Recall your passion for Him when you first began your pastoral ministry. Likely those were days of much sweet communion with Jesus. Have the passing of the years, the increase in responsibilities, and burdens of ministry hardened your heart? Made you more cynical? Caused you to rely more on your skills and experience than on the fruit of time spent in the pursuit and enjoyment of God?
Have you “abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4)? Then “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first” (Rev. 2:5). Return to the spiritually-refreshing, joy-giving, ministry-empowering practice of experiencing God through the biblical spiritual disciplines.
The post Pastors and the Spiritual Disciplines appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...