This review appears in the February 2012 issue of the Record of the Free Church of Scotland.
What
is life like for a pastor? Called to what many regard as the most wonderful
role possible, it is often assumed that each pastor will be a paragon of virtue
while enjoying a life of dedicated service to Christ. Even if he does not rise
to such a stature, the question must still be asked as to what kind of person
he is. Because today, according to Tripp, many pastors are in trouble.
He
writes out of the church scene in America, which may have different pressures
than the church in Britain with its much smaller congregations. That is seen in
some of the solutions that Tripp offers. Yet the roots of the problem are the
same, even if their outworkings are different.
Usually
a pastor will have three impressions: there is the image he presents to his
congregation, which comes close to being a paragon; there is the image he
reveals to his family because they see who he really is; and there is the
understanding he has of himself, which may be the most inaccurate of the
options.
This
book has three sections. The first deals with the matter of pastoral culture.
Through the use of personal experiences and the testimony of other pastors,
Tripp discusses aspects of the worlds in which pastors live. Each will have
received excellent doctrinal training, but often it becomes a source of trouble
because it is not accompanied by maturity during or after finishing theological
studies. Often a pastor becomes identified by his role as a church worker, his
training for it, and any success he subsequently experiences, rather than what
he is as a Christian.
Yet
he should be able to see the warning signs. They include a failure to listen to
constructive criticism because he assumes he is the expert. More dangerous is
the absence of a meaningful devotional life. Recovery from, or even prevention
of, this state of spiritual collapse could be attained if pastors and
congregations recognised the ministry of mutual, straightforward, honest
accountability and corrective advice.
Nevertheless
the big battle in a pastor's life is fought in his heart and what he treasures
there, and his treasure should be what he has been given in Christ. Sadly,
according to Tripp, many pastors have other things that they treasure instead,
connected in some way to self-importance. Therefore, it is not surprising that
things go wrong. But it is possible to have a sinful heart that is devoted to
Christ while serving him in a place that has problems, and to go to him for
refuge continually.
The
second section deals with the causes and consequences of a pastor losing a
sense of awe of God. Tripp considers the dangers of familiarity with God, fears
of the opinions of others, the mediocre preparation of sermons and the failure
to assess oneself in the mirror of the Word. His illustration of using carnival
mirrors, with their odd shapes and sizes, to depict wrongs means of assessment
is very striking. They can include knowledge, experience, success and esteem by
others. Yet each of them can provide distortions of who a pastor really is. A
crucial issue for every pastor is the ongoing sense of awe in his heart towards
the majesty of God.
Section
three considers another major problem in pastoral life – the assumption that
one has arrived. It shows itself in self-glory, in putting preparation for
public requirements before developing a healthy devotional life, and in
separating public and private aspects of one’s life (teaching others what to do
and not doing it himself). Those who think they have arrived are often
dictatorial, dismissive of helpful advice, and afraid of their defects being
discovered. Instead they should also apply to themselves what they teach to
others, admit publicly that they too have struggles in the life of faith, and
listen to the admonitions of others. Above all they should preach the gospel to
themselves and realise in the hearts who they are in Christ.
In
each chapter, the author provides searching analysis of where pastors can go
wrong and helpful suggestions as how they can recover. He deals with heart
surgery. Even as surgery involving one’s physical heart is painful and yet can
result in more energy for life, so spiritual surgery of one’s inner soul is
painful and yet will result in more devoted service of Christ.
This
book is essential reading for pastors. It would be a real shame if those of us who are pastors fail to read this book, or having read
it fail to heed its message. If presbyteries had a scheme where each pastor was
given a book annually to review their performance, this book should be first on
the list. Because if it is read
prayerfully, there will be repentance and rededication to the service of Jesus.
If presbyteries want students for the ministry to appreciate what ministry is
about, they should give a copy to each student under their care so that they
will know how to avoid pitfalls. After all, it is a dangerous calling!
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