Let’s Talk About the Pastor (1 Timothy 4:12-16)

Big Idea: A pastor should gain respect through integrity, faithful preaching, and strong leadership, avoiding people-pleasing.

I counted 58 books in my library about being a pastor. These books have intriguing titles: What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary, Principles of Pastoral Success, Coping with Depression in the Ministry, Confident Pastoral Leadership, The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers, and my favorite title, They Smell Like Sheep.

I think my all-time favorite book on pastoring is one you've probably read—it's called 1 Timothy. If I had to get rid of everything I have ever read on the ministry and major on just one book, it would be this one. It was written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young man providing leadership in the Ephesian church. The whole book is good, but this morning I would like to focus on chapter 4, beginning with verse 12.

Leadership today is tougher than ever before, and it's no different in the ministry. An anti-authoritarian atmosphere pervades the world and church. There is a growing sense of distrust towards leaders. We're constantly exposed to media, books, seminars, and TV shows featuring pastors who seem superior to us. And not only that, consumerism has entered the church. If we don't like what we find in one church, we just bail out and go to another. This applies to all areas of ministry, particularly in worship and music.

I don't think any pastor is going to find it easy in the ministry. People discuss the pastor. A couple had invited the pastor over for dinner. While they were in the kitchen preparing the meal, the pastor was chatting with their little boy. He asked if the boy knew what they were having for dinner. "Goat," the little fellow said. The pastor was surprised. "Goat? Are you sure?" The boy said, "I think so. This morning I heard Dad say to Mom, 'Might as well have the old goat for dinner today.'"

Since others are discussing the pastor, let's also address him from a biblical perspective. What kind of pastor is he going to be? Joe Stowell has observed that some choose to lead from the platform of personal charm. They feel they can please all the people all the time. Ministry shouldn't be a popularity contest; pastors who rely solely on charm often have brief tenures.

The pastor is not called by God to be a diplomat. He is called by God to share His Word clearly and humbly, without apology. Some try to lead from the platform of the latest programs and ministry fads. Others try to rally their people to causes. Some pastors try to lead from a platform of self-promotion.

I read a church-growth book that advised pastors to be strong leaders, suggesting that their name on the church letterhead should be larger than the church's name. I'll reserve comment on that suggestion. The real question is, what kind of leader is the pastor going to be? I believe the real answer is found in 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young" - literally, "don't let anyone underrate you because you are young."

In essence, what Paul is saying to Timothy is this: there are going to be some older members of your church. They're probably going to dislike being lectured to and having their conduct dictated by a relatively young pastor. Paul advises Timothy to foster respect among the people he leads. Paul advises Timothy to gain respect from those he serves rather than relying on charm, popularity, or self-promotion.

Paul says that the unchangeable factor of his youth can be overcome by exhibiting exemplary character. People rarely give respect as a gift to a leader or pastor; it has to be earned. Most take a wait-and-see attitude. Pastors are challenged, in the words of Paul to Timothy, to earn respect. Don't let anyone look down on you just because you're young. Focus your life and ministry in three areas, and these three areas will define the kind of respect that will enable someone to be an effective pastor.

First, focus on earning respect by your personhood.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." It's amazing that Paul didn't begin with technique, style, or task performance. He begins with the question of basic personal integrity.

When I go to an ordination, I can determine pretty quickly whether or not a person is orthodox. I can quickly assess his theological soundness. But my main question becomes this: How is your integrity? How is your walk with God? How do you treat your wife? Who are you? Can I trust you? These are the questions that determine effectiveness in ministry. Personhood is the ultimate make-or-break issue in effective leadership.

Paul says in verse 12, set an example in five areas.

• Speech represents what you say about people, your day-to-day conversations.
• Life reflects your behavior, including how you interact with your family, handle opposition in ministry, manage daily responsibilities, and relate to others.
• Love is essential for Christians, especially leaders. It is important to show unconditional love even to those who disagree with you or have traits that bother you.
• Paul speaks about faith, representing loyalty and fidelity, and purity, which reflects your true character when no one is watching. Ephesus was a center for sexual impurity, and Timothy was faced with temptations. Stay sexually pure and also maintain purity in your motives, heart, conscience, finances, time management, and relationships.

As Proverbs says:

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)

Being around someone who consistently displays these five qualities would earn your respect. Many pastors fail due to poor people skills, inadequate leadership ability, but most fail because they lack integrity. Personal integrity is a non-negotiable element of a pastor's ministry. He is to set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

Second, earn respect by your proclamation.

1 Timothy 4:13 says, "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." The fundamental need of every believer is to understand and know the Bible and live in obedience to its truth. People come to our ministries expecting that, in some way, their innate spiritual hunger will be satisfied. The aim is not to be the best preacher, but to be an effective proclaimer who meets the spiritual needs of the people with God's truth.

When I began my ministry, I thought I could coast in this area. I could get away with hastily prepared sermons—for a while. But over time, I began to see the effects of this, so much so that now I devote many hours a week to preparing of God's word to feed hungry souls. I may not be a Spurgeon or Swindoll, but I'm fulfilling my purpose by nurturing others. And God calls us to ground our ministries in the proclamation of his unchanging Word to a new generation.

Look at the word Paul uses in verse 11: "Command and teach these things." The word "command" is a strong one, with military overtones. The pastor is told to command and speak with authority from God's Word. The pastor can never try to be a people-pleaser in his ministry. Never shy away from preaching God's truth just because it isn't popular. He must preach the Word of God accurately. Preach from the Scriptures, not from your own ideas and perspectives. Relate the Word of God to the needs of your flock. Clearly communicate the Word of God to the church, and they will respect you for it.

Throughout Christian history, various factors have overshadowed the preaching and teaching of God's Word. It's like the little girl who was vigorously stirring a glass of iced tea. She sipped some of it, grimaced; stirred it again and contorted her face with displeasure once more. She complained, "Mother, this tea won't come sweet." Her mother answered, "Of course it won't. There's no sugar in it. All the stirring in the world won't do any good." All the stirring up of people in a church won't do any good unless the Gospel is proclaimed. So the pastor must proclaim the Word of God!

Gary, I'm encouraged by the way you see your role. I'm so glad that churches today have elevated worship to its rightful place. For a while, I thought that, as Tozer remarked, worship was the missing jewel of the church. But no more. Make no mistake about it. The way you lead worship communicates a powerful message. You create an environment for sharing God's Word and also communicate it through your music leadership.

Paul says there is a third non-negotiable in the matter of respect.

"Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Timothy's commission as a church leader was confirmed by the laying on of hands by the elders of a church." Timothy was not a self-appointed leader; no pastor is. God calls the pastor into the ministry. God bestows spiritual gifts upon the pastor. He may have been gifted by God as a teacher, a merciful person, a servant, an encourager, or an administrator. But whatever his gift is, God calls him to proficiency in using that gift.

He shouldn't covet the gifts of others. Instead, he should lead others to use their spiritual gifts. Some church members believe they hire the pastor to perform all the work, but the pastor's role is actually to equip the congregation for service. He must be diligent in cultivating what God has gifted him to do. He must become, as Paul says elsewhere, a workman who need not be ashamed.

I love what Paul says in verses 15 and 16:

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

These concluding verses bring together everything that has been said in the preceding verses. The pastor must be passionate and establish his authority through respect, because everyone will see his progress in these matters. He must be completely dedicated to his task. He must watch both his life and his doctrine.

And the stakes are high, as we notice in verse 16: "Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." Through his dedicated efforts, the pastor will find joy in guiding his flock to salvation with his teaching and leadership.

It's so rewarding to see you in ministry, Gary. I feel a little robbed that we were not able to be together longer. And yet I'm glad you're not too far away. I look forward to observing how God will use you at Grandview. And I pray that in your personhood, proclamation, and in your gifts, your ministry will point many people to God.