The gifts [Christ] gave were that some would be… pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12.

Bishop Handley Moule used to say ‘We do not want untheological devotion, or undevotional theology.’ That’s a good motto for preachers, (or any thinking Christian for that matter). Good shepherds lead us into green pastures – where, presumably sheep learn to feed themselves.

Harry Emerson Fosdick used to tell preachers to be in their study one hour for every minute of the sermon. John Stott suggests one hour for every five minutes. You can’t lead others where you have not been yourself. If a minister hasn’t got to know God privately, he or she won’t be able to introduce God publicly. The job of a preaching pastor is to get to know God very well, and to get to know people very well, and introduce one to the other. Probably half of a pastor’s time should be uninterruptible. The church pays the pastor to think, and pray, and read, and prepare to teach and to train others for ministry. As we say in our seminars: ‘Pastors should spend half their ministry- time with God, half with people, and the rest in administration! (And half the people-time should be spent training others).

Show this page to your pastor, and ask for a reaction!

Lord, free our pastors from the tyranny of the urgent, so that they can devote themselves to study and prayer. Amen.