The secret to longevity in pastoral ministry

Some time ago a friend asked me, “Why have you and your son had long tenures in pastoral ministry but some of us have moved every couple of years? Some of us have left the ministry. What’s your secret?”

My immediate response was, “I’ve never thought about it and really don’t know. I loved the people I served, but I’m sure you did the same. I have my flaws. I’m not eloquent. Daily I stand in need of the mercy and grace of God and the kindness of people.”

My friend’s question keeps haunting me, especially when I hear of pastors resigning under stress, unhappy members drifting from congregation to congregation, people leaving the faith in which they were active and many just dropping out.

I recall preaching the sermon at my son’s ordination in October 1987 in which I emphasized some differences between the major and minor prophets in the Bible. I said to my son, “If you want to have a long ministry, be like the Major Prophets.”

The Major Prophets were the God-centered preachers of their day. They focused on God while calling people to right living, faith, faithfulness, fellowship and hope. They had a long tenure in their ministry, as reflected in the length of their writings.

Isaiah was the prophet of God the Son. He prophesied the Messiah’s birth (Isaiah 9) and his sacrificial death (Isaiah 53). He saw the Messiah as the one with power to transform our old leopard, bear, lion and cobra natures so that we all can live together in peace and harmony (Isaiah 11). This is a picture of our spiritual birth in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Spiritual birth inspires new life, hope and harmony in a congregation.

Jeremiah was the prophet of God the Father. At the potter’s house, Jeremiah saw God as the great potter who can take our broken, wounded and marred lives and remold them into something beautiful again for his use (Jeremiah 18). In chapters 31-32, God speaks, “I am Israel’s father. … This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel. … I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. … For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Forgiveness and restoration are unifying forces in a congregation.

Ezekiel is the prophet of God the Holy Spirit. In chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3, Ezekiel tells us how the Spirit of God came upon him and told him to digest the Word. He did, then he rushed off to preach, and God stopped him. God made Ezekiel sit down among his people until he could see life through their eyes and understand their needs. Then Ezekiel rushed off again to be the “watchman” for God. But God made Ezekiel’s tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth and shut him up in a solitary place until he could understand God’s heart longing to turn his wayward people to righteous living. Ezekiel’s message inspires me to digest the Word, understand the people I serve and know the heart of God. I found blessings in heeding the Spirit’s correction and receiving counsel from other leaders.

Many consider Daniel a major prophet. He was the prophet of God the Coming King. With Daniel I believe God can come even now and walk with us through today’s fiery trials and lion dens. In the face of adversity, I remember Daniel and the faith of our Anabaptist forebears who endured great suffering because they believed that within the shadow of their crosses God stood keeping watch.

In contrast to the Major Prophets, the Minor Prophets had a short tenure to their ministry.

They were the issue-centered preachers of their day. Their books are short because they focused on one or two issues. Today many preachers are issue-centered. They need new issues every so often to keep people following them. On the other hand, there are people who wander from church to church seeking a pastor to champion their issue and preach it their way. Congregations are splitting up over issues, and the resulting bitterness will take generations to heal.

When dealing with issues, I remember the Muckraker in Pilgrim’s Progress. While he was intent on raking up the muck of earth, an angel of God hovered over him ready to bless him if he would only look up. But his eyes were fixed upon the muck he was raking and so he missed out on God’s blessing.

The Major Prophets also dealt with issues, but their vision of God and his redemptive provisions comes through again and again, giving hope, guidance and comfort. A vision of God inspired Moses at the burning bush, Saul on the Damascus Road, John on the Isle of Patmos and many others to become humble participants with God. As a pastor I often needed to renew my vision of God and his redemptive purposes. Too often in our emphasis on the love of God, we rob God of his majesty and holiness and make God out to be just our “chore-boy” who caters to our every whim.

Not only do we need a new vision of God, we need a new vision of our role as pastors and leaders. At times we have overemphasized the servant role. At other times we have overemphasized the power-authority role that for some goes with an office, a title and an ordination. God calls us to be participants with him, which is neither slavery nor power wielding.

Successful pastors and leaders have a broad view of how people can participate. As a pastor I like a missional emphasis that keeps together the three stories of Luke 10: the sending out of the 72 disciples to call people to repentance and faith, the Good Samaritan and ministering to the needs of people with our human resources and Mary worshiping and learning at the feet of Jesus. In every congregation, some will be better at helping with spiritual needs, some at ministering to physical needs and some at helping us worship and learn at the feet of Jesus. Congregations are greatly blessed when everyone participates and feels needed. We can let down our nets of faith, love and caring and become the fishers of men, women and children Jesus had in mind.

Also, successful pastors and leaders help members keep a missional vision beyond the congregation. As a pastor I felt fortunate to have Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Disaster Service, Mennonite schools, colleges, camping programs, publishers and other opportunities to help us reach beyond ourselves. Members of a congregation that have no vision beyond themselves become unhappy and contentious.

Participating with God does not mean all will be peace and harmony. Satan will be active, and there is no resurrection life without the cross. Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me … and I’ll be with you” (Matthew 16:24 and 28:20). When Jesus is with us, we have his authority. If we depart from Jesus, we lose authority.

A pastor of another denomination who heard I had a son in the ministry said, “I also have a son in the ministry. I preached his ordination sermon, and at the end of it I gave him a hammer and told him to hammer home the gospel.”

I acknowledged that we do need to hear the gospel, for it is written, “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). And Jesus said, “You are clean through the words that I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). But I added that at the end of my sermon I gave my son a large white candle. I said to him, “John, may this candle remind you to let the light of Christ Jesus shine through every aspect of your ministry, be it preaching the Word, administering the ordinances of the church, ministering to the sick or bereaved, working with others in committees, counseling those seeking help or relating to the community or conference. John, may this candle ever remind you that the Holy Spirit uses the light of Christ Jesus as reflected in God’s Word and in the holy lives of his followers to draw people toward true repentance, faith, faithfulness, fellowship, witness, service and hope. John, may the Lord bless your ministry to these ends.”

We must remember four important things:
1. We don’t have to be exactly the same. The prophets and apostles had their own unique style and message. My son’s favorite prophet is Jeremiah, and mine is Ezekiel.

2. If we want a denomination and congregations that are strong and vibrant, we can learn much from the major and minor prophets. Let’s major in the great themes of God’s redemption and minor in the issues that disturb us. Too often we reverse these and consequently fall into the slough of despond.

3. We can also learn much from Matthew 2 about the use of God’s Word. In that chapter, the Magi sought answers in the Scriptures so they could find and worship Christ Jesus. Herod sought the same information from Scripture so he might consolidate his power over people. Let us use the Scriptures to help each other and our children find and worship Christ Jesus and participate with him in his kingdom.

4. In all that we do, let the light of Christ Jesus shine through. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). And we have this promise: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

I don’t have all the answers to my friend’s question, and I’m not one to judge the ministries of other pastors and congregations. I merely summarize what has blessed me in my pastoral experience. I lay down my active role in the assurance that my faith will live on in future generations.

John F. Murray is a member of Hopewell Mennonite Church, Kouts, Ind.