Pastoral Wisdom
By Luke Holmes
In 1914, not long after the sinking of the Titanic, Congress convened a hearing to discern what happened in another nautical tragedy. In January of that year, in thick fog off the Virginia Coast, the steamship Monroe was rammed by the merchant vessel Nantucket and eventually sank. Forty-one sailors lost their lives in the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Osmyn Berry, captain of the Nantucket was arraigned on charges, but during the trial Captain Edward Johnson was grilled on the stand for over five hours.
During cross-examination it was revealed that Captain Johnson “navigated the Monroe with a steering compass that deviated as much as two degrees from the standard magnetic compass. His steering compass had never been adjusted in the one year he was master of the Monroe.” The compass that seemed adequate for navigation eventually proved faulty, and in the end it proved fatal for many involved. He trusted in his own wisdom, but it failed him in the end.
Every pastor needs to make sure their “compass” is aligned in the right direction from time to time, or, like the ship Monroe, the results could be tragic. But how can a pastor know where to get his direction from? There are many people who are more than happy to give us wisdom and guidance for how to live in this world, how to pastor, and how to lead our families.
Pastors must regularly seek wisdom, but also make sure they are getting it from the right places. Where can a pastor find wisdom about his own life, his family, and his church? Thankfully there is no shortage of God’s wisdom around us if we will only take the time to look and listen. There are many places where we can find godly instruction in this world to keep us on course. Here are 7.
1. Mentors and Guides.
Any pastor who claims he has made it on his own is foolish at best and evil at worst. Every pastor needs an older mentor or guide they can look up to in the faith, ask questions of, and seek wisdom when they need it. Often this is a former pastor, maybe in the church currently or one they knew growing up. This mentor can offer wisdom and guidance from their years of faithful ministry in the church or could also just be a wise lay person with a knack for navigating the conflicts of life and ministry. Regardless, no pastor should be without a voice like this in their life. If you don’t have someone like this, pray for God to send you one, and go seek someone out yourself. If you do have this voice in your life, make sure you regularly listen to what they have to say.
2. Biographies and History.
Every leader should be a reader, particularly of biographies and histories. Reading these genres allows you to see the results of mistakes without making the mistakes yourself. Biographies of great men and women of God can inspire us and give us hope and dreams for the future. Even “secular” biographies can teach us about the power of hard work, education, decisions, and making the right choices. Studying history helps us see the past more clearly, and helps us understand how we got to the place we are in today.
3. Current Pastor Friends
Every pastor needs to be friends with other pastors, if for no other reason than to share in the challenges and burdens of ministry. But more than that, we often find that someone else is going through the same thing we are and has some wisdom to offer, or has navigated that rocky road in the past. While mentors and guides who are older than us are helpful, there is also wisdom in seeking advice from those currently in the trenches of ministry as we are. No one else can understand the challenges of ministry in present times like someone also facing them. Not only can we find wisdom in others, we can find fellowship and comfort in God’s labor that they faithfully give in service.
4. Old books
Some pastors are so keen to read the latest arrival, that we neglect the wealth of knowledge of those who came before us. Neglecting old books amounts to what Lewis called chronological snobbery, the idea that the past has nothing to teach us. Reading old books allows us to not only learn from their lives and biographies and their institutions and histories, but also from their devotions, their sermons, their writings, and so much more. It's much easier to spot the way that older works or products of the time they were in. But there is still much to learn from the literal thousands of years of faithfulness behind us.
5. New Books
There is much wisdom to learn from new books as well. We do live in unprecedented times and there are many great thinkers, pastors, and theologians who have worked hard to address these times from a biblical standard. We can also learn from new books about things like organization, leading teams, and so much more. It is as much an error to only read new books as it is to only read old books; the wise pastor will balance his reading diet with both.
6. Sermons
We live in a time where it is incredibly easy to listen to the sermons of others. In the not so distant past a pastor would have to buy a book to read someone else's sermon. But today we can instantly watch and learn from faithful expositors. Even though a pastor is preaching every week, it’s good for him to regularly sit under the teaching of God’s word. Through the wonders of modern media, we can listen to the pastor down the street or the world's greatest preachers from over the last 100 years. There is no excuse for a pastor to not be under the Word himself.
7. God’s Word
Of course, the primary place for a pastor to find wisdom and direction is from God’s word. There is no substitute for a pastor's study of God’s word. Any other wisdom in this world ultimately derives from the wisdom found in God’s word. Any teaching that purports to be wise but contradicts God’s word is nothing but foolishness. The pastor must work hard to orient his life around God’s word and nothing else.
Every pastor needs guidance and instruction, and we need to make sure our compasses are pointed in the right direction. Thankfully we have a plethora of ways to find wisdom, and to avoid the shipwrecks that come when wisdom is lacking. The first step of wisdom is admitting that you need it, and the second step is going to seek it. Pastor, find wisdom today, wherever you can. God’s word promises that all we need to do is ask for it, and that he will always provide.
Luke Holmes
Luke Holmes (@lukeholmes) is husband to Sara, father to three young girls, and pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church Duncan, Oklahoma. He’s a graduate of MBTS and SWBTS and can be found online at lukeholmes.substack.com