A legitimate question arises in the heart of a growing Christian when looking at the pastor and his tremendous responsibilities. Who pastors the pastor?
The word pastor means shepherd, and according to John 10:1-5, Jesus is to be our Shepherd. Along with Psalm 23, we see that we too are sheep in need of Jesus to guide us and lead us into paths of righteousness. However, this can also be said of every Christian; Jesus is to be their chief Shepherd / Pastor. Yet, according to Hebrews 13:17, there is indication that Christians are to have spiritual mentors in their lives they are to follow. We find their qualifications and duties, among other places, outlined in I & II Timothy. So, I return to my original question… Who is available to pastor the pastor?
I have three answers that I will outline in three blog posts: #1 – The Holy Spirit, #2 – Your Wife, #3 – Your Mentors…In this post I will deal with the latter.
A Pastor’s Mentor must be:
I. Older and More Experienced
I am blessed to have many friends. After the Lord and Heather, my closest friend is my brother, Matt Teis. I can talk with him about anything. Then, I have my preacher friends who are numerous, but include Josh Irmler, Matt Lahmann, Cody Kuehl, Dave Young, Jose Miano, Dan Ruiz and Paul Gotthardt. Though it’s wonderful to have these men in my life, they are not my mentors; they are my friends, and though highly influential in my life, fulfill a different function than that of mentor. I have deacons and church members that have become extremely close and intimate whose counsel and encouragement have made my ministry enjoyable and fruitful. However, these folks are not my mentors.
For me, a mentor is one who has at least 20 years more experience than I do. They are very seasoned and steady. They are more than theory and ideas. These men have successful marriages, successful ministries and have proven themselves to be faithful through the years. Any young preacher who relies only upon the counsel of other young preachers is stupid. Like Rehoboam in I Kings 12, many young pastors only consult with those who are of the same age, with the same perspectives, and same ideas. Hey fellas, let’s be secure enough to get some counsel and thought from someone who might not just tell us what we want to hear.
II. Free to Say Anything
Timothy’s mentor was obviously the Apostle Paul. When you read I and II Timothy, you get the sense that Paul was very open with Timothy, probably because Timothy was a willing recipient of Paul’s correction, admonition, and encouragement. Honestly, sometimes I struggle with pride and only want people around me who will stroke my ego and parrot back my ideas. Yet, the Bible says, “A wise man will hear and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” (Proverbs 1:5)
A mentor should never feel intimidated or fearful to share his thoughts because you might throw a tantrum and break off the relationship. They should feel the freedom to question anything in your life and ministry, and you should have the boldness to either admit you are wrong or defend your position. The apostle John was personally mentored by Jesus Christ, who clearly felt the freedom to say anything to the beloved disciple. I believe it was John’s willingness to be mentored that allowed him to become the greatest mentor in church history, going on to mentor heroes like Ignatius, Antipas, and Polycarp.
My father had Sumner Wemp, a man of God who passed away just last year. For over 30 years, Sumner Wemp was mentor to my father, since their days as teacher and student at Liberty University. There is not a year I remember, that Grandpa Wemp did not come to preach at Liberty Baptist in Las Vegas. I’ll never forget one night of a mission’s conference (c. 1995), the service was about to begin, and Sumner Wemp, on the first row of the church, was still grooming my father saying, “Fix your tie, Dave. You look like a slob,” as he adjusted his off kilter tie. “Don’t say so many ‘ummms & uhhhhs,’ it sounds unprofessional.” As a 15 year-old teenager watching his 40-year-old father being prepped for service by his 70-year-old mentor, I did not think my father was somehow weak. As I watched my father lean down with a smile and hug his spiritual father, I thought, “Now here is a truly humble man willing to give honor.”
III. Honored and Respected
You don’t have to always agree with your mentor. When you die one day and stand before a throne, it will not be your mentor that is sitting there. We know that we are led by the Spirit and will answer to the Son. There will be times that you disagree with your mentor’s advise, being convinced of the Spirit’s leading and go on to do what God is leading you to do. However, you ought ALWAYS show honor and respect to those men. Who do we think we are to sit and mock those who have invested into our lives and ministries. These are the Lord’s Anointed (I Samuel 24). And, though you may consider them to be out of touch with today’s culture, they may actually still be in touch with the eternal Lord. Young preachers, let us be careful!
What are your thoughts? Am I wrong? Am I in a snare (Prov. 29:25)? Have you experienced any of this? Can a mentor go too far?
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