The Wounded Shepherd: Is the Pastor Allowed to Grow?

Ask the question another way. Is there such a thing as a pastor who does not need to grow? Is there such a thing as a Christian who does not need to grow? To whom is 2Peter 1:1-11 and 3:17-18 addressed? Is there such a thing as a Christian who does not have sin of which he does not need to repent? To whom was 1John 1:6-10 written? Yes, of course, the pastor is to be an example to the flock he has the duty and privilege to shepherd. What does that mean? What kind of example is he to be? Let me be as direct and clear as I can: The pastor is nothing other than a sinner saved by the grace and mercy of God, and his salvation is not qualitatively any different than any other Christian’s salvation. Only immature and ignorant Christians think of their pastor, or any pastor, as somehow not needing to grow. And such growth presupposes some things about the person who needs it. I cannot address them all, but let’s consider a few.

First, and foremost, the pastor must repent of sin on a daily basis. This is the way all Christians grow, or perfect their holiness (2Cor. 7:1). Every Christian is called to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in [them] both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13). The pastor is not anything other than a Christian man who is willing and able to lead the flock in “laying aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles,” and “run with endurance the race that is set before” all of them, “fixing [his] eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:1-2). The pastor is to lead the way in doing this, but he will not do this perfectly. He will have to repent of his failures in this area. Yet, he is not merely a fallen sinner, but a finite fallen sinner. Some of his growth is not merely due to his sin, but because he cannot ever be anything other than a finite human being.

I know this may come as a shock to some, but, brace yourself—your pastor doesn’t know everything, and never will! So, no, he does not and cannot know all the history of every person’s heartaches and struggles, and the myriad of ways that they were damaged growing up. Although he needs to work on learning these things, so that he might grow in sensitivity, patience and wisdom.  Yes, he forgets things, even important things. Some of which he has to work on figuring out how not to forget. He has to grow in this way as well.

The pastor has to grow theologically, and will, when he abides in God’s word and thereby repents of his sin. But even in theology, some of his growth will occur because of his finitude. Texts of Scripture which he had not previously read in the original language will open new realities to him. Again, brace yourself, God is infinite. His word mediates him to us. There is no end to the implications and applications of God’s word. No, merely memorizing the Shorter, or even Larger, Catechism is not going to exhaust the possible thoughts and applications of God’s word. Even if he has a photographic memory, he still will not lack for growing in his understanding of the doctrines of Scripture.

In turn, all this is wedded to his duties as a husband, if he is married, as a father, if he has children, as a son, if he has living parents, as a brother, if he has siblings, and as a member of the community in which he lives. Furthermore, all this is joined to his duties as a member of the presbytery and denomination of which he is part, if he is in a denomination that actually exercises biblical church government! There is no end to what growth looks like for him in all these relationships and responsibilities.

The pastor is human, and that by itself tells us that he is subject to all the same fundamental conditions and circumstances that mark what it means to be human. Despite all the wonderful gifts and abilities and knowledge he may possess he is yet a human being, and the wonderfulness about him is from God, not the man. The pastor is a mere man, saved by the mercy and grace of God, finite and fallen. And saddled with a glorious burden that the merciful and gracious God has placed upon him. The pastor’s growth is nothing less than God’s purification of him from sin. He must know this. The people he serves must know this. So, pastors be busy growing. The people you serve need you to grow. Church members, be patient; take your pastor and all pastors off that pedestal. Stop talking about how great so and so is and talk about the greatness of God in growing immature and ignorant sinners like ourselves. To God alone be the glory. He grows his people, even their pastors.