3 Traits of Great Pastors

When I was younger, I used to be impressed by pastors and preachers who could command a crowd, develop and implement dynamic strategies, cast a big vision, and grow a church rapidly. To a certain extent, I still am. 

But as I have matured, what I have come to realize is that the pastors who have given me the most vibrant glimpses of Jesus and the type of life into which he calls his people are rarely the ones who dazzle and amaze. (In fact, the ones who dazzle and amaze, if they are not shepherded well, have the tendency to blow up their church—and their own life along with it.)

The greatest pastors aren’t necessarily the ones leading the largest churches or getting featured at the leadership conferences or in Christian publications. They may or may not be great preachers or revolutionary organizational leaders. 

More often than not, they are actually quite unassuming. But they possess traits that only characterize people who have spent a lot of time with Jesus.

Here are three traits of great pastors. 

1. Great Pastors Practice What They Preach.

Great pastors aren’t the ones who preach the best sermons but the ones who are the best at carrying out the content and commands of their sermons. 

Of course, no pastor will ever be as righteous as the biblical ideals about which he preaches, but great pastors have the reputation of never asking something of their people that they aren’t willing to strive for themselves. 

These pastors are the first to serve. They spend time in prayer and Bible study. They take proper rest. They confess when they’ve fallen short. They are active in their personal efforts to tell their friends and neighbors about Jesus and invite them to church. They remain plugged into their small group.

They reliably, even if not perfectly, do all the things that they are constantly telling you to lead to a healthy, impactful, and faithful walk with Jesus.

Any gifted communicator can tell you what you should be doing. A great pastor journeys alongside you as you seek to do it together.  

2. Great Pastors Are Unflappably Kind.

I recently was watching a denominational leader speak to a room full of reporters. As intra-denominational drama surrounded recent decisions within the denomination, that leader was given an opportunity to publicly respond to negative reports about another denominational leader who had previously maligned him. 

In response, this denominational leader, this pastor, did not merely deflect the comment or speak in generalities—he went out of his way to defend his fellow pastor, offering an empathetic explanation for his actions and painting him in the best possible light. Not only did he display an absence of rancor, but the active presence of kindness.

This is what makes great pastors.