I left my breakfast meeting with a young pastor and realized, with a measure of sadness, I was no longer a “young pastor.” He was facing a number of ministry challenges that seemed very familiar to me.
As I shared with him some of the lessons I had learned, he remarked, “I wish I had known this three years ago.” It occurred to me that the lessons I shared with him were ones I wish I had been told when a small country church allowed a rough, unrefined college student to get his feet wet in ministry. As I look back, there are (at least) five things I wish I had been aware of when I was just starting out:
1. You are pastoring a parade.
The first time I had a family leave the church I was leading, I was personally hurt. I thought I had really messed up as a pastor, or in my more frustrated moments, I thought they “just didn’t get it.” What I failed to realize is, sometimes, God removes people from your ministry for your benefit. And, I am sure, sometimes he moves them for their benefit! It was John Maxwell I first heard say, “Every pastor pastors a parade … people are always coming and going.” As I have watched people “come and go” over the years, I have learned to trust solely in the Lord to bring people who would add benefit to the church. It is, after all, his church to build. Indeed, God often removes someone in order to drive us to him, and then blesses us with someone else who adds tremendous value to the church. So, as a young pastor, be prepared for the fact that people will come and go, and trust that God is doing so for your benefit and for the good of the body.
2. The people who demand the most serve the least.
As a young pastor, my assumption was the people who gave and served most faithfully would demand most of my attention. The truth was the exact opposite. The people who demand the most are typically those who give the least and serve the least. And, upon reflection, that makes sense. When people are faithful and obedient to give of themselves and their resources to advance God’s Kingdom, they are far less inclined to believe they should have a pastor’s undivided attention. So, don’t be surprised when those most disappointed in you and who criticize you the harshest are those who have the least invested in the ministry of the local church.
3. You will see ugly behavior.
I have to be honest—this lesson comes from my wife. I asked her what she wished she would have known when we first started out. Her comment was, “You will see the ugliest behavior you can imagine in the church.” Now, please don’t think of my wife as a bitter crank. She is not. Rather, as the wife of a young pastor, she was not prepared for the “ugly behavior” she saw. As a young pastor, it is important to remember you are not the only one who hears the criticism of others. You need to be sure to help your family understand such behavior is sin and we ought not return sinful behavior with sinful behavior. Instead, let the Lord defend you as you exhibit Christlikeness in the face of criticism.
