Appreciating Pastors
I am not entirely sure when October was first designated a “month of appreciation” for pastors. Likewise, I am not sure how widespread the activity and participation are across different church traditions. I have witnessed it performed well. And I have heard horror stories of it being performed very poorly.
With that in mind, I had intended to let the month pass by without mentioning how arbitrary and occasionally hurtful this month can be to those who need appreciation equally throughout the year—and specifically during times of internal strife for the church. But in my studies of Philippians 2 I was accosted by the words of Calvin on the importance and appreciation of good pastors:
So intent is he upon this, that all that approve themselves as good and faithful pastors may be held in the highest estimation: for he does not speak merely of one, but exhorts that all such should be held in estimation; for they are precious pearls from God’s treasuries, and the rarer they are, they are so much the more worthy of esteem. Nor can it be doubted that God often punishes our ingratitude and proud disdain, by depriving us of good pastors, when he sees that the most eminent that are given by him are ordinarily despised. Let every one, then, who is desirous that the Church should be fortified against the stratagems and assaults of wolves, make it his care, after the example of Paul, that the authority of good pastors be established; as, on the other hand, there is nothing upon which the instruments of the devil are more intent, than on undermining it by every means in their power.
In an American situation where every corner in an urban city has a new startup non-denominational church, it might seem safe to say that pastors are not rare. Our seminaries are sending out more pastors each year than ever before. But is it still the case that good pastors are rare? In this section of Philippians Paul has just finished writing to the church that he would send Timothy because “I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21). This is a theme stemming back to Philippians 1 that while the gospel is being preached and thriving there is an element of selfishness among the ministers of the church. Assuming he is imprisoned in Rome, Paul is looking around at one of the blossoming cities and the ministers assisting him only to recognize that even among them there is a deficiency. This seemed to increase all the way up to Paul’s final days (2 Timothy 4:9-16). So here in Philippians, he wants the church to understand Timothy and Epaphroditus are unique and rare ministers of the gospel—as Calvin would call them “precious pearls from God’s treasuries.”
And as these good pastors are rare they are “so much more worthy of esteem.” Applying this text to the church of his day and beyond, Calvin encourages the church to not take for granted the precious gift they have been given lest they be punished by being deprived “of good pastors.” Pastors are “ordinarily despised” when they are unappreciated, undermined, and unforgiven for their mistakes. The natural process is the wearing down of pastors until the spot be left vacant and the provision be made for God to “punish our ingratitude” with a selfish pastor.
So during this month, commit to perpetually praying and striving for your pastors that “the authority of good pastors be established.” While good in intent, a month of focus on pastors will not hinder satan who is attempting to “undermine it by every means.”
