Great Teachers Love Eager Students
He would wait for me at the end of every service. With his Bible open, he would talk to me about the text I had just preached. He would point out subtle nuances of the Greek text and of course, he would talk to me about how he had preached this same passage. Every Sunday we had the same conversation.
Others around me noticed his practice. “Does this bother you,” they would ask. “It used to,” I said to them, “until I realized what he was doing.” I then explained to them that my friend, Dr. Richard Lucas was a passionate teacher. He loved Scripture. He had spent his life studying the text. He had been a pastor, a college professor and a seminary professor. Now that he had retired, he didn’t lose his love of God’s Word. He still studied Scriptures. He was still learning. So, what did he do with all he was learning?
He taught me. One of the highest compliments I have ever received was realizing Dr. Lucas considered me a worthy student. He taught me a lot about preaching learned in the trenches of serving a local church. Old preachers taught me how to be a good pastor. Now, I am the old pastor and in the spirit of Dr. Lucus, Horace Sims, Hardy Clemmons and others like them, I feel obligated – called – to teach and train the next generation of pastors.
So, here’s my challenge to each of you. If you, like me, are a more seasoned pastor, find a younger pastor who is a worthy student. Invest your life in them. If you are a younger pastor, find a seasoned mentor. Most of the time, they will be eager to be part of your life. After all, every great teacher loves an eager student.
Book Recommendation: Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I can still remember where I was when I read the following quote in “Life Together.” “A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men” (page 29). I thought complaining about our churches was a privilege of pastors. According to Bonhoeffer, however, in complaining to God about our churches, pastors become accusers of the faithful (Satan) rather than advocates for the saints ( Christ).
That sentence hit me like a ton of bricks.
In a world that champions individuality, Bonhoeffer reminds us that discipleship has to be done in community. The foundational practices such confession and communion can’t really be done alone. The process of “iron sharpening iron” is vital to the faithful and consistent making of disciples. Bonhoeffer also emphasizes the role of community in the training of ministers. Living together in community was an important part of the Bonhoeffer’s seminary’s teaching. Only be doing life together, do we become more aligned with the person of Christ. This brings an interesting question to us as pastors: what good does it do us if we make it to heaven but leave our churches behind?
Prayer: Teach us, O Lord, to love your church as you do.
