MacArthur vs Patrick: It's All About Context

John MacArthur’s recent criticism of Darrin Patrick has caused a minor stir in the blogosphere. British readers may not be particularly aware of either character – MacArthur is something of an American John Stott while Patrick is part of the Mark Driscoll crowd. I have never read anything of MacArthur’s, but I have been to Patrick’s church, and he was kind enough to once contribute to this blog, but I do not know him in any way.

So what interests me about this spat is not so much the characters involved but the way the argument evolved, which centres around MacArthur criticising the following statement in Patrick’s book, Church Planter:

One of the common errors of young men who surrender to ministry is to simply adopt the model of a church that they have experienced or idolized. A similar mistake is to blindly accept the ministry philosophy and practice of a ministry hero. The man who is experiencing head confirmation is thoughtful about his own philosophy of ministry, his own ministry style, his own theological beliefs, his own unique gifts, abilities, and desires. In short, there is uniqueness to the way he wants to do ministry.

Now, when I read that it is immediately obvious to me that Patrick is warning young men not to simply ape the ministry mega-stars. He is saying that every man needs to work out the issues himself, and not just copy a Driscoll or Piper or whoever. (This is a point that Patrick clarifies in his response to MacArthur.) Coming from my context that is how I automatically read Patrick’s statement, because I often see young guys who just seem to be imprints of whoever their favourite ministry guru happens to be.

However, MacArthur took exception to this statement, as he read it as saying that a man called to ministry should create his own theology, disregarding normal scriptural and ecclesiological principles. When I hear MacArthur say that, I can understand why he says it, because coming from his context his concern is about young guys who are individualistic and not theologically well formed.

So the issue here is actually one of context. MacArthur completely misread Patrick because of his context. (Which is ironic when MacArthur’s ministry has been built on preaching through the Bible verse by verse and seeking to be true to the context of the text!) And the warning to us all is that even the best of us can easily make interpretive mistakes because our context so often determines the way we see, hear, and read information.

Darrin Patrick has made a very gracious response to Dr MacArthur, and I hope the two of them are able to meet and gain a clearer understanding of one another. I hope their contexts become less a reason for confusion and more an opportunity for increased appreciation. And maybe all of us can learn to be a little more careful in how we are hearing people before we speak publicly of them.

Church Unity

Does this sound familiar? In any typical week I will get a pile of invites from people wanting Gateway Church to get involved in their project or attend their event. A pastor friend writes,

I've got good relationships with the other ministers in town, but there is a strange view of ecumenism/unity in the churches here that if we work at doing stuff together and understanding one another then everything in the world will be lovely. That's a little tongue-in-cheek, but you know what I mean.

There is clearly a theology of unity and blessing that underpins this. I find the constant pressure to take part in things that in my view are fruitless missionally, and the subsequent perspective that we do not value or desire unity, very frustrating.

There is a lot to unpack here, but my response would be something along the following lines:

1. The starting point would be how we understand the sovereignty of God. For example, we could turn the question around and ask it this way, "Are you saying that if we don't jump onboard with this that God will keep his blessing from the town? Is that really your view of how God works?" Asking the question this way can help demonstrate how a simplistic reading of “How good it is when brothers dwell together in unity” is an inadequate way to develop a theology of God’s sovereignty and blessing.

2. We should also be theologically convinced that when Jesus prayed in his high priestly prayer that “they might all be one” this was accomplished through the work of the cross. All believers are one because we are all united with and in Christ. There then needs to be some visible outworking of this, but I think often we concentrate far too much on the “there are so many denominations and different churches which is a sign of our division” and not enough on “we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body” – our oneness is already real in Christ, and we don’t all need to be working on the same projects to prove it.

3. When discussing these type of issues I often use the analogy of a human family, saying something like, "We want people in other families to be blessed, and we often have other people in our homes and visit other people in theirs, but at the end of the day, Grace & I are primarily responsible to and for one another and for our kids. It’s a bit like that with churches – we want to bless every other Jesus loving, gospel preaching church in town, and will sometimes do things with them, but God has given me a responsibility for this family, and that means we can't always do everything that everyone else is doing." This naturally leads to a discussion about the nature and role of elders in the church, and the loyalty and commitment of church members to the church they are part of.

4. Following on from this I would want to explain that, "We are not here primarily to do projects – there are specific things we value and specific things we feel called to do. In faithfulness to God we want to be faithful to those things." This then begs the question about the existence of your church – in the end we have to say, "We believe we have a unique contribution to make here." If this is not the case you should just shut down and go join another church!

5. This sense of unique contribution then leads to saying, "It is important for us that we are focused on what we are doing, otherwise we might just bounce from thing to thing without actually achieving much." Those churches that are being obviously fruitful tend to be those churches which are obviously focussed and purposeful in what they are doing.

6. Of course, a problem with being focussed is that this focus can get misinterpreted as exclusivity. In part this just has to be toughed out, but there is also some leadership wisdom that has to be shown in making it clear our desire is to bless other people, while not having our time and energy diverted by everything they would like us to get involved in.

7. Finally, this is an area that church leaders can easily be emotionally bullied over and made to feel guilty about – in which case we need to remember that we are under grace not law, and that we are ultimately answerable to Jesus, not to men.

What’s your experience? What so you do with all those invites that end up on your desk?

Staying Put

There is often an expectation/pressure on pastors to move on from their current church. In some traditions this can be because this is what is traditional; in the group of churches of which I am part it can be because of our emphasis on church planting. However, there are many good reasons for staying put, as described in this article from the latest 9Marks eJournal:

By Jeramie Rinne

On September 22, 1967, Dr. Raymond Edman, then retired president of Wheaton College, was preaching at Wheaton’s chapel when he suddenly collapsed and died in the pulpit. Amazingly, his sermon was entitled “In the Presence of the King.” I’ve sometimes thought that if I could choose my end as a pastor, it would be to die in a pulpit like Dr. Edman, proclaiming God’s Word with my last breath.

THIS PREACHER’S DEATH WISH

However, today I would like to amend that death wish. At the risk of sounding morbid, I would be more specific. I would choose to die not just in any pulpit, but preaching in my currentpulpit at South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham, Massachusetts.

By God’s grace, I’ve had the privilege of serving SSBC as the senior pastor since September, 1997. After more than a decade here, I increasingly see the value of long-term ministry in one church, and I increasingly want to stay.

WHY STAY AT YOUR CHURCH?

Sadly, extended pastorates are uncommon. Various statistics place the average pastoral tenure at anywhere from two to six years. While God uses every gospel ministry for his glory, regardless of its length, I’m discovering that some blessings and opportunities to glorify God come only with time. Consider a few with me:

Staying increasingly reflects the glory of God's faithfulness

First, staying increasingly reflects the glory of God’s faithfulness.

Under-shepherds model the Good Shepherd’s devotion to a flock by staying with them and ministering to them year after year. When we persevere with a congregation, we present a dim yet tangible reflection of our covenant-keeping God who never leaves us nor forsakes us.

I think for instance of the impact this has had on children in the church. After 13 years I’m seeing students whom I taught in our children’s ministry now graduating from high school. These kids (and we adults) inhabit a consumeristic culture where transience, lack of commitment, and personal fulfillment overshadow every sphere of life, from jobs to marriages to churches. What a gift for them to grow up in a church where they find not only an unchanging gospel, but also a steadfast minister who proclaims that gospel and in some small way exemplifies its permanence.

A college freshman who grew up at SSBC recently shared his sense of calling to pastoral ministry. As he told his story, he referenced my faithfulness to expository preaching as a factor contributing to his love for the Word and vision of pastoral ministry. I was profoundly humbled, especially when I consider all those times I have griped about the challenges of ministry! Such glimpses of God’s goodness make me want to stay longer and see what else God will do.

Staying creates opportunities to glorify God through more strategic gospel ministry

Second, staying creates opportunities to glorify God through more strategic gospel ministry.

Young pastors tend to overestimate what they can do in the short term and underestimate what they can accomplish over a long, diligent tenure. When I first became the senior pastor, I was brimming with ideas and dreams, new initiatives and ministry overhauls, all complete with handouts and diagrams. I had lots of energy to create and change, but my efforts tended to be shortsighted and impulsive. Looking back I realize how patient the church, elders and my fellow staff members have been with me!

After thirteen years, I haven’t lost my drive to dream. Not only does my idealism remain, but the gospel goals I have today are bigger than in the early days. But I find my plans now have longer, more realistic timetables for their communication and implementation. In part, this is because I’m not in a rush. When you visualize yourself shepherding one church for several decades, you gain the mental space to plan more strategically and work more patiently for gospel-multiplying goals like church planting, pastoral training, or positioning your church as a regional resource. These kinds of plans don’t typically develop in a church with a revolving door leadership.

Similarly, effective church reformation takes time. We recently adopted a new doctrinal statement. The process took almost three years. We’ve slowly moved toward more biblically-shaped Sunday services without declaring a worship war. We’re raising the bar of church membership by gently but consistently pruning the membership rolls, working on a new membership covenant, and gaining a deeper understanding of church discipline. This all takes time, the one thing a short-term pastor does not have. The best way for a pastor to inoculate a church against biblical reform is to strong arm the members too quickly toward a vision they’re not ready to implement.

Perhaps most importantly, I’ve discovered that it takes time for a congregation to understand and trust their pastor, and for a pastor to love and appreciate his people. Much can be attempted for God’s glory when a church and its leaders trust their pastor, the pastor has the best interests of the church at heart and a deep knowledge of the congregation’s unique character, and both pastor and congregation are committed to each other and the gospel for the long term.

Staying challenges a pastor to make God’s glory his motivation for ministry

Further, staying at one church for many years challenges a pastor to make God’s glory his motivation for ministry.

Eventually the wedding reception ends, the honeymoon is over, and the new couple must learn to flourish together amidst the rhythms of daily life. And at some point the honeymoon between a church and new pastor ends, and the pastor must discover how to carry on a faithful gospel ministry there year after year.

After thirteen years in one place, what will keep me going and the church spiritually growing? I’ve lost my faith in well-marketed ministry fads. My personality and youthfulness can’t carry the load. The church knows me way too well by now, and what little youthful “coolness” I once had evaporated long ago. Perhaps I could go to another church that doesn’t know me and surf a wave of novelty. I could re-preach some of my better sermons, re-introduce some of my more effective programs, and re-dazzle a new congregation with a few of my better insights. But to what end?

Only an expanding delight in God’s glory can dispel such thoughts and fire the soul for a long-term commitment to one church. Only love for God’s infinite worth inspires us to cherish his beloved people, not just in theory, but in a specific congregation and for a long stretch of time. Only when we treasure God’s name supremely can we overcome our instincts to build a resume, climb a ladder, and eject when we hit turbulence. Only a deep conviction about the sufficiency of God and his Word will steel us to preach expositionally Sunday after Sunday, so that our people’s confidence may increasingly rest in God’s power rather than in our wisdom.

To be sure, lengthy pastorates bring temptations as well. Over time, laziness, complacency, and stagnation can threaten a man’s ministry. But again, a vision for God’s glory is the answer. When God’s glory drives us, we can still summon courage to confront a longtime friend in the church who has fallen into sin. We can still dream and pray for the church after years of service, because we long to see the congregation cherish Jesus more. To quote C.S. Lewis, God’s infinite worth always calls us “further up and further in,” even when we inhabit the same parsonage year after year.

THE REAL QUESTION: WHY LEAVE?

Is it possible to leave a church for God’s glory? Of course. In fact, I know brothers who have been fired for the sake of the gospel.

Furthermore, many pastors long to find a healthy church and stay put, but in God’s mysterious providence that has not been their journey thus far. Even though I’ve written this article, I can’t guarantee that I will still pastor South Shore Baptist a year from now. God is sovereign.

That said, I’m arguing that instead of asking, “Why stay long-term?” we should be asking, “Why leave?”

Why not come to a church mentally committed to an extended tour of duty and leave the leaving to God’s sovereign timing? Why not enter a church with the assumption that you will pour your life out “like a drink offering” on one pulpit, rather than always holding something back for a better opportunity? As God permits, let us embody the gospel by staying with a particular flock, for the glory of God.

Jeramie Rinne is the senior pastor of South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham, Massachusetts.

January/February 2011
© 9Marks

Click here to read the rest of this eJournal

Leaders Make Things Worse

Yes, it’s really true.

Consider the example of Moses in Exodus 5:22-23: Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all."

I would guess that all of us with any experience in pastoral ministry can empathize with Moses at this point – those times when it feels like, despite our best efforts, we are just not helping at all. Sometimes it can seem that it would be better for all concerned if we quietly disappeared!

This is the peril of leadership, because leadership demands activity from people. For the Hebrews in Egypt it meant the activity of breaking free from slavery and heading for the Promised Land. Trouble was, it soon became apparent that a life of slavery – the routine of normal life – looked the easy option compared to obtaining freedom. In our context as leaders we will probably not be looking to lead hundreds of thousands of people out of one country and into another, but we do demand action: Pray! Give! Witness!

These demands (so long as they are rooted in the grace and promise of God rather than our own ego and pride) are positive in that they will result in a better future. Trouble is, the present feels pretty comfortable compared with the challenge of moving into a better future, even if that future really will be better.

This makes leadership a tough sell.

But, as Christian leaders we need to keep open ears for the voice of God, that voice that speaks as it did to Moses: But the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land." (Ex 6:1) If, ultimately, God is our leader we can be confident that he will act. It is not simply that we are making life difficult for people – we are helping them step into a greater inheritance.

So let’s lead!