# The Paper Pastor



## blhowes (Jun 6, 2009)

Lately I've been thinking through some issues I'm dealing with regarding church attendance/membership. Like perhaps so many others, I've enjoyed listening to all kinds of sermons that are 24-7 at our finger-tips via the internet. They are a blessing, but they have their place.

This morning I visited the website of a church in the Worcester, MA area called Bethlehem Bible Church. I was poking around and followed a link which I guess is what they use to send out theological emails to those interested in their congregation. The first email I came to was this one, it spoke to me and I thought I'd pass it along. 


> Paper Pastors
> 
> ...But others do attend a church - physically. They come in, they sit down. They sing, they may give financially. They may look at you, Pastor, as you preach.
> 
> ...


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## LawrenceU (Jun 6, 2009)

Thanks for posting that. And, I agree with the writer. I see WAY too many people who fall into the category of critiquing their pastor to one of the 'superstars'. I find this to be extremely common among the college aged and twenty somethings who are new to Reformed Doctrine. It is not limited to that age group however.


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## raekwon (Jun 6, 2009)

FYI, it's originally from the Team Pyro blog.

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/04/****-and-paper-pastors.html


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## KMK (Jun 6, 2009)

raekwon said:


> FYI, it's originally from the Team Pyro blog.
> 
> http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/04/****-and-paper-pastors.html



That link doesn't seem to work.


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## Blue Tick (Jun 6, 2009)

Thank you for posting!


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## he beholds (Jun 6, 2009)

What a great reminder! Thanks!


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## Pergamum (Jun 6, 2009)

This brings up another point as well. 

Many pastors I know almost entirely think of their job in terms of preaching and teaching from the pulpit. Their counseling/mentoring/one-on-one shparding time is a very small small part of their ministry. They cannot be bothered by their people because they need to knock out some sermons. They mostly do not even take calls from their study because, well, it is their "study" and not an office.


If that is the case, he might as well be a paper pastor.




But, I do think this was a very good article.


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## LawrenceU (Jun 6, 2009)

I believe part of what Pergy is describing is due to the increased pressures for pastors to be able to preach home runs every single week like the fellows on the radio, internet, etc. "I mean, those radio preachers are able to preach finely honed sermons every day of the week. My pastor can hardly crank out two consistent sermons each week, and most of them are just ho-hum."

I know this is an issue with many pastors, because we have talked about it. Unfortunately the 'media preachers' have unwittingly shaped the expectations of the pulpit, and in so doing have warped the perceptions of what a good pastor is to be.


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## smhbbag (Jun 6, 2009)

> This brings up another point as well.
> 
> Many pastors I know almost entirely think of their job in terms of preaching and teaching from the pulpit. Their counseling/mentoring/one-on-one shparding time is a very small small part of their ministry. They cannot be bothered by their people because they need to knock out some sermons. They mostly do not even take calls from their study because, well, it is their "study" and not an office.
> 
> ...



I think many do fall prey to what you describe, though I am very wary of saying it's a problem with the pastor. In most cases I'm aware of (which is admittedly small), I think it's more of an issue with their church governing structure.

The deacons and elders are paper-deacons and paper-elders. I have absolutely no problem with a pastor who sees his primary duties as preaching and teaching, as ours does. He preaches 3 sermons a week, and teaches 3 non-Wed/Sun. classes for our members, along with lecturing occasionally at the seminary. And he is incredibly blessed in his ability to do those things. But they take time.

A pastor with a special gift for teaching and preaching should be allowed to express those gifts fully. However, he is severely held back if there is not a plurality of serious, involved fellow elders and pastors who also teach, but have a first focus on the shepherding of people. Of course there should be overlap, but no pastor, even in a small church, can perform all the teaching, mentoring, shepherding, follow-up, hospital visits, and preaching that needs to be done, etc. all by himself without running himself or his family into the ground at some point. 

I guess I'm just saying that every elder and pastor needs to be involved in all of what church leadership is exists for...but a one-man show in all of them is not sustainable nor healthy.


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## Pergamum (Jun 6, 2009)

LawrenceU said:


> I believe part of what Pergy is describing is due to the increased pressures for pastors to be able to preach home runs every single week like the fellows on the radio, internet, etc. "I mean, those radio preachers are able to preach finely honed sermons every day of the week. My pastor can hardly crank out two consistent sermons each week, and most of them are just ho-hum."
> 
> I know this is an issue with many pastors, because we have talked about it. Unfortunately the 'media preachers' have unwittingly shaped the expectations of the pulpit, and in so doing have warped the perceptions of what a good pastor is to be.



Aha, I think you're onto something there! Thanks for the insight.

-----Added 6/6/2009 at 10:38:05 EST-----



smhbbag said:


> > This brings up another point as well.
> >
> > Many pastors I know almost entirely think of their job in terms of preaching and teaching from the pulpit. Their counseling/mentoring/one-on-one shparding time is a very small small part of their ministry. They cannot be bothered by their people because they need to knock out some sermons. They mostly do not even take calls from their study because, well, it is their "study" and not an office.
> >
> ...



I guess the ideal is several elders, the other elders giving the pastor time to preach while they get intimately involved with the people on a one-to-one basis. 

Given this, WOW, how do the bi-vocational guys do it all! Especially if they have not a solid body of elders to assist them! All the more reason to pray for our pastors!


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## LawrenceU (Jun 6, 2009)

Pergamum said:


> Given this, WOW, how do the bi-vocational guys do it all! Especially if they have not a solid body of elders to assist them! All the more reason to pray for our pastors!




Yes Pray!! We can't get it all done. It takes a cadre of elders in a church with a full paid pastor. Most bi-vocational pastors are in situations where they are the only elder or work with one other elder at best. A bi-vocational pastor gets very little sleep, has very little 'alone' time, has very little discretionary finances (if any; and, frankly is tired a lot of the time and exhausted the rest.

The prayers of the saints are vital to us. There are many times that I know that it is only the power of God that enables me to stand up under the calling he has made. That is one of the blessings of such a strenuous ministry. There is not coasting. It keeps you in a sharp awareness of your own frailty and inability. And, it makes you desperate for the presence and power of God. 

I hope I never lose that - regardless of the situation.


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## bravebee (Jun 6, 2009)

*i'm guilty*

I am very much guilty of allegience to paper pastors. I read some of them everyday, I listen to some of them every week, I even watch video of some of them quite often and I cherish them because they illumine the word to me. They feed me with real spiritual food. And because of them I have developed an acute taste for deep, meaty, feasting on the Word.

Then I go to my church and listen to my pastor and I leave hungry. The shallow, self-help, feel-good, 5-steps to a better life "sermons" entertain many, but they do not satisfy the hunger for those who have tasted good preaching.

I know that the paper pastors are not a sufficient substitute. My pastor does actually know me from Adam. I have no idea if he has ever prayed for me on his knees. He probably would come see me if I had surgury, but I doubt if he would miss me if I wasn't there one Sunday.

The ideal would be to have a real pastor with the qualities of my paper pastors. I pray for this. But in the mean time, my paper pastors serve a purpose, and fill a need that otherwise is not being filled, and I thank God for my paper pastors.


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## Pergamum (Jun 6, 2009)

Paper (or MP3) pastors ought to be supplemental but never substitutionary.


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## MrMerlin777 (Jun 6, 2009)

amen


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## LawrenceU (Jun 6, 2009)

bravebee said:


> I am very much guilty of allegience to paper pastors. I read some of them everyday, I listen to some of them every week, I even watch video of some of them quite often and I cherish them because they illumine the word to me. They feed me with real spiritual food. And because of them I have developed an acute taste for deep, meaty, feasting on the Word.
> 
> Then I go to my church and listen to my pastor and I leave hungry. The shallow, self-help, feel-good, 5-steps to a better life "sermons" entertain many, but they do not satisfy the hunger for those who have tasted good preaching.
> 
> ...



Brother, you are an elder. Have you shared this with your co-labourer? If he is not preaching the doctrines of God then he shouldn't be in the pulpit. You are unsure if he prays for you, a fellow elder? I'm genuinely stunned.


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## kalawine (Jun 6, 2009)

bravebee said:


> I am very much guilty of allegience to paper pastors. I read some of them everyday, I listen to some of them every week, I even watch video of some of them quite often and I cherish them because they illumine the word to me. They feed me with real spiritual food. And because of them I have developed an acute taste for deep, meaty, feasting on the Word.
> 
> Then I go to my church and listen to my pastor and I leave hungry. The shallow, self-help, feel-good, 5-steps to a better life "sermons" entertain many, but they do not satisfy the hunger for those who have tasted good preaching.
> 
> ...



I am an mp3 junkie and listen to great preachers every day, all day long in my office. But, unlike you, I have a good pastor to go to Sunday. I disagree with my pastor on many things but to me the fellowship and the one on one is worth a world of paper pastors.

I will pray for you brother that your situation will change.


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## KMK (Jun 6, 2009)

> Well, paper pastors are never in a bad mood. They're never cranky, or sleepy or sick. (Especially the dead ones.) They've never just had someone else pull their guts out with a rusty fork, and then had to turn and listen graciously to your complaint about the translation they preach from, or argue about a Greek word you can't even pronounce. They don't have a family who loses the time you use. They never half-listen, never have an appointment that cuts short their time. Their office hours are your office hours. They're available 24/7, and everywhere, at your whim, and you always have their undivided attention.



And how often do they have to lead worship as well as preach because your worship leader decides to step down without finding a replacement?!?!?!?!


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## Ivan (Jun 6, 2009)

KMK said:


> > Well, paper pastors are never in a bad mood. They're never cranky, or sleepy or sick. (Especially the dead ones.) They've never just had someone else pull their guts out with a rusty fork, and then had to turn and listen graciously to your complaint about the translation they preach from, or argue about a Greek word you can't even pronounce. They don't have a family who loses the time you use. They never half-listen, never have an appointment that cuts short their time. Their office hours are your office hours. They're available 24/7, and everywhere, at your whim, and you always have their undivided attention.
> 
> 
> 
> And how often do they have to lead worship as well as preach because your worship leader decides to step down without finding a replacement?!?!?!?!



And the worship leader's wife is the pianist.


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## westminken (Jun 6, 2009)

LawrenceU said:


> bravebee said:
> 
> 
> > I am very much guilty of allegience to paper pastors. I read some of them everyday, I listen to some of them every week, I even watch video of some of them quite often and I cherish them because they illumine the word to me. They feed me with real spiritual food. And because of them I have developed an acute taste for deep, meaty, feasting on the Word.
> ...



Yes, this does seem out of the ordinary considering you are a RE and the pastor and you serve on the same Session. You might need to bring this up with him on a one to one basis. Also, speak with your fellow RE's about your feelings on this matter.


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## SolaScriptura (Jun 6, 2009)

That was good! Thanks!


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## A.Hudson (Jun 7, 2009)

Thanks for posting this


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## KMK (Jun 7, 2009)

Ivan said:


> KMK said:
> 
> 
> > > Well, paper pastors are never in a bad mood. They're never cranky, or sleepy or sick. (Especially the dead ones.) They've never just had someone else pull their guts out with a rusty fork, and then had to turn and listen graciously to your complaint about the translation they preach from, or argue about a Greek word you can't even pronounce. They don't have a family who loses the time you use. They never half-listen, never have an appointment that cuts short their time. Their office hours are your office hours. They're available 24/7, and everywhere, at your whim, and you always have their undivided attention.
> ...



And they have to set up the chairs themselves!


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## DTK (Jun 7, 2009)

Paper Pastors...that has to be a classic, thanks for posting it.

DTK


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## Rich Koster (Jun 7, 2009)

I'm waiting for the follow up.."paper parishioners" (those who have their names on the membership papers, but never help with anything).


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## Pergamum (Jun 7, 2009)

KMK said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> > KMK said:
> ...



That's your problem right there! You CANNOT worship the Lord with cheap Walmart foldable chairs!


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## Ivan (Jun 7, 2009)

KMK said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> > KMK said:
> ...



And put out the piano, table and pulpit.

Ken, I think we have the same situation, just different time zones.

-----Added 6/7/2009 at 08:42:54 EST-----



Pergamum said:


> That's your problem right there! You CANNOT worship the Lord with cheap Walmart foldable chairs!



Say what?!


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## catechumen (Jun 8, 2009)

Great topic for a thread. A pastor-friend of mine, a very fine minister, told me he feels like he is in the wrong job every time he hears Joel Beeke on tape! 

Perhaps part of the answer is to make conscious efforts to incorporate actively the preaching of our own minister in our private and family devotions - in a sense, to use the weekly sermons at other times as a quasi-MP3! 

My own minister provides very useful notes of his sermon after - definitely not before! - he has preached it, and I know many families in the congregation actively seek to make it a discussion piece.


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## KMK (Jun 8, 2009)

Ivan said:


> KMK said:
> 
> 
> > Ivan said:
> ...




yeah, but we have the same zip code! (Phi 3:20)


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## kalawine (Jun 8, 2009)

I've already posted on this thread but I forgot to say, "Great thread!" Someone has been needing to say this for a long time.


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## KMK (Jun 9, 2009)

catechumen said:


> Great topic for a thread. A pastor-friend of mine, a very fine minister, told me he feels like he is in the wrong job every time he hears Joel Beeke on tape!
> 
> Perhaps part of the answer is to make conscious efforts to incorporate actively the preaching of our own minister in our private and family devotions - in a sense, to use the weekly sermons at other times as a quasi-MP3!
> 
> My own minister provides very useful notes of his sermon after - definitely not before! - he has preached it, and I know many families in the congregation actively seek to make it a discussion piece.



I totally agree! What many parishoners don't know is that your pastor is actually thinking about you when writing/delivering his sermon. He takes what he knows about you and your situation and your prayers and your family and your community and you struggles and they shape the message. Maybe his messages are not works of art but are works of love directly for you.


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## fredtgreco (Jun 9, 2009)

KMK said:


> I totally agree! What many parishoners don't know is that your pastor is actually thinking about you when writing/delivering his sermon. He takes what he knows about you and your situation and your prayers and your family and your community and you struggles and they shape the message. Maybe his messages are not works of art but are works of love directly for you.



Absolutely. One of the most difficult and time consuming tasks of sermon preparation is the illustration and application phase. I work hard to come up with illustrations that are relevant and understandable by the congregation (which in Tchula meant farming illustrations that I would never use in suburban Houston) and applications that deal with pastoral issues. Adams was right when he said preaching is also counseling from the pulpit.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Jun 9, 2009)

I've been mulling this over for a few days now...

And, I for one can testify that no paper pastor has ever helped me install a new water heater late at night so my family could have hot showers in the morning. And no paper pastor has ever invited me to lunch just to fellowship and to see if there were any needs in my life. Nor has one ever driven almost an hour to pick me up when my car broke down out of town. And it definitely wasn't a paper pastor who drove two hours to attend the funeral of my niece just to be an added comfort to me and my family. I could go on and on....

A little perspective on life helps us see that the paper pastor can keep his distant, yet good and useful, place while the flesh and blood pastors do the real everyday work that preaches louder than words. I'll take the man who lives the gospel in my presence daily. He's my pastor. That other guy on the mp3 is just a supplement, at best.


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