Two pastors with two very different styles

[feeny]

*Edit to add: pastor A is expositional but I don’t know if pastor B truly is?

Hello, I’m wanting some advice on how I should think about an issue with one of my pastors.
My husband and I became members in a local church not long ago. We haven’t regularly attended anywhere as a couple until now. I was in church most of the time I lived with my parents but my husband did not. Now, though, we’re both Christians dedicated to being part of our local body.

Our church is wonderful in many ways, and we agree on the majority of things with the pastors, and no serious disagreements. We love the people and believe we are honoring God by joining this church.

There are two pastors that alternate Sunday morning preaching. I’ll just call them Pastor A and Pastor B. Pastor A is a great speaker and teacher. It’s obvious he takes the time to prepare his messages and cares for the flock. Pastor B doesn’t say anything we disagree with, but he doesn’t say a whole lot. He reads through about 10 verses and doesn’t really add any commentary at any point. He then goes through them again, still no explaining or teaching or encouraging. Pastor B will then go off on a few tangents that don’t actually relate to the verses and usually have to do with culture today.

I’ll try to give a short example of Pastor B without exaggeration. Let’s say he’s preaching from John 1. He would handle it something like this:
“So we see that it says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ Now, we know that the Word is Jesus, the Son of God, and He was there in the beginning with God and He was God. And then, ‘He was in the beginning with God.’ So we know He was with God and He was God. Now we see, ‘All things came into being through Him,’ so He made all things come into being. And we know He was there in the beginning.”
And then he will go through the next 7-8 verses just like this. Then he will talk about something that happened in the news and talk about how the world doesn’t believe this. And then he goes through the passage again the same way. This goes on for about 45 minutes. Every other Sunday.

I feel bad to even be typing all this out. But my husband and I don’t know if this is something we should just accept about our church and stay quiet about, or if we should bring it up to anyone. Both of us are feeling, at this point, that we probably shouldn’t say anything to anyone. Do you believe we’re right? How should we handle this? Are we wrong to be concerned?

We have noticed it since we began attending, but we went ahead and committed to this church because it’s the most Biblical and loving church we have locally. Both of us absolutely love Pastor A’s preaching.

I know church isn’t for our entertainment. It’s to honor God, worship Him, serve one another, and to be taught and encouraged in the Word. I’m just unsure on how I should be viewing this issue.

 

[Guido's Brother]

Are there elders who oversee the preaching of your pastors?

 

[feeny]

Are there elders who oversee the preaching of your pastors?

No I don’t believe they have appointed any other elders in the church. It’s a newer church but both pastors have served as pastors in other churches (prior to moving to this area).

 

[Guido's Brother]

No I don’t believe they have appointed any other elders in the church. It’s a newer church but both pastors have served as pastors in other churches (prior to moving to this area).

Sorry to say, but that's part of your problem here. Biblical church government needs to have elders. Elders have to supervise the work of pastors and hold them accountable. Otherwise there's no recourse when things go awry -- and I do think they have in the case of this pastor.

In my church, my elders regularly do a sermon review with me. I appreciate having that kind of accountability.

 

[feeny]

Sorry to say, but that's part of your problem here. Biblical church government needs to have elders. Elders have to supervise the work of pastors and hold them accountable. Otherwise there's no recourse when things go awry -- and I do think they have in the case of this pastor.

In my church, my elders regularly do a sermon review with me. I appreciate having that kind of accountability.

Yes, I agree, there should be elders that oversee them that aren’t the teaching pastors. I see the point of that, definitely. But my husband and I, being very new to church membership and regular attendance, didn’t know enough to ask about this before joining. Until your reply I hadn’t even considered that before.

Since we are already members now, I don’t believe we should leave unless there were heresy or some abuse going on, or if we moved far away. Am I wrong thinking this? Also, even if we hadn’t committed already, I don’t know of anywhere within an hour drive that is a better choice.

Thank you for your response.

 

[alexanderjames]

Whilst it's a valid concern, also be thankful that 1. you're hearing the word of God being preached faithfully, even if in a shallow and poor way (plus, some people in the church need the absolute basics), and 2. you have pastor A who preaches regularly and well to feed your soul.

 

[feeny]

Whilst it's a valid concern, also be thankful that 1. you're hearing the word of God being preached faithfully, even if in a shallow and poor way (plus, some people in the church need the absolute basics), and 2. you have pastor A who preaches regularly and well to feed your soul.

Yes, that’s right. I would rather hear Pastor B than the Word of Faith, prosperity nonsense.

 

[Relztrah]

I'm surprised that pastor A doesn't coach pastor B in homiletics.

I agree that you are in an awkward situation as new members, and reluctant to say anything. This is a prudent decision on your part.

When pastor B preaches what is clearly a well-planned and insightful message, if ever, you and your husband can encourage him. Let him know that you were challenged, comforted and blessed by his exposition of the Word. Maybe this would encourage him to devote more time to sermon preparation. Just a thought.

 

[TheInquirer]

In Reformed Baptist polity, if they are both pastors then hopefully they are both considered elders (unless there is some kind of difference in your particular situation) so that may not be an issue. Even if there were lay elders, speaking from experience, sometimes pastors won't listen to them, especially if there are enough other people affirming their preaching style and they don't really want to change.

That's a tough conversation to have as a congregant approaching a pastor but it might be an important one at some point. I think it is completely fair to approach a pastor in humility and let him know what you appreciate about his sermons and what would help you learn better. In this way, you aren't holding him to some arbitrary or preferential standard, but letting him know what would benefit you.

How a pastor responds to such a conversation, granted it is done with care and humility, will tell you a lot about him. If he responds defensively and with pride, that may not be a person you want to have in authority over you. If he responds with humility and appreciation, hopefully that will make you value him more and support him as he seeks to improve.

There could be all kinds of dynamics and history behind the scenes of why they co-preach like this and why Pastor A may not be having convesations with Pastor B. But that isn't really something you can or should delve into.

 

[Grant]

Ashley be thankful for both Pastors who are trying to be faithful to the text and serve as shepherds to your local flock. Be especially thankful for Pastor A, while you pray for the Lord to increase the skill of Pastor B.

Since moving overseas with my family (to China), we have very limited church options..let alone trying to maintain Presbyterian distinctives. We have had to wrestle with a variety of doctrinal differences as well as delivery styles from "can someone shout hallelujah"...to death by PowerPoint manuscript reading. Since being in China, I have also become more thankful and humbled by the cookie-cutter methods of reformed USA seminaries because it provides a good baseline to helped men less naturally skilled in delivery.

So it could be worse. In your situation maybe consider looking for solid resources that discuss preaching styles. Now I don't recommend you buy a book entitled with a obviously offensive title like... "dummies for preaching" ha....but I am sure many on this board could recommend solid books on exegetical and topical preaching. I do not agree with all of John Piper's theology, but I was really blessed by his work "The Supremacy of God in Preaching", which I think provides a good foundational focus.

 

[feeny]

I appreciate all of your responses. Thank you so much.