The Inner Life of a Pastor

St. Louis – Dr. Robert Scott

From Pulpit to Page One

Whenever a pastor is caught up in a scandal one of the sad realities I hear is, “Them preachers ain’t right. That’s why I don’t go to church.” Unfortunately, pastoral indiscretions have become public fodder, thanks to the Internet, twitter, and Facebook.

But, technology is not the problem. The issue is the lack of discipline of a few tarnishes the good works of many who are sincere about their calling and commitment to doing the work of God and being agents of transformation, redemption, and liberation. There are many men and women who are serious about the vocation of ministry and walk with integrity, discipline, faith, and compassion so God can be exalted in their lives.

I believe most men and women start out with “good intentions” about doing God’s work, but they lose focus. Their lives become incongruent and unbalanced. When incongruence and imbalance take place, there is a shift in ministry where one moves from the concept of a calling to working a job. When this happens, the minister is nothing but a hireling who looks at the church and the congregation as a tool for his/her benefit. The focus becomes money, sex, and power. When money, sex, and power merge negatively to form an unholy alliance, a fall from grace will eventually happen. Like the washing machine that is out of balance, a lot of noise will be made but the machine has to be stopped so that clothes can be washed.

The Undershepherd

This writing is prompted because of a movie produced by nationally syndicated radio host, Russ Parr. “The Undershepherd” seems like the typical tale of a good pastor who has developed a “god complex” and gone to the proverbial dark side. Isaiah Washington plays the role of the minister who has lost his way because of power, greed, and sex, using the church for his personal negative benefit. Sadly, this movie is a depiction of what happens when a pastor becomes spiritually deceived and ultimately casts himself/herself into the abyss of deception.

I believe ministers are wholesome people, but our knowledge can be short-circuited. The Bible tells us the heart is deceitful. Unfortunately, education, finances, politics, or status does not eradicate the deception. The deception can only be dealt with when the minister’s inner life matches his/her outer works. In fact, I contend there is nothing more important to a pastor’s care of the flock than the inner life. When pastors go astray, there is a lack of accountability personally, ministerially, congregationally, and spiritually.

Tending the Inner Life

Since a pastor’s life and ministry flow out of the condition of the heart, then there must be attention given to this area of a pastor’s being. There is nothing I know that leads to the fall or destruction of a pastor’s life and ministry any more tragically than inattention to the pastor’s inner life.

I am not talking about daily devotionals, prayer time, and bible readings. I am talking about the character of a pastor being forged by the movement of the Spirit. This is a 24-hour relationship that has to be nurtured. It is the personal, eternal development of the pastor that creates what Stephen M. R. Covey calls “the speed of trust” which is not only demonstrated in the life of the church, but also in one’s relationship with God.

As a pastor works on the inner life, s/he will come to the conclusion that s/he is not called to be a CEO, school administrator, economic developer, community organizer, political “king-maker,” or celebrity preacher. The pastor is to be with the people of God as a spiritual pace setter, guide, teacher, and undershepherd who is ultimately accountable to the Chief Shepherd. When this happens, it greatly diminishes the demonic use of our natural inclinations and personal vices against us; thereby, empowering the pastor to be “more than a conqueror” through the Risen Christ.

Russ Parr’s ‘The Undershepherd’: