Of Old Dogs and Pastors

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

You've heard that one, I'm sure. Let me add a new next line: but you can remind him of the old ones he should remember.

The pastoral ministry is a great gift God has given to His people to care for them. It is a gift of grace that He has placed a sinner like me into such a office. I am grateful for the wonderful seminary education I received, but in addition to that I learn more with each year that goes by what it means to be a pastor. Some of that learning is with experiences I have never had before and some of that learning is by being reminded of what I had learned, but had forgotten . . . or forgotten the importance of.

An interesting combination of learning and reminding is what prompted this post.

Paul tells Timothy: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim 4:2) I know that verse and often remind myself to be patient in my teaching. I have found that what is easy in that verse is to correct, rebuke, and encourage - what is often difficult is to do so with great patience and careful instruction. I know how long it takes me to understand things sometimes, and so I try to have great patience in my teaching, not expecting folks to understand something I teach the first time and ready to teach it again and again.

But interestingly, while I have applied this verse to teaching, I needed to be reminded again to apply it also to times of pastoral care - those times of visitation, listening, and caring one-on-one with folks who are hurting. The Word of God applied in those places also needs to be with great patience and careful instruction. For while I realized that a particular teaching might not be understood all at once and need repetition and patience, I did not realize the same could be true of the comfort of the Gospel - that this too might not be understood or accepted and need to be repeated and given over and over again. That, in fact, for some in certain situations, receiving this comfort is even harder and requires even more patience.

God used a parishioner of mine to help teach me this the past few days. I am grateful. It will make me a better pastor now and in the future. I also encourage you to read this paper which has many such good reminders and tidbits in dealing with hurting souls and the great patience and careful instruction that is often required.