The young mom is alone with her infant, covered in sweat, urine, and drool. Life feels unremarkable and repetitive. Another load of laundry waits impatiently. The dishwasher begs to be unloaded. Another diaper cries to be changed. The early years of parenting can feel like emptying a bathtub with a teaspoon: it takes far too long and goes much too slow.

The caretaker of an aging parent is weary and spent. Did she eat yet? Did he take his medicine? Can we afford transitional care? Who will fill the gap if we want to get away? There are no cheering crowds on this arduous road. The labor of love is slow plodding, but still physically and mentally exhausting.

The midlife man labors on with no end in sight. He doesn’t love his job, but it pays the bills and puts food on the table. His aches and pains grow, along with his waistline, a little more each year. He toils away to support those he loves, but he wonders if this is it. Why does life feel so insignificant?

The twentysomething graduates with a crisp degree in hand. Yet employers are unimpressed, and jobs are elusive and underpaid. She punches the clock at a local coffee shop, waiting for HR departments to return her calls. Post-graduation, she didn’t anticipate making hazelnut oat-milk lattes all day. What’s next?

Is God working amid the mundane moments of life?

Seasons of routine, monotony, and uncertainty can cause us to question. Is this what I’m called to? Should I be doing something else or continuing down this familiar path? Sometimes, God uses our restlessness to awaken us. We should be doing something different. God is moving us on and using this uncertainty to get us to where we need to be. But in other cases, wisdom dictates that we stay and plod away. Yet we might still wonder, Is God working?

We know the right answer is yes, but what if we can’t see or feel God’s presence? Where can we find some assurance that God is working amid the mundane moments of our lives?

Patience in Plodding

First, the Bible reminds us to be patient in our plodding. Jesus teaches his disciples that the Christian life is like farming. The seeds of God’s word, when planted in good soil, “bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). It takes years to reach maturity. Roots need time to grow deep. Trunks need time to thicken. Branches need time to strengthen enough to sustain the weight of fruit.

“Christ is at work not only in the high points of life — when we scale the Alps — but also in the valleys and plains.”

Almost anything worthwhile takes time. Thousands of expressions of love and loyalty cultivate a beautiful marriage. Raising children into God-fearing men and women takes blood, sweat, and tears over many years. Building a godly congregation calls for decades of faithful plodding and preaching. Transforming a community, city, or nation doesn’t happen overnight. God generally does not rush his work of sanctification. He slowly but surely works to conform us to the image of his Son.

Lord of the Lowlands

Second, the apostle Paul’s letters reveal God at work in ordinary people doing unremarkable things to accomplish his divine purposes.

At the end of Colossians, Paul mentions Tychicus and Onesimus, couriers who likely delivered the letters to the saints at Colossae and Ephesus as well as to Philemon (Colossians 4:7–9; Ephesians 6:21). They are beloved brothers and faithful ministers, postal carriers doing gospel ministry. Because they faithfully carried out their task, these letters continue to ring out today.

Christ’s kingdom advances through the labors of apostles, yes, but also through ordinary, faithful saints. Some are singled out in Paul’s letters, but most remain unnamed. They are the nobodies of church history, yet their labors will echo through eternity. Christ is at work not only in the high points of life — when we scale the Alps — but also in the valleys and plains. He is Lord when we traverse the lowlands and even when we are mired in the pit. He is at work in the crevices of life.

Tychicus could have gotten cold and used one of the parchments as firewood. He and Onesimus could have abandoned the mission when a more lucrative opportunity presented itself. Yet they faithfully carried out their mission. God works through the small obedience of letter couriers and co-laborers to build his church.

Never a Dull Moment

Third, every stage, role, or season of life is an opportunity to glorify God. Earlier in Colossians, Paul addresses wives, husbands, children, fathers, bondservants, and masters (Colossians 3:18–4:1). He doesn’t assume that what we do at home, in marriage, at work, or out in the fields is unimportant. Wives are to submit to their husbands “as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18). Children are to obey their parents, “for this pleases the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). Bondservants are to obey in everything, “fearing the Lord” (Colossians 3:22). Such faithful obedience honors God.

The banner over this section is Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” We can honor Jesus Monday through Friday and on the weekend. We can do it when the tasks are mundane or monotonous. In one sense, there is never a dull moment. At any moment and in every task, we can act as unto the Lord! We can labor not to get money, respect, or the approval of others, but to please God.

C.S. Lewis famously writes that there are “no mere mortals.” Everyone has an everlasting soul. Similarly, there are no mundane moments. Our jobs, family time, house projects, and yard work is not inconsequential. We can eat, drink, and do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Christ is at work in the common things.

Christ in the Commonplace

God is always working — do we see it? He’s actively working in the crevices and commonness of life. Monotony is not contrary to faithful gospel labor. Rather, faithfulness is cultivated in the furnace of routine, where we learn discipline, develop steadfastness, cultivate patience, and foster eyes to see Christ at work.

While faithful plodding gets no fanfare, our labors in Christ will not be in vain. We honor Christ as we go about the millions of little moments in our lives: holding a baby, cooking a meal, leading our home, providing through work.

So, if life feels boring, the days feel long, the tasks feel mundane, and the plodding feels like it’s gone on long enough, take heart. God is transforming you — moment by moment, day by day, year by year — into the image of his Son. He is strengthening your faith muscles so that you might be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

How should fellow elders of the same church navigate dissent, discord, and differences? In the early church, an argument arose between Barnabas and Paul that created tension, strife, and controversy (Acts 15:39). Barnabas was eager to reintegrate John Mark as a traveling companion, yet Paul wanted to move on without him, judging him to be unreliable (Acts 15:38). This “sharp disagreement” resulted in one of the most prominent divisions in the life of the early church.

On our own elder teams, the number of issues we can disagree over is legion. Should we observe the Lord’s Supper every week or just once a month? Do we serve wine or grape juice or offer both? If Baptist, do we admit into membership those baptized as infants? Do we hold one Sunday worship service or go to multiple services (or even multiple campuses)? Should we use a team-preaching model or have one main preacher? What’s the ideal age to allow the baptism of believing children? Do we employ one musical style or have a traditional and contemporary service? How long should services run? Do we discipline this recalcitrant member? Do we send this dear family to serve overseas? And on and on.

When instincts differ among elders on the same team, what can we do? How can we preserve plurality, honor divergent views, and shepherd in harmony with fellow elders?

Foundations for Disagreement

We might start with some foundations that can keep disagreements from becoming destructive — and that can also prevent some disagreements altogether.

First, start by cultivating a spirit of genuine trust outside the moment of disagreement. Create space to get to know one another, to spend time together, to grow in gratitude for each other, and to laugh and play together. Learn about one another. Be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of fellow elders. Gain a deep appreciation of their spiritual gifts and what they contribute to the team. Then give each other permission to speak your minds without repercussion. Seek to cultivate healthy conflict by the kind of open disagreement that neither maligns another’s character nor calls into question his loyalty. Give each other the benefit of the doubt.

Second, develop a robust affirmation of faith for elder candidates. Don’t leave core doctrines up for grabs. Unity on the church’s central beliefs and theology is essential for an elder team’s health. The more robust a statement of faith, the more unity your elder team will have as a foundation beneath your disagreements. This unity will cultivate shared instincts on church life, shepherding, philosophy of ministry, and the mission of the church. If 97 percent of your doctrines, beliefs, and practices are settled, it’s much easier to wrestle together over the remaining 3 percent where differences emerge.

“Start by cultivating a culture of genuine trust outside the moment of disagreement.”

Third, seek to understand one another’s perspectives and experiences. An elder’s history, spouse, friends, background, and education shape his views. What shapes your concerns, conclusions, or inclinations? We all come with different presuppositions, experiences, and ideas. Get them on the table, and be aware of others’ typical blind spots as well as your own. A plurality of elders provides insight, accountability, and protection from going astray.

Moving Through Disagreement

Once the foundation is laid, how does an elder team go from disagreement to moving forward? Here are four questions to ask when wrestling with a particular issue.

1. What does the Bible say?

An elder team should be eager to study the Scriptures together to understand what the Bible says about this issue. This study may not solve our disagreement, but it’s the starting place to bring our ideas in conformity with God’s word. The God-breathed Scriptures are for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, equipping us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Read the relevant passages, wrestle with commentaries and church history, and consider your church’s historical position on this issue. Determine the possible ways forward in light of Scripture’s teaching. Fight to maintain fidelity to Scripture as a team.

2. How clear is this issue?

Often, controversial issues are evolving and unclear. Should we shut down the church in a global pandemic (especially when every major sports team is shuttering its operations until further notice)? Should we reopen against the government’s orders? Should we sue the government? Should we abide by the current regulations put in place?

The less clear the issue, the more grace and patience we should extend to fellow elders. Test everything and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). In addition to the biblical principles at work, we might consider whether we are being shaped by society, by fear, or by the desire to be winsome or respectable to secular powers. Are we seeking to serve our people and be faithful to our mission?

The clearer the issue, the more confidently we can move forward. The less clear, the more grace and patience we extend to one another.

3. How urgent is this issue?

If a certain issue has an immediate impact on our team, our church, or our people, we need to wrestle it to the ground sooner rather than later. But if this is a hypothetical or philosophical debate, it may be a low priority for the team. Understanding the level of urgency (or lack thereof) can act as a pressure-release valve.

“The less clear the issue, the more grace and patience we should extend to fellow elders.”

If it’s not urgent and doesn’t affect our people, we can safely postpone our discussion to a later date (and it may have resolved itself by then). In other cases, if it is urgent, the team needs to gather to pray, study, and ask our Lord how to best shepherd his flock in light of the latest developments. Be ready in season and out of season to wield the word for the good of God’s people (2 Timothy 4:1–2).

4. How does this issue impact our people?

This question is related to the previous one on urgency. If the issue has a significant impact on our people, then it needs to be addressed at some point. Yet if the issue is largely confined to the debate stage of social media, then it may have little relevance to the vast majority of our people. Public disputes will come and go, and not every controversy should be commented on by the elders. Keep your eyes on the main things. Remind your people that the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).

Where We Land

As disagreements arise, have a destination in mind. Anticipate where the conversations and study may go. Count the cost before you begin, and pray for God’s help as you progress toward an outcome. Here are a few possible landing spots for a team of elders as they wrestle an issue to the ground.

United

The best possibility, of course, is that the elders end in agreement. After a season of study, wrestling, discussion, and charitable engagement with different views, the team finds itself united with a common perspective. Praise the Lord! This is a good and gracious outcome as a result of trusting God, wrestling with his word, and engaging in the process.

Agree to Disagree

A second possibility is that the team agrees to disagree. We now understand the different views and perspectives. Everyone feels heard and understood. We have studied the biblical and practical rationale for each of the views. Each side has been treated fairly. Yet we remain unconvinced and need to agree to disagree. In most cases, disagreement doesn’t prevent continued partnership — only in rare cases will an elder need to resign as a matter of conscience. Usually, when godly men agree to disagree, both groups are glad to continue serving together in shepherding the flock of God.

Tabled for Later

A third possibility is that the team tables further discussion. Having only scratched the surface, the elders begin to see the difficulty of gaining shared understanding; the topic remains cloudy and unclear. The complexity of the issue may merit an extended season of study. If the issue is not urgent and affects the church only peripherally, table it for the future. Pick a book to read together over the next year or so. Consider inviting an expert in the field to present on the topic. Some questions just don’t need to be nailed down right away. As elders, continue to preach the word, shepherd the flock, and feed the sheep.

God’s Gift of Plurality

Throughout the whole process, seek to extend grace to the fellow elders that God has designed to lead his church. A plurality of elders is a precious gift of God. Where one elder might be quick, bold, or decisive, others balance him out with gentleness, discernment, thoughtfulness, and pastoral care. And where some elders may be eager to please with great compassion, their fellow elders can encourage them to not neglect biblical principles and to lead with candor and clarity.

Christ has given his church elders for its good. Elders model unity, healthy disagreement, and labor under the lordship of Jesus. Remember that your fellow elders are given to you and the church for its upbuilding. We need every member, including every elder. As 1 Corinthians 12:7 reminds us, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Don’t forget the wisdom and gifts your people can provide as well. In God’s infinite wisdom, he gave the church leaders, shepherds, and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the upbuilding of the church, Christ’s bride, so that we would be unified in faith and filled with the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–13).

Every believer desires spiritual intimacy with other believers. We may call it fellowship, community, or doing life together. God didn’t make us to be lone rangers. He saved us into the church. He called us out of the kingdom of darkness and into local expressions of the body of Christ.

And yet, spiritual community is still hard to come by. It doesn’t happen by accident. It comes as a gift from God, and he usually gives it as we intentionally cultivate Christian affection and mutual understanding. So, how might we begin cultivating this kind of life together?

One proven way to this kind of life together is that we pray together. What better way to be more united with fellow believers than to gather and bare our hearts before the throne of God together? What an opportunity and privilege! We get to go to him in prayer.

Shared Prayer Transforms Churches

Shared experiences — a concert, a vacation, an adventure — create a bond. Those memories often create deeper, more enduring affection. They can be a relational glue that holds people together. Dates and vacations with my wife have reinforced our marriage for times when life gets hard. These shared memories create tenderness, understanding, and love. In the church, similar kinds of shared life can lead to mutual appreciation, unity, and trust. I love my fellow elders more when we have endured trials together, fighting side by side in spiritual battle.

Gathered prayer can be that shared experience in a church. I’m not advocating for any particular program or event, but for prayer (formal and informal) to fill your church and bind you together. You might think of these prayer times as the furnace room of the church. Heat and warmth radiate out when God’s people gather together to pray. I’ve seen firsthand how this shared dependence on God transforms the ethos and culture of churches.

Each Sunday morning in our church, a small group gathers in the prayer room. Service will not start for another 45 minutes, but communion with the Lord has begun. We gather to call upon God to work for his glory and purposes. We sing together of his grace revealed in Christ. We lay hands on the preacher and ask for God’s word to run. We lift up our suffering saints, pleading that they would find comfort. We pray for our visitors and for our people, for our neighborhoods and for the nations. We cry out for mercy, and we confess our sins. It’s a holy moment. No fanfare, no fireworks, but again and again, we see God come, meet us, and answer our prayers.

These times of prayer together create Christlike affection for one another. What might happen if more churches devoted themselves to this kind of prayer?

Shared Prayer Unites Our Hearts

Praying together serves as connective tissue within the body. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12, envisions the church as a physical body. Every believer functions as a vital part or organ in this body. Each is unique, but all are united under Christ. To be healthy, then, requires diversity within that unity. Each different part must work together. Otherwise, the body becomes dysfunctional and ceases to work.

Paul writes, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Corinthians 12:21). The body cannot function as it ought without each part: hands, head, feet, ears, or eyes. Each part is indispensable. Yet how do we get diverse parts working together? How do we cultivate this unusual unity, like-mindedness, and cooperation? We pray together.

When we pray together, God unites our hearts with one another. In prayer, the motives and desires of my fellow brothers and sisters are on display. I gain insight into the deep wells of their faith. I see their heart of compassion. I hear their love for the lost. I discern their affection for Christ. I perceive their steadfast faith. We gain understanding of one another, and that understanding is critical for genuine, durable love.

Prayer also sets this unity in motion. The praises of my brother spur me on to love and good works. My sister’s petitions challenge and encourage me. Others’ prayers convict me of my own shortcomings. The confessions of some cause thanksgiving to well up in my heart. In short, I receive grace while listening to the prayers of others. The diverse prayers of the body reveal the glory of God and his works as a wondrous kaleidoscope. We see and hear so much more than we could have otherwise, and this inspires us to live more fully for Christ.

Shared Prayer Multiplies Joy

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together, comments on why a believer needs other believers. He says, “The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother’s is sure” (12). Have you had moments like that, when you need the stronger, fuller, more joyful heart of a friend? God very often brings the encouragement we need through someone else. We know the truth intellectually, but when we hear others believing it and rejoicing in it out loud, the truth can land with even greater power. Their joy often brings us joy.

This dynamic plays out, again and again, when we pray together. God calls a wandering heart back through the prayers of a fellow believer. When we lack the words to pray, we can still amen the prayers of someone else. When our compassion grows cold, we can join in on the heartfelt cries of a sister. Often, I find my heart warming next to the prayers of those around me. They spoke it, but my heart and spirit rise to agree. Drawing on an image from C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller writes,

By praying with friends, you will be able to hear and see facets of Jesus that you have not yet perceived. . . . Knowing the Lord is communal and cumulative, we must pray and praise together. That way “the more we share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall all have.” (Prayer, 119)

We hear and see more of Christ through fellow believers, especially through their prayers. Praying with others is a gift God gives us for the benefit of our faith. It enlivens our minds, strengthens our hearts, and empowers our hands.

No Christian runs well alone. No believer stands alone. No child of God fights alone and lives. So, devote yourselves to prayer. Get on your knees together, and pursue a supernatural unity and like-mindedness. Let Jesus knit your heart together with others through adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Praying together fans the flames of joy. So, what might God do in your church if you committed to praying more together?

He lies motionless in the living room, his body gaunt and his breathing labored. His wife of over three decades stands close by. These are sober and holy moments.

I visited him at the care facility a week earlier. A month before that, we talked at the hospital. There he gushed over his wife and how she loved him. When I walked in, he was sharing the gospel with the interfaith chaplain. But now this dear saint is unconscious, days before his death. The psalm I read may be the last words he hears before he is face to face with the incarnate Word. The hymn we sing may be the soundtrack that ushers him into heaven. I cherish this moment.

I’m reminded of a quote from Richard Baxter: “I preached, as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men!” (The Poetical Fragments of Richard Baxter, 35). Our lives, and the lives of those we minister to, will come to an end. We serve and labor to prepare our people to meet Jesus. This is our primary task. All pastoral ministry labors in light of the end.

Imminent End

We all will die. We all will stand before Jesus. The apostle John describes the great white throne of judgment, where all the books are opened (Revelation 20:11–15). All will be judged for what they have done. No one will escape accountability. The apostle Peter charges the church, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7). In other words, live wisely in light of the end. Moses, likewise, prays for insight as he draws near to imminent death: “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

“We serve and labor to prepare our people to meet Jesus. This is our primary task.”

We are dying, and so are our people. God has numbered our days. We are not guaranteed sixty, seventy, or eighty years of life. Eternity informs our labors in the present. We serve as men aware of judgment day, ready to stand before Jesus. We are dying ministers who minister to dying people.

The inescapable end keeps us sober — or it should. God will pronounce our labors as straw or gold (1 Corinthians 3:12). Will earthly ministry result in shame or commendation? Leaders watch over souls as those who will have to give an account to God (Hebrews 13:17). These are hard words with profound implications. Who is sufficient for such a task? The stakes could not be greater, nor the difficulty of the task more pronounced.

Within this sobering reality are embedded two beautiful and complementary truths: Jesus will judge, and God gives grace.

Jesus Will Judge

The chief Shepherd will judge his under-shepherds. The sheep don’t give out the grades. Judgment will not be on a sliding scale. Self-assessments will be irrelevant. Christ himself will judge according to his infinite wisdom.

While every shepherd longs for commendation — “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) — the reality is that not all will receive such words. We are all independent contractors that build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). Did we cut corners? Did we use quality materials? The final judgment will lay bare the quality of the work. In fact, one can labor, have their work burn up in the judgment, and yet still be saved by God’s grace. One can labor and yet still miss the mark.

Deceived, slothful, wicked, and unfaithful servants will perish. Jesus will render judgment and lay everything bare. James instructs us, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). The standard for those entrusted with teaching Christ’s church is great. One can labor and still miss the mark. Eldership is a dangerous calling.

God Gives Grace

But that is not all. Eldership is likewise a sublime privilege. Peter promises elders that “when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). A great reward awaits those who labor in the Lord. God uses weak and frail vessels for his glorious purposes. Our clay-jar appearance is designed to display God’s surpassing power (2 Corinthians 4:7). How then can church leaders not be paralyzed by the task but enter into it with clearheaded confidence in Christ?

We strive to minister with a clear conscience and clean hands. The apostle Paul writes to the Ephesian elders, “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house” (Acts 20:20). He goes on to say, “I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26–27). Paul is innocent because he taught the whole counsel of God. He didn’t hold back or hide any aspect of God’s word. He taught them everything he knew. He did not intentionally avoid or distort anything that was profitable for the Ephesians’ faith.

“Strive to never mislead your people. Make every effort to never distort, undermine, or contradict God’s word.”

Pastor-elders, strive to never mislead your people, making every effort to not distort, undermine, or contradict God’s word. If a pastor flies the rainbow flag of the sexual revolution over his church in the name of so-called love, he condemns himself and his parishioners. Faithful pastors submit to God’s word and herald it boldly. And they don’t pit the Jesus-breathed red letters against the God-breathed whole (2 Timothy 3:16). They don’t pervert biblical justice or condone immorality. Brothers, labor to teach God’s word to God’s people for the good of God’s church.

And as you labor to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), serve as an example to the flock. Shepherd willingly and with joy, not in a domineering way and not under compulsion (1 Peter 5:2–3). God’s grace enables ministry marked by grace. Serve his bride with “the strength that God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11). We can’t be perfect, but we can be faithful. “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Enter into the Joy

Fellow pastor, ask yourself: Am I helping my people get ready to stand before Jesus? When I stand before Jesus, are my hands and conscience clean? Was I faithful? Did I contend for the faith? Did I struggle in God’s strength and by his grace for the good of his people? Did I promote godliness and love? Did I help my people live faithfully, stand firm, suffer steadfastly, and die well?

By God’s grace, those who have been faithful over little will be entrusted with much, and hear the sweet words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

If I let my 5-year-old have a can of Coke, a bag of Skittles, and half a dozen Oreos right before bed, I shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t listen when I say it is time to sleep. Yes, my child would still be responsible for his willful disobedience, but I have set him up for failure. Through my permissiveness of sugary junk food before bed, I have failed him. My leadership and oversight can set my children up for success or failure. The patterns, rhythms, and habits that a mom and dad establish for their family will shape the behavior of their children.

This is also true in ministry. Consider Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

The basic idea of this verse is that believers ought to obey and submit to their leaders — that is, the pastors and elders of their local church — who are tasked with caring for their souls. It is more beneficial for believers to make this a joy-filled job since they will be on the receiving end of their pastors’ care. You don’t want to antagonize the surgeon moments before he cuts open your heart for your quadruple-bypass surgery. A church’s willingness to obey and submit affects the joy and the care they receive from their leaders.

But the reverse is true as well. Leaders can lead in a way that makes obedience and submission easy and happy, or difficult and frustrating. Shepherds shape the habits of the sheep. Patterns of leadership affect those on the receiving end, for good or for ill.

Wanted: Eager and Happy Pastors

A foundational text for leaders is 2 Corinthians 1:24: “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” Christian leadership ought not to feel like oppression or the rule of a dictator. Instead, pastor-elders labor for the joy of those they serve. The apostle Peter writes that the task of shepherding and oversight is to be done willingly, eagerly, and by setting an example for others (1 Peter 5:1–4). Begrudging shepherding doesn’t serve the shepherd or the sheep. But joy-filled and eager shepherding results in the joy of those on the receiving end of such care.

“Jesus, full of joy, takes joy in loving his people and desires his joy to fill his people.”

Jesus is a happy-hearted shepherd of his sheep. He says in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Jesus, full of joy, takes joy in loving his people and desires his joy to fill his people. Similarly, Jesus says, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).

Hebrews 12:1–2 gives us another look at Jesus’s own joy: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus looked for joy, even through the shame of the cross, knowing his death would save sinners, grant forgiveness, and satisfy God’s wrath. Jesus is a joy-filled shepherd of the sheep, and his undershepherds are to be like him.

So how does a pastor consistently reflect the happy heart of Jesus? Let me share three reflections by applying Hebrews 13:17 to the pastor.

1. Lead wisely to maximize joy.

Good leaders make following easy, and bad leaders make following miserable. Wise and godly leadership, for a godly and humble people, makes everyone more happy. Like a dad who serves as an engine of joy in his home, good leaders ignite and maximize joy in others. And when those in your charge are happy, your labor is joy-filled and not carried out in groaning.

Wise and godly leadership engenders trust — and one of the best ways to engender trust is to lead with consistency. If a mom and dad are arbitrary in their rules, always changing the target and never following their own standards, children will fail to obey. Similarly with churches, disobedience often stems from inconsistent leadership.

Thus, let your yes be yes and your no be no (James 5:12). Do not appease or placate with lies or half-truths. Renounce all the disgraceful and underhanded ways of the world (2 Corinthians 4:2). Be tenaciously true to your word. Be candid and gentle, corrective and encouraging. Never excuse misbehavior, in yourself or in others.

Godly leadership has a profound effect upon those under them: “When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth” (2 Samuel 23:3–4). Wise leadership maximizes the joy of God’s people and the joy of the shepherd.

2. Serve humbly to multiply joy.

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4), he wrote as one who had modeled selflessness and sacrifice as he put the Philippians’ interests above his own (Philippians 1:24–26). Paul even goes on to exhort the Philippians to imitate his example of humility and faithfulness (Philippians 3:17).

In a family, a dad who barks at his children to help mom in the kitchen when he’s fixated on college football is communicating something. He’s leading by example: “Do as I say, not as I do.” This father undermines the trust of his children and wife. He works against the very thing he wants — family joy — through his poor example.

Contrast this with humble service that multiplies joy in others. The Queen of Sheba comes to Solomon’s kingdom and exclaims,

The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:6–8)

At least early in his reign, Solomon multiplied joy into the lives of his men, servants, and kingdom through his rule. This godly leadership glorifies God. Joy multiplies under good and humble leadership.

One might object, “I’m not as wise as King Solomon!” True. But Solomon humbled himself before God to ask for God’s help (1 Kings 3:7–9). He says that he is like a little child trying to shepherd God’s great people. Though we are not as wise as Solomon, we can humble ourselves to ask God for help, knowing that God “gives [wisdom] generously to all without reproach” (James 1:5).

3. Shepherd faithfully for enduring joy.

Lastly, Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that undershepherds “will have to give an account” to God for how they led their people. This will be the most sober job-performance review. We will be judged for our teaching (Acts 20:27; 1 Timothy 2:15; James 3:1), our example (1 Timothy 4:12), our continued progress and growth (1 Timothy 4:15), and our bearing the fruit of the Spirit (1 Timothy 6:11).

“Dutiful, dour, and begrudging shepherding serves no one — not the sheep and not the shepherd.”

Though we are not perfect shepherds, we can, by God’s grace, be faithful shepherds. Elders are to carry out the high and holy calling of shepherding God’s people without shame. So, pastor, shepherd with earnestness, eagerness, and honesty. Do not shrink back. Do not fail to rebuke, admonish, and correct with gentleness. Do not withhold the whole counsel of God. Do not fail to build up, equip, and encourage.

This faithful shepherding results in enduring happiness for both the shepherd and the sheep. Those who are increasingly conformed to the image of Christ will invariably grow in joy. And shepherds who labor for the joy of others will share in that multiplied joy. Knowing that shepherds will have to give an account to God frees them from the fear of man. Joy is not bound up in accolades, hindered by criticism, or decided by physical circumstances. Instead, like Paul, we can rejoice as long as Christ is proclaimed, people are saved, and the church is conformed to the likeness of Jesus.

Thus, Paul reminds us again in 2 Corinthians 1:24 that we labor and work with others, as he did, for their joy. And as their joy grows, so does our own. And as our joy grows, we shepherd in the joy of the Lord. Dutiful, dour, and begrudging shepherding satisfies no one — not the sheep and not the shepherd. Therefore, strive to be a happy-hearted shepherd of the people of God, multiplying the joy of others in Jesus.

“Your church lacks community.”

“You botched caring for me during my husband’s affair.”

“You are not a warm church.”

“Too much red tape at the church.”

“The church is too big.”

“Your scripted prayers seem silly.”

Ouch, I thought when reading these words. These were comments directed at our church, our people, and our leadership. Each critique stung like a handful of gravel hitting my face. As anyone in leadership knows, criticism stings. Though we asked for this feedback from departing members, criticism is never pleasant when it comes.

As biting as such disapproval can be, however, it’s still better than open hostilities and quarreling. Disagreement, misunderstandings, frustration, and disunity can tear at the seams of Christ’s church. Conflict leads to hurt feelings, judged motives, and flared tempers. Church members might take sides. Gossip and whispers spread like wildfire, and soon the forest is raging. If criticism is like a sprained ankle, conflict is the fracture.

Conflict Goes Way Back

Conflict and criticism in the church are inevitable at times. Life is messy, full of bumps and bruises. The church is a gathering of sinners who unfortunately still sin. Misunderstandings happen. Sharp words cut and attack, impossible to reel back in. Criticism can lead to conflict and conflict to criticism, running on a dreadful treadmill of hurt and pain. The last several years brought about increased friction in many churches, but conflict is not new. Disunity that divides churches has been around since the beginning.

In Philippians, Paul entreats two beloved co-laborers of the gospel — Euodia and Syntyche — to “agree in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). These two women have labored side by side with Paul, and their names are written in the book of life (Philippians 4:3). They are genuine followers of Christ who were “together for the gospel” but are now divided by some sharp disagreement that has become known to the entire church. Church conflict is as old as the church.

Addressing conflict is not easy work. It’s like plunging the toilet: messy, unpleasant, but necessary. Ignoring conflict only exacerbates it, like closing the basement door as the black mold creeps up the walls. It’s not going to go away by itself, and the results will be catastrophic.

Three Ways to Lead in Conflict

How, then, can pastors and elders move toward the fray rather than retreat? Like courageous first responders who run toward chaos, how can pastors be ready to engage conflict with courage, conviction, humility, and gentleness?

It’s no easy task. Some can be paralyzed by fear of man and fear of failure. Still others are much too eager to jump into battle. Like prizefighters eager to find sparring partners, such pastors are unfit to engage. Consider Paul’s wise words to the young Timothy:

The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24–26)

“Pastors cannot run from conflict, nor can they be too eager to fight.”

We see the difficulty of the task. Pastors cannot run from conflict, nor can they be too eager to fight. Kindness, patience, and gentleness must accompany the willingness to engage, exhort, admonish, and rebuke. How does one thread the needle? What truths help Christian pastors and leaders engage in conflict willingly, without relishing the next quarrel? Consider three foundational beliefs for those who seek to serve in conflict.

1. Humbly remember this is God’s church.

First, remember that the church is not yours. Moses models this humble attitude. After the exodus, God’s anger is stirred up against Israel’s idolatrous worship of the golden calf. What does Moses do? He intercedes by reminding God “that this nation is your people” (Exodus 33:13). Moses makes clear that Israel isn’t his people, but God’s. He models humble dependence upon God to work among his people for their good.

The parallel for pastors is this: humbly remember that the church is Christ’s church. When conflict comes, spiritual leaders are wise to resist the urge to fix things in their own strength and wisdom. Jesus is sanctifying his church. He is eager to give his help, his wisdom, and his grace for the good of his church. Pastors are also wise to remember they, and their churches, are being sanctified. Lessons remain to be learned; grace remains to be given; more wisdom is yet to be bestowed. God works in and through conflict for the good of his people. Remember, Jesus is the master carpenter, crafting his ultimate creation, the glorious church of God.

Pastors, pray like King Solomon as he faced the daunting task of leading God’s people:

Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. . . . Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? (1 Kings 3:7, 9)

Humbly pray for discernment to lead the great people of God. Ask for wisdom from the God who gives generously and lavishly, for the benefit of his church (James 1:5).

2. Humbly remember Christ’s example.

Second, emulate Christ’s example of selflessness and sacrifice. Pastors are undershepherds who take cues from the chief Shepherd himself. And Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. . . . He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7–8). All believers, and especially leaders, are called to imitate his humility, servanthood, and sacrifice.

“Nothing will undermine leadership more quickly than selfishness and a lack of humility.”

Selfish ambition, conceit, envy, and rivalry have no place in the church, much less among the church’s leaders. Some of the strongest condemnations in Scripture are against the self-serving shepherds of Ezekiel 34. God’s people were scattered, devoured, and preyed upon by Israel’s shepherds. Nothing will undermine leadership more quickly than selfishness and a lack of humility. God’s servants must indeed be servants, humbly obeying the master. Pastors are to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). We pastors serve at the pleasure of the King. We are under authority. When armed with the mind of Christ, pastors are able to maintain the unity of the Spirit, outdo one another in honor, and “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

As pastors, we put aside personal preferences and opinions, and seek to serve as Christ would have us, exhibiting his selflessness and patience. We eagerly and humbly embrace the role of servant as undershepherds of Christ.

3. Humbly speak the truth in love.

Finally, speak the truth in love. Godly pastors exhibit an unswerving commitment to truthfulness that is honed and shaped by a deep, abiding love for God’s people. They cultivate Paul-like love, yearning for their people with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8). Their words build up rather than tear down; their speech is loving. What they say, even while admonishing, is infused with gentleness and care. Their teaching has the essence of love coupled with the unflinching truth.

It’s here that many a pastor has gone astray. The temptation to appease, placate, and quell conflict and tension is great. Yet, undershepherds’ words are to be “gracious, seasoned with salt,” never lies or half-truths masquerading as graciousness (Colossians 4:6). Pastors are to “set the believers an example in speech” (1 Timothy 4:12). With Paul, pastors renounce all the disgraceful, underhanded ways of the world (2 Corinthians 4:2).

Candid speech sheds light, rather than obscuring. So, pastors stubbornly let their yes be yes and their no be no (James 5:12). We seek to be tenaciously true to our words. We labor not to undermine the trust we have been given by God to be heralds of the great truth of the gospel. We resist any temptation to mollify critics by modifying the truth. Instead, we refuse to tamper with the truth, but proclaim the truth in love so that the church might grow up into Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

Hope in God Who Is Working

In the midst of choppy waters, remember God’s promise to his servants and to his people. God promises undershepherds a glorious reward: “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). Conflict and criticism will never be easy, but the pains and labors will be small compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

Similarly, God promises his people that he will complete the good work he has begun (Philippians 1:6). The church is being sanctified so that it will be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. Hold onto that promise as a raft of hope as you dive into the choppy waters for the good of Christ’s church.