10 Things I Wish That I Knew as a New Pastor

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Fresh out of seminary I was chomping at the bit; no more Greek flashcards or preparation for ordination exams. I was ready to be an ordained servant of God, trusting like William Carey, that “the future was as bright as the promises of God.” I was eager to marry and bury the saints, help win people to Christ and plant churches. 

And by-in-large that has generally been true. God has blessed the ministry of the word as I’ve witnessed kingdom growth. There are some older pastors that love to rant against youthful pastoral enthusiasm. This isn’t that kind of article. The last thing I want do is squash the dreams of young ministers. God is truly at work in the world and God truly wants to use you in that work! Be eager to get started. Pray big prayers and work hard. My prayer is that years from now you’ll look back with grateful wonder at all God has done. Yet, in hindsight, as I got started in ministry, there were a few areas where I was a bit underdeveloped. 

Here are 10 Things I Didn’t Know as a New Pastor—but I wish I did.

1. Pastors Need a Plurality of Elders

The ark of the New Testament is that God has entrusted the leadership of a local church to a collection of men, set apart and ordained to gospel ministry. The New Testaments speaks of elders (plural) and not of a single, lone ranger pastor leading a church. Paul says to “appoint elders in every town.” (Titus 1:5)

A plurality of elders was my conviction coming out of seminary, but now I actually see the wisdom of God in this conviction lived out in a local church. My fellow elders keep me accountable. They know me well and love me enough to ask hard questions. My fellow elders round out my leadership. Where I am weak they are strong. A church needs well-rounded leadership, which can never happen with only one elder. A plurality of leadership dilutes my power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I give thanks that I can’t call all the shots at my church. 

Most importantly, I need a band of brothers to jump in the trenches of ministry alongside of me. A plurality of elders provides that band.

2. One Day at a Time

I’ve heard this quote so many times now I’m not quite sure where it originated. “Most young pastors over-estimate what they can accomplish in one year, yet under-estimate what God can do in five.” When I was first getting started I had whole list of issues that needed to be fixed in the church, plus new ministries that needed to be launched. But the reality is a church doesn’t need that kind of rash implementation. Even more importantly, most young pastors aren’t mature enough to lead a church through quick change. As a new pastor, take time to learn the context of where you are serving. What’s the history? Why are things done the way they are done? What long-standing traditions do you need to be aware of?

Change can happen, but healthy change is typically slower. At the outset, just focus on being a faithful pastor. 

3. Preach Through Books of the Bible

If you want to get a quick rise out of your people then focus on the hot-button issues of culture. Congregants might get energized and praise you for your bravery. And perhaps you will even gain a name through social media. Do better. 

Your congregation does not need another cultural commentator; they need a pastor. As a pastor, commit to teaching the full council of God’s word. Therefore, preach through whole books of the Bible, not topics. When hot-button topics do arise as you are preaching through books, be brave and take the issues head on. But the wonderful thing about preaching through books of the Bible is that you will teach your people all that God wants to teach your people, not just what you want to teach them. 

In the same way that faddish diets are not sustainable for weight loss, the same logic applies to a church. Slow, faithful exposition of the entirety of God’s word is a good diet for a healthy congregation.  

4. Death, Even for Pastors, is Gut-Wrenchingly Hard

I whole-heartedly believe in the resurrection of the dead, and yet the enemy of death is yet to be completely destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). We still await that glorious day, meaning as a pastor you will be confronted with the enemy of death like never before. 

Pastors help people who are dying. 

I of course knew this, but I was not ready for it. There is no counseling class in seminary that can ever prepare you for entering the hospital room of a teenager on his deathbed dying from cancer. Or the reality of holding an infant child breathing her last because her organs never fully developed. To this day, stuck in my mind are few images of the saints departing from this present age for the glory of the next. I don’t think those images will ever leave me until I to make that passage into glory. 

Death is a terrible enemy. Pastors will see his terrible face often.

5. Pastors are Replaceable

Young pastor, yes you are gifted and called. Perhaps have even heard the compliments of how great your preaching is. Wonderful! Also, settle down. You are not nearly as wonderful as you think you are. Around the world today there are tens of thousands of pastors just like you. In the history of the Christian church, significantly more. 

And except for grateful local congregations, that vast majority of people don’t care about pastors. Here’s the truth; God will use you! But you are also not as big a deal as you might think. The chances that you are the next John Piper or Tim Keller are very small. And for both of these men they started at small, unremarkable churches. They never aimed initially for a platform. It came as a surprise.

You are only a little pebble in the grand scope of all that God is doing. Minister like John the Baptist. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

6. Spiritual Warfare is Real and is Often Targeted at Ministers

I have been surprised that in moments of great ministry encouragement…. a new church is being planted, young disciples are being raised up, a new ministry opportunity, etc…there is often discouragement… a season of depression and despondency, a member falls into grave sin, congregational strife, etc…

It has happened so often that my only explanation is spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-20). The evil one is so against the work of the church that moments of great gospel victory make him especially angry and therefore he will therefore, work overtime in those moments. 

7. In Times of Trouble, Congregants Look to Their Pastor to Lead

I remember the first time walking into the hospital room of a family going through a tragedy. Immediately all eyes turned to me. The nurses, doctors and family all were looking to me for direction. Whether you are ready or not, you are the one called by God to lead during times of tragedy. 

Young pastor, like Timothy, through the laying on of hands during ordination, you were given a Spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. In those moments, fan into flame that gift (2 Timothy 1:6-7). 

As you walk in the hospital room, remember, you are the man that God has called to minister in that moment. Believe that God is with you and act in confidence accordingly. 

8. Pastors Don’t Just Preach, Pastors Lead an Institution

Yes, of course the central job of a pastor is to minister by word and sacrament each Sunday morning. Never lose sight of that great task! But if the church budget is not balanced and the nursery is a disaster and church communication is sorely lacking, then not many people will be in church on Sunday morning to be ministered to by word and sacrament.

You are first and foremost a minister. But secondarily you are the leader of the institutional church. What this entails will vary depending on church size and dynamics, but at some level institutional leadership will always exist for a minister. Perhaps add a leadership book to your reading list as a way of helping you grow in this area. 

9. Some Issues are Solved Only by the Return of Christ

Out of all on this list, this is the one that I have needed to learn the most. Heaven is not now; we are still waiting. Meaning, there will always be something that isn’t right in the church. People will always doubt. Some marriages will never be reconciled. Really strong Christians that believe all the same things won’t see eye to eye on an issue. Though you pray as hard as you can, addictions will remain, infertility will be a struggle and everyone is headed towards death.

Pastors can’t fix everything. What we can do is help Christians wait upon the God who can.

The ultimate job of the pastor is to help pilgrims press on in this weary world as we await the world to come. There is a coming day when God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5), but that day is not now. For most of life there are no easy solutions, besides quietly waiting on the return of Christ.  

10. The Highs are Better Than Expected

Young pastor, you have the best job out there. You have been set apart by the church for gospel ministry. You have a front row to see all that God is doing in the world. God will use you to bring people to himself. We will see skeptics come to faith. We have the privilege of teaching the profession of faith class that helps young people learn the catechism and articulate their profession of faith. 

Sending out a group of eager Christians full of faith to plant a new church is wonderfully encouraging. Launching missionaries around the world; even better! There are always ways in which a pastor can be discouraged, but there are plenty more reasons to be encouraged. God is doing a wonderful work if you have eyes to see it.  

The glorious challenge of ministry

Pastoral ministry will be more challenging, tiring and complicated than you likely anticipate, yet also more life-giving, sanctifying and glorious than you likely could ever hope.  

Many young pastors were unaware of just how tough it can be. Pastors have lower pay with longer hours all while trying to live up to a congregation’s expectations. And these are the easy issues when compared to church discipline cases and tragedy. Pastoral ministry is a beast of a job. In your youth don’t think that the cross that you are about to pick up will be light. 

Yet, as I enter my third decade of ministry I can say with my whole-heart; there is nothing else I would rather do. Pastors are given the privilege of preaching the glory of Christ each Sunday which means pastors get to study the word of God professionally. Congregants would dream of this. Pastors administer the sacraments, officiate weddings and hold the hands of the dying as they prepare to cross the Jordan into the eternal promised land. For all the most important moments in life, a pastor is a welcomed guest. Pastors have a front row seat to God’s work in the world and often that work is through the means of a pastor. 

When I was younger I did not understand quite how hard pastoring could be. That’s true. But even more so, I had no idea how blessed I would be in the coming years. 

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