The PastorTheologian

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The Pastor-Theologian

• Gregory C. Strand
• Director of Biblical Theology and Credentialing
• John Herman
• Executive Director of Pastoral Care Ministries
• EFCA 2009 Leadership Conference
• June 25, 2009

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• Faithful pastoral ministry consists of knowing
  the Word (the theologian) and applying that Word
  into the lives of Gods people (the pastor). 
  This is not an either/or, the pastor or the
  theologian, but a both/and, the
  pastor-theologian.  Paul exhorts Timothy to guard
  the deposit, the faith, and to watch his life and
  doctrine closely.  We want to look at what the
  Bible has to say about the pastor-theologian and
  what this means for pastoral ministry in the
  local church.  This would be especially helpful
  for those who are in the early stages of ministry
  as the foundation is now being laid for a
  life-long ministry, which we pray will be
  faithful and fruitful, by Gods grace and for
  Christs honor.

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I. Introduction
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II. False Antitheses
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• Pastor vs. theologian, pastoral theologian,
  theological pastor
• Scholar vs. pastor
• Head vs. heart
• Shepherd vs. leader (ceo)
• Church vs. academy

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• The term scholar tends to evoke images of someone
  mining data. The term theologian tends to evoke
  images of someone synthesizing the data. And even
  though all scholars should be theologians, and
  all theologians should be scholars, theres a
  tendency to focus on one or the other. It would
  seem to me, then, that pastors will tend to be
  more theologians than scholars. The very nature
  of our profession forces us to work toward
  constructing a cohesive world view. We dont have
  the luxury of simply mining the data of the
  various theological disciplines and then calling
  it a day.
• The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial
  Theology http//www.saet-online.org/pastor-theolo
  gian-or-pastor-scholar/12/

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• Here are important words from Benjamin B.
  Warfield that address the pastor-theologian very
  well. It comes from his address at Princeton
  Theological Seminary on October 4, 1911, The
  Religious Life of Theological Students Warfield
  speaks to the relationship between studying
  theology and maintaining personal spirituality,
  what he refers to as the religious life.
• Nothing could be more fatal, however, than to
  set these two things over against one another
  learning and godliness. Recruiting officers do
  not dispute whether it is better for soldiers to
  have a right leg or a left leg soldiers should
  have both legs. Sometimes we hear it said that
  ten minutes on your knees will give you a truer,
  deeper, more operative knowledge of God than ten
  hours over your books. What! is the appropriate
  response, than ten hours over your books, on
  your knees?

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• Why should you turn from God when you turn to
  your books, or feel that you must turn from your
  books in order to turn to God? If learning and
  devotion are as antagonistic as that, then the
  intellectual life is in itself accursed, and
  there can be no question of a religious life for
  a student, even of theology. The mere fact that
  he is a student inhibits religion for him. That I
  am asked to speak to you on the religious life of
  the student of theology proceeds on the
  recognition of the absurdity of such antitheses.
  You are students of theology and, just because
  you are students of theology, it is understood
  that you are religious menespecially religious
  men, to whom the cultivation of your religious
  life is a matter of the profoundest concernof
  such concern that you will wish above all things
  to be warned of the dangers that may assail your
  religious life, and be pointed to the means by
  which you may strengthen and enlarge it. In your
  case there can be no eitheror here either a
  student or a man of God. You must be both.

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• No mistake to set them apart could be more
  gross. Religion does not take a man away from
  his work it sends him to his work with an added
  quality of devotion.
• Now, as students of theology your vocation is to
  study theology and to study it diligently, in
  accordance with the apostolic injunction
  Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
  Lord. . . . If this work happens to be studying,
  then his religious life depends on nothing more
  fundamentally than studying . . . You cannot
  build up a religious life except you begin by
  performing faithfully your simple, daily duties.
  It is not the question whether you like these
  duties. You may think of your studies what you
  please. . . . But you must faithfully give
  yourselves to your studies, if you wish to be
  religious men. No religious character can be
  built up on the foundation of neglected duty.

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• There is certainly something wrong with the
  religious life of a theological student who does
  not study. But it does not quite follow that
  therefore everything is right with his religious
  life if he does study. It is possible to study
  event to study theology in an entirely secular
  spirit.
• Theology has as its unique end to make God
  known the student of theology is brought by his
  daily task into the presence of God, and is kept
  there. Can a religious man stand in the presence
  of God, and not worship? It is possible, I have
  said, to study theology in a purely secular
  spirit. But surely that is possible only for an
  irreligious man . . . Do you prosecute your daily
  tasks as students of theology as religious
  exercises? If you do not, look to yourselves
  it is surely not all right with the spiritual
  condition of that man who can busy himself daily
  with divine things with a cold and impassive
  heart. . . .

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• Make all your theological studies religious
  exercises. . . . Put your heart into your
  studies do not merely occupy your mind with
  them, but put your heart into them. They bring
  you daily and hourly into the very presence of
  God his ways, his dealings with men, the
  infinite majesty of his Being form their very
  subject-matter. Put the shoes off form your feet
  in this holy presence!

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III. Challenges
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• Professionalization of ministry
• Specialization in ministry

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IV. Return to Pastor-Theologian
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• Alister McGrath on the historic connection
  between theology and pastoral ministry, from his
  book Historical Theology
• It cannot be emphasized too strongly that
  Christianity does not occupy its present position
  as a global faith on account of university
  faculties of theology or departments of religion.
  There is a strongly pastoral dimension to
  Christianity, which is generally inadequately
  reflected in the academic discussion of theology.
  . .  This academic bias is, however, a recent
  development. Puritanism is an excellent instance
  of a movement which placed theological integrity
  alongside pastoral applicability, believing that
  each was incomplete without the other. The
  writings of individuals such as Richard Baxter
  and Jonathan Edwards are saturated with the
  belief that theology finds its true expression in
  pastoral care and the nurture of souls.

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• In Doug Sweeneys book on Jonathan Edwards, he
  concludes with 7 theses. His fifth is especially
  pertinent, namely, that "theology can and should
  be done primarily in the church, by pastors, for
  the sake of the people of God" (p. 199).
• In the early twenty-first century, when many
  pastors have abdicated their responsibilities as
  theologians, and many theologians do their work
  in a way that is lost on the people of God, we
  need to recover Edwards' model of Christian
  ministry. Most of the best theologians in the
  history of the church were parish pastors.
  Obviously, however, this is not the case today.
  Is it any wonder, then, that many struggle to
  think about their daily lives theologically, and
  often fail to understand the basics of the faith?
  

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• I want to be realistic here. A certain amount of
  specialization is inevitable in complex,
  market-driven economies. And the specialization
  of roles within God's kingdom can enhance our
  Christian ministries. But when our pastors spend
  the bulk of their time on organizational matters,
  and professors spend the bulk of their time on
  intramural academics, no one is left to do the
  crucial work of shaping God's people with the
  Word. Perhaps our pastors and professors,
  Christian activists and thinkers, need to
  collaborate more regularly in ministry. Perhaps
  the laity need to give their pastors time to
  think and write--for their local congregations
  and the larger kingdom of God.

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V. Theology - A Definition
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• In short, theology is a call to the church to
  return to God and make him the center of its
  priorities and life.
• John Hannah, The Place of Theology in the
  Postmodern World, Reformation and Revival
  Journal 11/1 (Winter 2002), 13.

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• The best way to define theology, in my view, is
  as the application of the whole Bible to the
  whole of human life. (p. 46)
• Doctrine and life are correlative each feeds
  the other. (p. 47)

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• So theology is not self-suficient. It depends
  on the maturity of your Christian life, as the
  maturity of your Christ life depends on theology.
  Growth in grace will make you a better
  theologian, and becoming a better theologian will
  help you grow in grace. There is a spiral
  relationship between the two. . . . If you want
  to become a better theologian, you must be a
  godly person. (pp. 48-49)
• John Frame, Studying Theology as a Servant of
  Christ, Reformation and Revival Journal 11/1
  (Winter 2002).

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• Theology exists in order to be applied to the
  day-to-day problems of the Christian church.
  Every doctrine has its application. All scripture
  is profitable and all the doctrine is profitable.
  Similarly all the application must be based on
  doctrine. In both the Philippians example-passage
  and the Corinthian example-passage, Paul is
  dealing with what are surely comparative trivia,
  the problem of vain glory in a Christian
  congregation and the problem of failure of
  Christian liberality. As a Pastor one meets with
  these difficulties daily. They are standing
  problems. Yet Paul, as he wrestles with both of
  them, has recourse to the most massive theology.
  Its not only that you have the emphasis on the
  unity between theology and practice but you have
  the emphasis on the applicability of the
  profoundest theology to the most mundane and most
  common-place problems.

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• Who would ever imagine that the response to the
  glory of the incarnation might be to give to the
  collection for the poor? Who might imagine that
  the application of the glories of New Testament
  Christology might be to stop our quarreling and
  our divisiveness in the Christian ekklesia? That
  is what Paul is doing here. He is telling them
  You have these practical problems the answer is
  theological remember your theology and place
  your behavior in the light of that theology.
  Place your little problems in the light of the
  most massive theology. We ourselves in our
  Christian callings are to be conscious of this.
  We must never leave our doctrine hanging in the
  air, nor hesitate to enforce the most elementary
  Christian obligations with the most sublime
  doctrines.
•  
• Donald MacLeod, The Humiliated and Exalted Lord
  A Study of Philippians 2 and Christology, ed. J.
  Ligon Duncan (North Carolina, 1993).

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9 Marks Ministries info_at_9marks.org June 2005
eNewsletter Volume 2, Issue 5What is the
Discipline of Biblical Theology? By Graeme
GoldsworthyMutual Interdependence of the
Theological Disciplines

• Text
• Exegesis
• Biblical Theology
• Systematic Theology
• Historical Theology
• Practical Theology
• Theological Presuppositions

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Mutual Interdependence of the Theological
Disciplines 
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Spiritual Theology, J. I. Packer

• Exegesis
• Biblical Theology
• Historical Theology
• Systematic Theology or Dogmatics
• These four are the foundation from which the
  others arise.

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• Ethics
• Spirituality
• Apologetics
• Missiology
• Liturgy/Worship
• Ministry

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Spiritual Formation, J. I. Packer

• Doxology
• Humility
• Intensity
• Solidarity

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VI. Biblical Charge
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• Peters Charge to Pastors
• 1 Peter 51-4

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• Theology/Doctrine was to be at the heart of the
  Pastors ministry. Consider the Pastorals
• 1 Timothy 13
• 1 Timothy 41
• 1 Timothy 46
• 1 Timothy 413
• 1 Timothy 416
• 1 Timothy 517

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• 2 Timothy 316
• 2 Timothy 41-4
• Titus 19
• Titus 21
• Titus 27

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VII. Historical Examples
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• Augustine
• Luther
• Calvin
• Zwingli
• Puritans
• Edwards
• Spurgeon
• Piper

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VIII. Guidance for the Pastor-Theologian
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• 1. The Pastor-Theologian and Priorities
• A Christian
• A husband
• A father
• A pastor

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• 2. The Pastor-Theologian and Family Worship

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A. Elements
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1. Bible (Instruction, Formative)

• Psalm 1199-11
• Deuteronomy 3245-47
• 2 Timothy 215
• 2 Timothy 316-17
• 2 Timothy 41-5

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2. Prayer

• Psalms
• Daniel 93-19
• Matthew 69-13
• Ephesians 115-23
• Ephesians 314-21
• Colossians 19-14
• 1 Peter 37

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3. Singing

• Psalm 951-7a
• Psalm 961-3
• Ephesians 515-20
• Colossians 315-17
• Hebrews 1315
• Revelation 59-14

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Supplemental Elements

• Catechize Creeds (Apostles, Nicene)
• Devotionals
• Biographies
• Other Books and writings

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B. Guidelines
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• Disciplined consistency
• Soft flexibility
• Suitable brevity
• Enthusiastic solemnity
• Appropriate questions/discussion
• Life application

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• 3. The Pastor-Theologian and the centrality of
  the Word and the preeminence of the gospel.

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• 4. The Pastor-Theologian and Suffering.
• Luther oratio, meditatio, tentatio (e.g., C. S.
  Lewis, A Grief Observed)
• Not understanding, reading, or speculation, but
  living, nay, rather, dying and being damned make
  a theologian.

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• 5. The Pastor-Theologian and Reading.

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• Michael Lawrence, 9 Ways to Continue Theological
  Development When Time is Tight
• http//blog.9marks.org/2008/10/9-ways-to-conti.htm
  l
• 1. Build it into the things youre already doing.
  (QT, sermon prep, discipling, etc.)
• 2. Stop wasting so much time on the internet.
  (pick just 2 or 3 blogs to read, and look at them
  once a week stop wasting time updating your
  Facebook, Linkedin, and MySpace pages, etc.)
• 3. Always have a book nearby. (capture the spare
  moments)
• 4. Build time for reading and reflection into
  your schedule. (youll be amazed how much time is
  freed up if you do 2! But beware, a pastors
  schedule abhors a vacuum, so if you dont block
  out the time, something else will fill it in.)
• 5. Have a plan. (if you aim at nothing youre
  sure to hit it.)

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• 6. Read primary sources, not commentary. (you
  dont have time to waste on the commentators.
  Read the Bible and the people who have written
  important theology. You can do it. You dont need
  a PhD to read Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Edwards,
  Grudem, Frame, etc)
• 7. Dont do it alone. (cultivate a theological
  conversation among your leaders. They will
  correct your idiosyncrasies and keep you
  accountable. It will also create a culture of
  theological seriousness in your church, which
  will benefit everyone.)
• 8. Let the Scriptures, not our culture, set the
  agenda. (Trying to keep up with our cultures
  agenda is a chasing after the wind. On the other
  hand, if the Scriptures set the agenda, youll be
  ready for anything the cultures blows at you.)

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• 9. Church History and Historical Theology are the
  pastors Cliff Notes to theology. (Other people,
  smarter than me, have already faced the stuff I
  face and have figured a lot of things out. I can
  stand on their shoulders and look like a genius!
  The cultural package may have changed, but
  theres nothing new under the sun.)

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IX. Concluding Challenge
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• Are you growing as a pastor/theologian?  Where
  are you weak?  Where do you need to grow?  What
  will you do or to what will you commit so that
  you do grow as a pastor/theologian?
• How are you guarding the sheep, the flock in
  which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers
  (Acts 2028)?
• Are you raising up other godly leaders who are
  rooted in the Word of God, focused on the person
  of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit,
  passionate about the glory of God, and true
  Churchmen?

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• What are other areas that must be addressed for
  the spiritual health and well-being of Gods
  people?
• What are the struggles/challenges you face in the
  ministry to which God has called you?
• How do you keep abreast of the pertinent issues
  that are undermining the truth or chipping away
  at the biblical foundation of the church?
• What is your plan for personal study and the
  building of leaders?

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• Ive been teaching for a lot of decades now, and
  if Ive learned anything, its that students
  dont learn everything I teach. What they tend
  to learn is what I am most excited about. So if
  the gospel and church planting and outreach and
  seeing men transferred out of the kingdom of
  darkness into the kingdom of Gods dear Son, and
  regeneration and the transformation of families
  and all the rest if this is not my passion, but
  is the assumption after which you focus on the
  transformation of society and culture, then you
  are in trouble.
• Carson on Culture, Interviewer Tony Payne, The
  eBriefing (November 2008), 32.

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X. Resources
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• Articles
•  Ascol, Thomas. The Pastor as Theologian, in
  The Founders Journal 43 (Winter 2001), 1-10, 28.
• Bray, Gerald. Rescuing Theology from the
  Theologians, in Themelios 24/2 (February 1999),
  48-57.
• Frame, John M. Studying Theology as a Servant of
  Christ, in Reformation and Revival Journal 11/1
  (Winter 2002), 45-69.
• Machen, J. Gresham. Christian Scholarship and
  the Building Up of the Church, in Selected
  Shorter Writings, ed. D. G. Hart. (Phillipsburg
  Presbyterian and Reformed, 2004), 153-160.
• Trueman, Carl. The Importance of Being Earnest
  Approaching Theological Study, in Themelios 26/1
  (2000), 34-47.  Reprinted in Philip Duce and
  Daniel Strange, ed. Keeping Your Balance
  Approaching Theological and Religious Studies
  (Leicester, England InterVarsity, 2000),
  219-238.
• Trueman, Carl. Theology and the Church Divorce
  or Remarriage? in Themelios 28/3 (Summer 2003),
  19-31.
• Warfield, Benjamin B. The Religious Life of
  Theological Students, in The Masters Seminary
  Journal 6/2 (Fall 1995), 181-195.
• Yarnell, Malcom B. III.  To the End of
  Glorifying Jesus The Scholars Calling to the
  Churches, in Faith Mission 19/1 (Fall 2001),
  25-32.

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• Books
• Ascol, Thomas K., ed. Dear Timothy Letters on
  Pastoral Ministry (Cape Coral, FL Founders
  Press, 2004).
• Bridges, Charles. The Christian Ministry.
  Edinburgh Banner of Truth, 1980. (reprint)
• Carson, D. A. and John D. Woodbridge. Letters
  Along the Way A Novel of the Christian Life.
  (Wheaton Crossway, 1993).
• Piper, John, Brothers We Are Not Professionals.
  Nashville B H, 2002.
• Spurgeon, Charles H. Lectures to My Students.
  Grand Rapids Zondervan, 1954. (reprint)
• Sweeney, Douglas A. Jonathan Edwards and the
  Ministry of the Word A Model of Faith and
  Thought (Downers Grove IVP Academic, 2009).
• Zachman, Randall C. John Calvin As Teacher,
  Pastor, and Theologian The Shape of His Writings
  and Thought (Grand Rapids Baker Academic, 2006).