On Being Pastored Intellectually

Alongside the important place of training, encouragement, and counsel or advice, is there also a need, not only for pastors but for all thoughtful Christians, for being pastored intellectually and theologically?

Much is said in our day of the great need for church planting and for evangelism, and rightly so. We do need more faithful churches throughout the world, near and far. Understandably, this need ordinarily receives a good bit of attention in ministerial training contexts, as do missions, church or congregational principles of ministry and problem solving, preaching, and the like. Seldom do we hear, however, of the need for pastors, and all thoughtful Christians, to be pastored alongside or beyond their training in an intellectual and theological way. 

We might put the matter differently. Seminaries and divinity schools are often maligned, though usually in at least partial jest, for not teaching about everything a minister faces in the ministry. Of course, seminaries can’t do so, and in fact shouldn’t aim to do so. But if we do justice to the properly theological nature of the ministry of Word and sacrament, and of the nature of many, if not all, of the challenges and questions pastors and Christians do face throughout their service to Christ, we will recognize the need for ongoing edification and instruction regarding the Scriptures and important questions in theology. At Greystone, this is easily the most frequent need we hear expressed and the most frequent reason people appreciate our efforts, thanks be to God. One facet of our need to be pastored intellectually is the fact that so much on offer to Christians retraces very familiar and well-covered ground, and one could easily get the impression from publication lists that we are in the same place in theological and biblical understanding that we were one or two or even three generations ago, but we are not. Much important work has been done since then, much continues to be done, and engaging this work can be invigorating and deeply edifying, not only for ministerial purposes narrowly but for us all as Christians who seek to know our Lord better. Being pastored intellectually, and not only emotionally or—to use an oft misused word—practically, is very important to spiritual well being and fruitfulness.

The term we’ve been using, “being pastored intellectually or theologically” is an expression that arose in a recent conversation with two ministers in Reformed churches, Pastor Nick Smith of the United Reformed Church, who serves in Idaho, and Pastor Daniel Doleys of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who ministers in Ohio. Nick and Daniel were here on site at Greystone recently for the last section of our Order of Reality full course module, and wanted to talk together about why this dimension of pastoral formation and fellowship is so important to their work and their lives as ministers. That conversation is today’s episode of Greystone Conversations. 

One more thing before we turn to today’s episode. With today’s conversation Greystone launches a major fundraising appeal, something we try to do as infrequently as possible, and have not done for some years. What we think you’ll hear from Nick and Daniel is that what Greystone is doing is not only important but urgently needed. Many others say the same, and we are delighted to see how the Lord has blessed our work with such enthusiasm and effect. But now we must turn to you and earnestly ask if you might consider supporting our work. If you detect a sense of urgency here, you are correct. We have needs, as well as opportunities, before us right now, and there is simply no way Greystone can continue to do our work and serve our growing network of friends without support. We’ve done much with very little by God’s grace. By that same grace we pray he will lead you to begin to support this work as our needs have caught up to us. Please pause this episode even now and pray that the Lord&