Holier than thou?
Pastors are no holier than their laypeople. Because pastors are in places of authority by God’s grace and calling, some have taken it as their identity, assuming superiority above their church members. Some have become puffed up with conceit in their dismissal of correction and conversation. Some have forgotten that all believers are one and indwelled by the same Holy Spirit. Some have gone even further and elevated themselves with the title “Pastor.” Pride deceives us, saying that we are something more when we are not. When a pastor allows pride to consume them, they will later realize that their pride kills opportunity, leadership, and relationship.
Pastors are not perfect and we should not hold them to an impossible standard of perfection. However, that should not be an excuse for them (and myself, as an aspiring pastor) to not continue growing in Christlike humility—to be more like Jesus. Here are 3 sayings of a prideful pastor, with signs and remedies.
1. “If you don’t agree with my teaching, you don’t agree with God.”
Sermon preparation is hard and time-consuming. For most, it takes a whopping 15-20 hours just to faithfully prepare a 30-minute sermon. But when a preached sermon is butchered, a lack of faithful and diligent preparation (e.g., examining the Word, interpretation, reliance on the Spirit, etc.) is almost always the main reason. This often stems from a sense of utmost self-confidence, leading to carelessness towards God’s Word.
There is a lack of preparation for sermons. As God’s servant, a pastor should present themself “to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). The remedy for such lack of preparation is to make time to faithfully prepare sound messages for the sake of winning souls for Christ, whether in season or out of season (2 Tim 4:2; Titus 2:1).
When there is a lack of preparation for sermons, pastors are prone to preach questionably unbiblical sermons (e.g., Moralistic Therapeutic Deism). If the Bereans tested Paul’s teaching by carefully examining the Word (Acts 17:11), believers today should do the same with their pastors. In the case that questionable teaching is given, congregation members may pull the pastor aside to discuss the preached message, and correct the pastor with truth and love (Gal 6:1-2).
However, when the pastor is consumed with pride, there is often a rejection of accountability and correction. The pastor assumes he is in the right and others are in the wrong. The pastor believes he and his preparation are sufficient and need no sharpening. The remedy for rejecting accountability and correction is quite simple: accept correction from other believers and hold fast to sound teaching (Prov 19:20; Prov 27:17; 2 Tim 1:13).
But what if it’s a different scenario? What if the pastor preaches a biblically sound message and others disagree with him? In most cases, the prideful pastor tends to be dismissive of conversations with those who seek further understanding. The prideful pastor responds with words that destroy rather than words that edify. The remedy for such dismissiveness is to listen intentionally to the concerns of the people, walk through God’s word together, and build them up by speaking words that are seasoned with grace (Jas 1:19-20; Eph 4:29; Col 4:6).
2. “My way is the highway.”
Pastors attend meetings all the time. Such meetings discuss church events, church decisions, etc. Sometimes pastors will encounter clashing opinions when they discuss church decisions with their leaders. The pastor listens to different perspectives and opinions but does not necessarily hear what is being proposed. The pastor already formulates what he is going to say in response rather than hearing the perspectives and opinions of others first. He shuts down proposals, perspectives, and opinions in favor of his very own because he thinks that he is “biblically” correct (which may not be the case).
There is a self-centered ambition. The pastor wants but does not have, so he fights for it until everyone is silenced (Jas 4:1-3). He assumes power and authority even above other pastors and elders since he is the pastor. He assumes his perspectives and opinions are higher than those of others because he was the one who had formal Bible training in seminary. His pride blinds him from seeing different perspectives. The remedy for this self-centered ambition is to seek God’s glory to preserve unity by considering the values and needs of others above one’s own (Eph 4:3; Col 3:17; Phil 2:3-4).
Although pastors serve as shepherds in the local church, they are still sheep under the True Shepherd, Jesus. As sheep, pastors are prone to wander sometimes and can still be blinded by pride. Sometimes the pastor assumes that his way is the highway because he has lost sight of the value of what other believers have to say. That is, sometimes the pastor forgets that other people can also be led by the Spirit to give valuable input.
There is a forgetfulness that other believers also have the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9; 14). Although pastors have a ministry degree that no one else in their leadership has, every single leader serving alongside him has the Holy Spirit. The remedy for this forgetfulness is to remember that not only the pastor can be led by the Spirit to make decisions for the church but also others (Acts 11:12; 15:28).
3. “My name is Pastor ____.”
I’ve saved this one for last because it is not as obvious compared to the previous ones; it is very subtle. The way pastors greet and introduce themselves to others apart from their local churches often shows where their identity lies. I’ve met men who’ve traveled across states—not for any ministerial purposes—and still introduced themselves with the title “Pastor” in front of their names. On the other hand, I’ve also met men who’ve traveled for ministry yet introduced themselves without the title “Pastor” in their name. Here is some food for thought: Are we, pastors and myself, merely pastors or do we serve as pastors? There’s a big difference.
For the prideful pastor, there is a desire to be called Pastor by anyone virtually anywhere. Jesus states, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matt 23:8-12; emphasis added).
Jesus was not literally forbidding the use of the words father, rabbi, or instructor but rather had warned His disciples against the practice of taking titles as a means of elevating oneself above others, as this was what the scribes and Pharisees had done. The scribes and Pharisees were driven by their pride, seeking status and respect from everyone above the glory of God. They coveted the title that came with their position and desired to be called “rabbi” by all. This (not so) subtle gesture indicates scorn, causing others to feel incapable and of lesser righteousness.
The Lord is scornful towards the scorners but gives grace to the humble (Prov 3:34). Let us not be scorners but humble. Jesus extends His grace to us. He does so even in His warning to not seek the high places in his saying, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” Therefore, the remedy for the desire to be called Pastor is to be servant-hearted and carry no such title as your identity (Matt 23:11).
Strive for Christlike Humility
Pride is a killer. Crucify it before it crucifies you. Let us exemplify the Christlike humility that Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:5-7: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
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