What is The Simplest Way The Church Can Understand and Encourage Their Pastor?

“Intentionality and realizing that your pastor is human is the best place to start. Yes, he’s been called by God, and he’s got responsibilities that many other people don’t, but he’s a human being. He’s probably got a family. And so he needs prayer. I was struck in preparing the book, thinking about how the Apostle Paul is someone we often put on a pedestal. We think of him as the closest thing to a super Christian.

And yet time and time again, in his letters, Paul says, please pray for me. We need to realize that the pastor is the leader. That means all the more we need to support him. We think that if we’re not causing him problems, then that’s enough, but actively praying for and encouraging him are basic things.” 

How Did Constant Gospel Focus Become a Hot Topic and How Do We Navigate it?

“One angle is, have we exalted the sermon, which is the most important part of the service, to almost being the only part? Why does this sermon have to articulate the gospel explicitly every time? Whereas, if you structure this service with Bible readings and gospel summaries, the sermon can preach the passage faithfully as God intended.

Preaching Proverbs 15 as 1 Corinthians 15, the beginning of which Paul summarizes the gospel, is an artificial way of thinking about preaching. If you construct the service liturgy, you can bring the gospel into your services. Some churches might not be comfortable with saying the Apostles Creed, but we could recite the beginning of 1 Corinthians 15 in our services. So stepping back again and thinking of the service as a whole might help.”

The Two Most Challenging Conflicts Pastors Face From Their Critics

“The first would be a wrong understanding of the pastor’s job. So this idea that the pastor is my personal life coach, or, you know, needs to be at my beck and call, creates unrealistic expectations, which no pastor can live up to. That fuels disappointment.

Second is the misunderstanding that the pastor is the leader the Lord has appointed over the flock, but he’s not the only one who does ministry in the church. We are meant to be serving one another. We’re all meant to be plugged into the life of our church. So it’s not just the pastor doing everything. And I think many criticisms come from people who won’t lift a finger to do anything and then criticize the pastor.” 

How Do We Help Young Pastors Keep Their Nose in The Book?

“You have to learn to say no, that there are certain things you can’t do. Of course, it’d be nice to do it. But if you say yes to that, it will take you away from the main game. It means that your sermon won’t be as well prepared. You’re not here as a pastor to be liked. We’re human and want to be liked, but you have to ensure that is not your main goal. 

There will be decisions that you’ll make as a pastor that will be unpopular. But we don’t want to go back to that old model that you shouldn’t be close to anyone in the congregation. You do need close friends who understand ministry, ideally.”

Dr. Peter Orr’s Encouragement to Pastors Experiencing Burnout or Bitterness

“It’s long-term, and there are no easy answers. Deep hurts aren’t healed overnight. And I would say just keep walking with the Lord, going to church, and praying. It’s good that you continue to pray for those who hurt you, but it can take 5-10 years before it starts to fade. That is the power of the gospel. It’s a long road, but you can hold on to the little promises like Psalm 23 that He will restore your soul.”

How Do We Talk to The Leaders and Pastors Who Are Getting Hurt and Neglected?

“To the leaders, I would say two things. Be intentional and thoughtful. So be intentional in terms of encouragement, prayer, and telling the pastor what you’re doing. Be thoughtful in the sense of taking a step back and thinking, what the pastor is doing here I don’t necessarily agree with, but it’s not outside the pale. I know these are both quite vague words, but stop and think because so often in our social media age, we react rather than being thoughtful and intentional.

I’m going to add a third one. One of the things that I mentioned in the book is to forgive your pastor. I’m not talking about the big-ticket sins or the major things. It’s just the sort of little personal blips we all experience in every relationship, and we must forgive one another. Sometimes we expect our pastor to be perfect, but the Lord calls us to forgive. We don’t have to call out every sin. You must also be realistic about how people will respond to you in your church. You’re not going to be liked by everyone.”

About Dr. Peter Orr

Peter Orr is originally from Northern Ireland and has had ministry experience in Romania, London, and Melbourne. He now lectures in New Testament at Moore College, Sydney. He has written and contributed to several books, including his 2022 book (which we’re discussing today) titled Fight For your Pastor, and has another book coming out this year (2023) titled The Beginning of the Gospel: A Theology of Mark. Peter is married to Emma, and they have four sons. 

Resources Mentioned:

How to Crush Your Pastor by Dr. Peter Orr

Fight For Your Pastor by Dr. Peter Orr

Exalted Above The Heavens: The Risen and Ascended Christ by Dr. Peter Orr

Four Ways to Help Save Your Pastor From Burnout by Dr. Peter Orr

What if I Differ With My Pastor on Politics? By Dr. Peter Orr

The Crisis Facing Our Pastors by Dr. Peter Orr

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