Really, this really isn't worth the read

Recently I heard perhaps the most soul-robbing words I can remember. With good intentions did a person tell me, "You're not taking care of your flock; you're not a good pastor to your people." This was, however, abutted with the encouragement that I was a good preacher (no, I suspect there was no delusion). So I understand this person to say that while I may be good preacher (again, please humor me to make a point), I was not a good pastor. The main sail once taut with winds of confidence now flapped in the breeze like a tattered rag.

First, this person was right. Regretfully (and hopefully temporarily), I am negligent in my room-working, back-patting, ego-stroking, shoulder-gripping, neck-hugging, home-visiting aspects of ministry. Pastoral care demands that we are intimate with our people. Christ's love for us demands that we do so. It is our privilege to invest God's word in the specifics of life and that requires specific attention. So, I confess and prayerfully repent of my sinful negligence. Our congregation deserves much more. Consider this added to my "I hate that" list (see April 11th post).

However, behind the criticism was a looming discomfort. There seems to be a common (mis)understanding that preaching and pastoral care are exclusive pastoral responsibilities. Further, preaching is often considered secondary to any other pastoral concerns. However, if the relational aspect of the pastoral office is anything it is primarily proclamation, especially public proclamation.

I wonder if this breach has been a process birthed by a low view of Scripture (which is, in fact, a low view of God Himself). A low view of Scripture has cultivated an anemic view of preaching. If God's word is weak then why care that it is preached to us or expect anything to happen when it is? This anemic view of preaching has caused pastors to abandon the study for more effective means. Such abandonment has paved the way for exalting everything other than preaching above the primary pastoral responsibility taught in the Scriptures. The cycle is self-perpetuating and gains momentum every week we fail to stretch kerygmatic muscles. Before long those muscles atrophy and preaching becomes a laughable (much less primary) means of discipleship.

However, the primary avenue by which a pastor shepherds his people is the public proclamation (kerygma) of God's word. His pastoral care responsibilities flow from his pulpit ministry, not separate from it. Or, we might say the pastor's private proclamation is an extension of his public proclamation. If it's not then there is no cohesive discipleship of the church.

The texts are numerous, but a few might help (given the wealth of resources on this very topic, I feel silly even offering this):

• The church benefits most when its leaders are devoted primarily to preaching and prayer (Acts 6.1-4). Such a commitment "found approval with the whole congregation" (v5).
  
• Paul came to the Corinthians with the primary intent of preaching (kerygma) (1 Cor 2.1-5). In fact, he would rather have died than to have not preached (1 Cor 9.16).
  
• The "firm foundation" on which the Corinthian church found solid footing was the gospel Paul preached (evangelizo) (1 Cor 15.1-2).
  
• The primary casualty of rejecting Jesus' bodily resurrection is the preaching (kerygma) (1 Cor 15.14). Conversely then, the primary beneficiary of Jesus' bodily resurrection is the preaching ministry.
• Knowing well the power of the preaching ministry, Paul's greatest fear was that someone use that weapon against the church (Gal 1.8-9).
• If Timothy was to enjoy fruitful, lasting ministry he was to relentlessy concern himself with his teaching (1 Tim 4.13, 16). Further, Timothy's primary means of combatting the coming "difficult days" was preaching (2 Tim 3-4).
  
• The writer of Hebrews identified "those who led you" as those who "spoke the word of God to you" (Heb 13.7; cf. also v17). Despite what the leadership gurus tell you, Christian leadership is nothing more or less than bringing Scripture to bear on all of life.
  

I hope I don't say all this to shirk any responsibilities. We could identify many texts where Paul seemingly drew attention to his private relational ministry (cf. 2 Cor 1.12; 1 Thess 2.10). But, who he "proved to be" was an extension of what he preached. Not all pastoring is preaching, but all preaching is pastoral. If I'm wrong, please tell me before I raise another sail.