Pastors, Be Real.

In an article on the Lifeway website, Carol Pipes interviews Aaron Ivey & Matt Carter, authors of the new book on Charles Spurgeon titled, 'Steal Away Home'. The interview focuses on upon the topic of vulnerability in a pastors life. Here are some insightful snippets: 

Pipes: Charles Spurgeon was pastor of a large church with an expansive ministry. You mention in the book that he was a strong leader but that the secret of his pastorship was his vulnerability. Why does vulnerability seem rare today, and why is that an essential characteristic to bring to the role of pastor?

Ivey: "That struggle has always been true of any pastor or public figure, but I think it’s harder in our current culture. So much of life is lived in a very public, fast-paced sort of way.

You see people’s lives lived out in 140-character tweets or a single photo that captures a perfect moment on Instagram. There’s a tendency to run away from vulnerability because we only want people to see this sort of outward perspective of us. Vulnerability has always been crucial in the life of a pastor, but even more so now because so much of our life can be edited and filtered. We’ve found, and I think Spurgeon found, the key is to have real-life relationships with people who don’t just see the filtered, edited version of you but who know all the parts of your heart and your character, your struggles, your wins, and your failures. Ultimately, what keeps pushing me toward Jesus is knowing I have brothers in my life who see every area and can keep pushing me toward confession and repentance. Without that, it’s easy to hide."

In our life and ministry, my wife and I have always resolved to put our real foot forward. In pastoral ministry worldwide there is what appears to be at times a type of facade culture as you feel the pressure — and need — of being exemplary. Exemplary does not mean perfect. The pressures to be "perfect" are there — mostly self inflicted — but so too the grace of God abounds in the midst of our very real imperfections. We are so thankful to have a church family that love and care for us; warts and all. 

Pastors, let's be real.