Anderson University - Echoes Yearbook (Anderson, IN)

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The Pastor' a Teacher A. E Gray To the one who feels the weight of a pastors responsibilities, the conscious- ness of weakness and the sense of dependence on God arc always present. Years of service tend to increase rather than to diminish such feelings. Into the pastor's hands are committed the care of priceless souls and the training of lives for useful service. A feeling of utter helplessness is averted only by a steadfast faith in God. It is through looking to Him who is the chief Shepherd and the Bishop of our souls that the pastor receives the courage to attempt so great a task. He is con- strained to fall at the feet of the One he calls Rabbi and Master, even Him whem every pastor seeks to imitate, and in some measure reproduce His work. It is by a contemplation of Him that thc pastor is changed from glory to glory into His image. Preemincntly, Christ is the Teacher. XVould a pastor succeed he must imitate Him. He must pattern after His mcekncss of spirit, His patience of method, the clearness of His message, and the gentlcncss of His manner. He must bring the same sublime message that is fitted to the needs of all, and that is helpful to all. To be able to do this one must first sit patiently at the feet of thc Master and learn of him. lVhat one has received in the centers of learning, what he has gained in the school of experience become of greatest value to him, only after being touched and vitalized by the hand of Him who is thc Power of G-od and the YV'isdom of God. The chief work of the pastor is teaching. ln addition to his sermons. there is much need of private instruction. There is a constant care over the souls of thc Hock and a constant watchfulncss seeking to behold proper development. The teaching must correspond to the needs of the people and be such as they can com- prehend. A flock that includes a variety of Christian experiences and'pcoplc in various stages of Christian development, as most congregations do, presents a com- plicated problem. Could the pastor divide his flock into groups of babes and men, weak and strong, and feed each accordingly, his problem would be somewhat sim- plifiedg since this is impracticablc and most pastors must teach a mixed group of people it is for the pastor to present a message that will apply to all and that all will be able to receive. Should one think this an impossible task let him read again the messages of Christ. The great Teacher presented his message so clothed that children were interested and could understandg yet these messages were truths so sublime that the greatest of philosophers have not yet fathomed their depths. Let the pastor remain well within the range of spiritual truth and he will find material suited to all ages and to all classes. The pastor may bc confronted with the problem of what to preach. This is most likely due to the difficulty -of deciding what is most needful for his people or . - ' . 5 I ' . PAGE TVVFINTY

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uct. Jesus' success-the success of this new religion which he gave to the world he staked Wholly upon his ability to teach a handful of individuals. Most of us would have wanted larger classes, but he knew the personal touch was needed- the individual method of instructiong so he tried. to teach only twelve. Upon the success of this individual method, the perpetuity of the Christian religion was to depend. VVell did hc do his work. A third principle of Jesus' teaching was the injection of human sympathy into his attitude toward his hearers. The twelve would have presented themselves as a sorry lot to the normal teacher. Here they were varying in intellectual attain- ments from ignoramuses to those having a respectable intellectual caliber. But Jesus in choosing them took them not because of what they were, but because of what he realized he would make -of them. It must have taxed his patience since he had taken on human limitations to have dealt with them patientlyg yet out of that twelve geniuses came. How patient he was in righting their misconceptions and in molding them into stalwart pillars who were later to be aggressive in ad- vancing the kingdom. Even in his reproofs, the glow of sympathy shines out. Again Jesus used the project method of instruction which has been widely heralded in educational circles in the past few years. lVith a few simple instructions as to concrete procedure, he sent his pupils out into the laboratory to let them apply to concrete problems the principles he had given them in bringing men to repentance. lVe sometimes call this learning by experience. The experience in this case, how- ever, was preceded by training from the master teacher. The teachei-'s business is not to do the work for the student, but to inspire him and to assist him in the solu- tion of the problem by pointing out thc Way. Finally, in connection with this principle comes the corollary that there must always be a close link between thinking and doing. The two in the religion which Jesus brought are inseparable. It is the old question again of being and doing, of having and acting, or of faith and works. Religion has been interpreted in one age or by one group as almost wholly an inner experience. the have, or faith side, while on the other hand at other times or by other groups it is interpreted as a thing of action, a matter of works. ln Jesus, teaching there is a proper balance of the two. An inner experimental religion which takes the form of a heartfelt belief in him is supplemented bv an emphasis upon the fact that only those who do something such as visiting the sick or feeding the hungry are to' be hidden to enter at the last day. So consistently Jesus connects action witl1 thought. These principles of Jesus' teaching do not explain his divinity. They are simply principles which are recognized today as pedagogically and psychologically sound. The successful teacher of religion must make them his and apply them in his work, not in a way comparable to that in which Jesus applied them, but apply them as best he can if he will succeed. 'I ..' 1 -. , '. .1 . ., ,ggi 1 V, , f PAG IE NINETEEN

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most suited to the occasion. The pastor who is in close touch with the needs of his people will find enough things that they need to he taught. If he is also in close touch with his Lord and his Bible he will Hnd enough truth to meet these needs. Should it occur for some reason that the pastor finds it difficult to have sufficient fresh messages for his people, it is likely that he may find happy relief in expository preaching. Let him look into the Scriptures to see what message they may have for him and his people. For instance, let him study the Sermon on the Mount. A pastor of moderate ingenuity will be able so to develop this sermon that he can prepare from it a series of messages suflicient to continue for six months. He will also have the happy consciousness that he is presenting the direct teachings of the Mfaster rather than developing a topic of his own selection. Let the pastor teach his people the great principles of true religion. HC slhould not seek to carry each thought to the fine points of its applications. Let him leave a little for the people to think out for themselves. Nor should he be disappointed if they differ in some details of their thinking. The teacher who can cause men to think independently in right channels accomplishes more than one who molds all minds after the pattern of his own. Let him direct the hearts of his people in the right channels and give little attention to mere opinions, even his own. Let him avoid matters likely to cause controversy unless some important principle is involved. He who is particular to preach only the Bifmle may preach it forcefully and he will have the united support of his people. The pastor who would teach successfully must have due regard for the feelings and opinions of his people. It is well for a man always to know he is right, but not necessary that he always assert this knowledge. He who listens patiently to the complaints, the fears, and the sorrows of his people is always wiser 'for doing so. He can then better help them, and may receive something that will be helpful for himself. The successful teacher is not overly assertive. It is not for the pastor to demand that all accept what he says upon his hare assertion. His duty is to make all men see but not to compel them to accept what they do not see. If his people do not agree with him it is not for him to chide them 'but rather to feel that he has failed to make the truth sufficiently convincing. Let him pray that he may make the truth so plain that all can see, and that he may present it in a spirit so Christ- like that all will desire to accept it. The work of a pastor is not well done until he has taught his people to know God for themselves. lt is inevitable that they will receive much from his per- sonality though he seeks to impress, not his own image, hut that of Christ upon them. I-Ie gives his life to develop a church that will glorify his Master. If his work is well done there is likely to come from the ranks of those he has taught some one who will excel him in usefulness for the Master. Thus he lives on in the lives of those he has taught as does the great Teacher whose servant he is. PAGE TYVENTY-ONE