So, You Want To Be A Pastor

My journey and the lessons I have learned.

I was 21 when I stepped into my first pastoral position.

I was too young.

I had just graduated from Liberty with a B.M. in worship ministry — and my position was essentially a volunteer one.

I found odd jobs to make ends meet (managed a restaurant, worked at a rescue mission, started my own business, taught at a Christian school. I have stories.)

I was working about 60 hours a week on average for most of that time.

When that situation was no longer logistically and financially tenable, I pursued full-time ministry positions. I’m not at a place to discuss my experiences, and don’t think I ever will. Suffice it to say: I was not doing well.

I didn’t have a moral failing, or fall into an addiction. I was having a very quiet experience of intense and unrelenting suffering (that I am still healing from to this day.)

I stepped away from ministry 9 months ago. It has been an amazing season — despite the many challenges and changes we have faced.

I was unemployed for 6 of those 9 months.

Our home had mold remediation twice in those 9 months.

We found out my wife was pregnant the week after I resigned.

I mourned (and am mourning) my loss of my sense of purpose.

I examined my relationship with anxiety and how it negatively impacted my ministry experience.

In the midst of all of this, I have so much to celebrate:

• We welcomed our third son into the world earlier this week.

• I have had more time to be with family and pursue my wellbeing than I have ever had.

• I took on an amazing position in the corporate world.

• Growing as a husband and a father.

• Reconnecting with dear brothers and sisters in the faith.

• Learning how to be in my body again ( a huge part of this process)

In all that we have faced, my family has grown closer, my love for my wife has grown deeper, my faith (though rocked) is more real and genuine than it was before.

I am unsure of the future. Unsure of what the Lord has in store for me. But I am doing what I can today to serve Him, even if that’s by being an ordinary husband and father who occasionally encourages people on the internet.

Because of my storied experience, I find myself providing counsel to a lot of young men who are desiring to pursue ministry. My tale may be cautionary, but I pray for them it is useful.

(I’m also extremely blessed that many of these young men were once in my youth group — and by extension were young men I discipled.)

Here is what I tell them:

1. Don’t jump into a Bible undergrad.

Very few people want to be an associate pastor forever — if you are the rare exception go for a Bible undergrad (or youth min or worship min.)

Churches should make MDiv programs the bare minimum education level for a senior pastor (a degree I do not currently have. I hope to fix that one day.)

In my personal opinion, Biblical Studies undergrad into an MDiv is unnecessary and redundant. Most of what is learned in the undergraduate level is addressed more meaningfully in graduate programs. Beyond that, you can probably get the equivalent of a Bible undergrad on your own (I will tell you how later.)

Now, I will say this is just my opinion — based on my experience. I am sure there are plenty of Biblical Studies, Worship Min, or Youth Min majors that are thriving that would completely disagree. You should ask about their experience and get their perspective as well! Talk to real people you personally know who have gone down this path and learn from their experience.

Beyond that, there are exceptions to this. Maybe you weren’t raised in church, and diving into an MDiv after only being self-taught is too daunting. Totally valid. Maybe you aren’t academically inclined, and want to lay a really solid foundation before you tackle something as daunting as a Master’s degree. I get it!

There are plenty of other perfectly valid reasons to get an undergrad in Biblical Studies, but it is not a one-size-fits-all. Specializing too early in your education may backfire in unexpected ways down the road.

While I would do things differently, I learned so much from my undergraduate degree. I could not have served how I did without it, considering I have not yet enrolled in seminary. (I hope to do so in the next year — I was delayed because I jumped into ministry straight from an undergrad, hence this piece of advice.)

So, what should a young man considering pastoral ministry do if not a bible undergrad?

2. Get an undergrad that can get you a regular job.

There are a number of reasons I believe you should get a normal undergraduate degree coupled with an MDiv.

First, real world experience outside of the church is invaluable. How are you going to council men in their careers if you have not experienced the workplace?

Secondly, jumping into ministry at a young age may work for some, but for many it is unwise. Getting an undergrad in something useful outside of church gives you an opportunity to grow and mature in your self-awareness before diving into such an important position.

Thirdly, pastoral positions do not pay well, and that reality is only getting worse with time. Graduating with tons of debt and a family to care for; all to take a job that requires financial sacrifice is unwise on many levels.

If you get a well-paid secular position to pay your way through seminary, you get the benefit of financial security as your families foundation.

Fourthly, having hard skills outside of pastoring means you are harder to manipulate. Getting paid for ministry can quickly override your capacity to confront evil. Scaring off tithing members becomes a major concern, and leadership becomes an act of appeasement not challenge.

If you know that you can take care of your family no matter what happens, it will be far more challenging to get you to compromise on your principles. This also contributes to your overall sense of confidence.

Fifthly, you are prepared for whatever happens. Church split? You’re ok, you can take a normal job and serve for free for a season. Denomination went off the rails, and now the church could lose the building? You can figure out a way to survive.

“All that seems fine and good” you may say, “but I desire to be a pastor, and this advice seems counterintuitive.”

So far, that would be a correct assessment — the rest of my advice seeks to address that.

3. Teach yourself during your undergrad.

Consider minoring in Biblical studies. You can talk to students who are majoring in Biblical studies, ask them what classes were the most valuable, and put your attention there.

Whether you minor in biblical studies or not, you will need to teach yourself.

If you just thought “that sounds like too much work” do yourself a favor: don’t become a pastor.

I don’t say this to gate-keep or to be harsh — I say this because pastoring is a life of continuous learning. It is not enough to spend a few years taking classes, get a piece of paper with your name on it, and become a great spiritual leader. If you are going to continually educate others you must continually educate yourself.

If you have no motivation to study the things of God, no curiosity about the scriptures, and expect others to do that work for you, pastoring is not your call.

Perhaps you are reading this as a voraciously curious student of God’s word, but you aren’t sure how to go about teaching yourself. That is a different animal; your heart desires to learn but you do not yet have the necessary tools.

Be encouraged, I wrote this article to give you those very tools.

While I got a ministry undergrad, most, if not all that I know regarding doctrine and theology, I have taught myself. When I taught high-school Bible for 3 years, I was almost entirely self-educated.

It is possible, and it is far more attainable than you may think!

Here is what I would do if I could start over:

Bible Study:

1. Read the entire Bible.

   Biblical Literacy is a massive part of your job, being familiar with the overarching progression of Biblical narrative is huge.

2. Learn inductive study.

   The best way to do this is to simply do it. Get a nice notebook, go through a Pauline epistle verse by verse using the following steps.

   • Write out the entire verse (double-spaced)

   • Break down the sentence structure of the verse you just wrote.

     • Many of you may not have learned how to do this in school. Here is a simple workbook you can check out. If that feels trite/childish, check out YouTube videos on how to do this.

   • Write down as many questions about the text you can muster, and search for the answers in the passage.

   • Write down the observations you learn about God and yourself.

   • Write down how these truths should be applied.

   • Pray about it.

3. Pray the Psalms.

Below I have made a bit of a reading list. This is in no way definitive or comprehensive list. Some of these categories may be more or less important to you personally. I would recommend talking to your pastor about his top reads as well. The Basics are my highest recommendations, and I personally think reading the classics should take precedence over most modern reads, but that’s preferential.

The Basics:

These books are good for getting your feet wet with the broad categories of thought you will deal with as a pastor.

1. Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

   This textbook is a good primer on systematic theology. Just perusing this book should give you a good base on theology. I also use systematic theology books for reference. Reading a passage that brings up Christological doctrines? See what Grudem had to say about it — he will point you to what the Scripture’s have to say at large.

2. What Is Biblical Theology by James Hamilton

   This is a short read that will change the way you see the Bible! This book took me very little time to complete, but has helped me to recognize themes and typologies I could not have seen otherwise.

3. Grasping God's Word

   This book is a MUST for beginning bible students. Great introduction to hermeneutics, I still reference it years after purchase.

   If you want to learn inductive study, you can just skip my advice and apply what is in this book.

4. Historic Confessions.

   Read the Westminster Confession of Faith, the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, or any other historic confession you can get your hands on. This will help you understand what differing theological movements actually think. (You most likely will not get this in Bible School, and that is a crying shame!)

Practical Resources:

1. Preaching By Tim Keller

   A short but sweet read. Keller lays a great foundation for Gospel-centered preaching.

2. The Culture Code By Daniel Coyle

   Great read on building a high functioning culture. Filled with practical insights from high functioning teams in different environments.

3. Failure of Nerve By Edwin Friedman

   Hands down, the best leadership book I have ever read. A must for any young pastor.

4. Deliberate Church By Mark Dever

   Dever is very good on Baptist polity and discipline. A good introduction to navigating the actual business of church.

Classics:

1. Confessions of St. Augustine

   I read this years ago, and remember it deeply resonating with me. I recently reached out to a few friends that are wrapping up their Bible degrees, one recommended this book. (Thanks Christian Ware!)

2. Aquinas' Commentary on Aristotle

   Just perusing this will change the way you see the world and think about your place in it.

3. Athanasius on The Incarnation

   Currently reading this — highly recommend it.

4. Calvin's Institutes

   Disclaimer: I have not read this in its entirety. I have the institutes and use them more as a reference than I do anything else. I intend to read them in through one day — we’ll see if that ever happens. I personally love perusing great books and allowing myself to contemplate/consider their contents. It isn’t possible to read every amazing work that exists, but you can cover more ground by allowing yourself to “cheat” through reading books in part.

Philosophy:

I personally believe all pastor/theologians should be familiar with philosophy as a whole. The more well-versed you are on this topic, the more you will be able to address current cultural narratives. Not all of these recommendations are Christian, reading pagans and heretics is a valuable practice as it forces you to grow in your reasoning.

1. Literally Anything By Rene Girard

   So far I have read “The Scapegoat” and “I See Satan Fall like Lightning” plan to read much more of him in the future.

2. Genealogy of Morals by Nietzche

   I consistently reference Nietzche in discussions with Atheists. I find knowledge of Existentialism is a huge tool in refuting Naturalistic and Humanistic assumptions. Many Atheists do not seem to know or have read their own thinkers, if you have you automatically have an apologetic “leg up.”

3. Knowledge and Christian Belief By Alvin Plantinga

   Currently reading this one. Plantinga is an award-winning Christian philosopher, who I believe definitively answers many Atheistic objections in ways which cannot be simply refuted.

4. Aristotle. Just read lots of Aristotle.

Short But Sweet:

These reads are jam-packed with useful information and can be read very quickly.

1. Delighting In The Trinity and Rejoicing In Christ

   Michael Reeves provides punchy and eye-opening thoughts on core Christian doctrines. A must read.

2. Mere Christianity

   Would I be a Christian writing on Substack if C.S. Lewis did not make the list?

3. Concise Theology

   J.I. Packer summarizes Christian doctrine from a reformed perspective. Can be read as a meaty daily devotional.

I could write so many more resources here, but will refrain as there is more to be said for the prospective pastor!

4. Find a healthy church.

If you want to learn about pastoring during your undergrad, getting plugged into a solid local church is going to be invaluable. You can see, up-close and personal, what pastoring is actually like before you spend thousands of dollars pursuing that calling. (80% of pastors quit in the first 5 years. Don’t spend 7 years of your life and thousands of dollars on something you won’t do past 30.)

Beyond that, many pastors are open to internship programs, and many churches have great education programs. You can ask your pastor for more resources (or better resources) than the ones I provided above.

Reality is, you are formed more by your relationships than you are by what books you read or what classes you took. Church is important.

Here are some things I would look out for in the ideal “pastor forming” church.

1. They are large.

You heard it here folks, growth is almost always directly correlated to health. Don’t let anyone tell you different. No, your house church is not more spiritual because no one goes to it, the pastor is just weird and couldn’t get a position at an established church. No your 80 person church is not more spiritual because the sermons are hollow and the service is awkward. Small churches, by and large, are small for a reason. Big churches, by and large do things well, that is why they are big.

Note, I am not saying “Megachurch” I am saying “Large and Established.” They have social proof that what they are doing is effective. Anything bigger than 400 is sufficient.

There are plenty of exceptions to this rule — I go to a church I love which is smaller. Here are the factors to consider with this exception:

• Geographic factors

  If the church is in a more remote area, or in a highly unchurched area, that is going to affect size.

• The church just went through a major transition

  If they have a new senior pastor, or were recently planted, you can’t really use size as a measuring stick of health. However, for your purposes you are looking for a tried-and-true pastor. The pastor in this situation may be a truly amazing person, but you do not yet see the fruits of his ministry and cannot know if you want to follow in his footsteps.

• The church is a sending church

  They are constantly making missionaries and pastors that leave the church to go minister elsewhere. They send resourcing and people to support them. They are small precisely because they are extremely effective. If this is the situation, go there.

2. The pastor is well-experienced and well-educated.

Formal education provides some institutional backing, showing this pastor is disciplined and knowledgable. If the church is sizable, and he has been shepherding there for a considerable amount of time, he is most-likely going to be a good mentor. The older the better. For your situation, we are looking for a sage guide not an amiable protagonist. (While those guys are awesome!)

3. There is identifiable accountability in all areas.

The elders are elders. You know who they are, and that they function in an executive manner. Beyond that, the doctrine of the church is readily identifiable, down to their distinctives. You know exactly the perspective the pastoral staff is coming from when they preach, as they unapologetically preach in accordance with these doctrinal convictions.

4. You can identify other leaders they have discipled.

You will know them by their fruits.

5. Intern at that church, or serve however you can.

Lead bible studies. Teach at the youth group. Teach at sunday school. Share your testimony at the young adults group. Start a small group. (All in partnership with church leadership.)

I would even consider taking a gap year before diving into your undergrad, and devote it to an internship at a healthy church. The more time serving in local churches the better.

6. Establish your life and go to seminary

Once you graduate, get a normal job and pursue seminary. Get financially stable. Get married. Have children. Stay connected to the local church. Take your courses at your own pace.

I am starting step 6 late — but I am working on it. If I had followed the course of action laid out in this article, I would be finishing my seminary degree by now, not starting it.

I have zero regrets.

I learned invaluable lessons from my experiences and I wouldn’t change a thing. However, I wouldn’t recommend following my course of action by any means.

If, instead of doing the norm, you follow the advice I have laid out — you will end up being a senior pastor approxmately the same time (30) as the conventional path. The only difference will be the strength of your position. You will be more financially stable, more established in your role as a husband and father, and more aware of the real-world experience of your congregants.

Let’s compare these two options (the conventional path, and the one laid out in this article) by examining their resumes.

Conventional Path:

1. Undergrad in Biblical Studies.

2. Masters of Divinity.

3. Worked as a youth pastor for 4 years.

4. Worked as an associate pastor for 3 years.

5. Read for his classes.

Unconventional Path:

1. Undergrad in Business.

2. Masters of Divinity

3. Intern at a church for a year

4. 7 years of faithful service in local churches as a lay-minister.

5. 7 years experience in sales/management or whatever your career is.

6. Read to educate himself.

Which candidate is more likely to be grounded? Which candidate is more likely to be a people-pleaser? Which candidate is more likely to give wiser counsel? Which candidate is going to be aware of the needs and concerns of the typical american?

I personally prefer the ruggedness of the unconventional candidate, but maybe I am biased by my own experiences. They haven’t made this their career. They aren’t going into this desperate for any opportunity. It is harder to pull the wool over their eyes, or to bribe or bully them out of strong leadership. But that is just my opinion.

Whatever the case, there is more than one way to become a pastor, and I highly recommend the road-less-traveled.