When I teach hermeneutics—in the church or in the classroom—I often boil down points of application to two questions; “What is true? What do we do?” What is true of God? Of Us? Of the world? How do we live out any particular text? What concrete actions should we embody or avoid in our context? So many of these questions can be expressed in these two questions.
At one point, our church small group was asking these two questions every week at a Bible study. In this rhythm, one woman began to give iterations of the same answer every week. Whatever the passage, whatever the context, in her mind the text was clearly calling us to read our Bibles, pray, and “pay it forward.” There are worse applications, to be sure, but it was astounding how she could find these applications in every text. Old or New Testament, law or prophets, poetry or narrative, God was unmistakably telling us to be nicer, go to church, and vote republican. This same woman left our church when the applications I drew from the text in a sermon did not match her view of the world and, more notably, her politics.
There are many in our churches who believe the role of the pastor is simply to draw out our view of that first question. Tell us what is true. Tell us about God and the world. Enchant us with stories. Humor us with anecdotes. Entertain and educate, but do not confront our idols.
We hear the same sentiment reinforced on Christian radio, so often described as “positive music for the whole family.” Putting aside the incredible absence of lament as a category, many of these stations’ songs center positivity as goodness. If it is positive and generally refers to Jesus, church, or hallelujah, it is good. Our concept of morality and virtue has been framed to be more concerned with what it does not say than what it does say. Our music and movies may not be as beautiful as the world’s, but at least they don’t have swear words. Cancel culture is what’s wrong with this country. Or political correctness. Or the democrats. Or the republicans. Never us. Never our churches. Unless the pastor moves out of his lane.
But the Christian life requires more than positivity. It also needs moral formation, correction, and, when necessary, rebuke. And the pastor has a distinct role in this formation towards the goodness of Christlikeness.
Moral good includes truth telling. And while the freedom it brings is what often receives the louder amen, truth’s assessment and confrontation of our sinfulness and shortsightedness is just as necessary. The prophet’s message was often one of reckoning, and truth telling is good even when it is painful or ugly. This is because moral confrontation is uncomfortable, but its consequent repentance erupts in heaven’s joy.
The pastor must recapture the prophetic voice of moral charge. Consider just the explicit moral implications of pastoral care in 1 Timothy. Paul speaks of pastoral instruction’s good conscience (1:5), marked by godliness and dignity (2:2), and expressed in proper action in the church (3:15). This apparently, among other things, includes publicly rebuking sin (5:21) as well as the call to be rich in good works (6:18).
Every pastor is an ethicist. I don’t mean to say that to be faithful in the pastorate that the pastor ought to know or draw out ethical frameworks or theories. In fact, I am sure this could actually prove to be a detriment in many contexts. I don’t even mean to say that everyone is an ethicist in the way that everyone is a theologian—good or bad. What I mean to say is that there are underlying ethical frameworks at play in the life of every individual, but the pastor has a unique responsibility to assess those frameworks, to convey what actions, motivations, and aims ought to be embodied or evaded as consistent with obedience and love of Christ. Faithful ministry must include moral formation. Faithful preaching must contain moral instruction. As must pastoral care and leadership in the church. The pulpit is not a platform for our egos, but a program for our good.
So, Pastor, what is true, and what should you do? It is true that God has created us to bear his image in the world. It is true that his creation is good and is meant to do good. It is true that Christ has given his church pastors to equip the saints for the work of ministry. And so, we should imitate Christ. We should live as examples to the church in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. We should rebuke sin and promote good works, without fear of man. We should lead and walk in ways which are worthy of the gospel of Christ. We should love the Lord and care for his people. For this is good.
Paul Morrison serves as a Theologian in Residence at City Church in Cleveland, OH. He is also the director and co-founder of the Ohio Theological Institute. Paul holds a PhD in Christian Ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a member of the St. Peter Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
