Pastor, you get a front-row seat to the Spirit’s work. Rejoice when you see repentance and restoration among God’s people.
In this video from TGC’s Pastor to Pastor series, pastor and TGC Board member Darryl Williamson warns against the danger of focusing on doctrinal precision to the exclusion of discipleship. He considers the relationship between spiritual flourishing and “success” as a minister, challenging pastors to look to the Spirit to produce fruit in his church.
Transcript
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Darryl Williamson
And so I love, I love seeing that’s, that’s what Jesus came to die for, that’s his rescuing us from the reality of sin, the power of sin, eventually, the presence of sin. I love seeing that when you see repentance and restoration, that is an advance on escaton, right there you
Darryl Williamson
on difficult days in ministry, I cling to the truth that in difficulty, that’s where we find really fellowship with Jesus. I think about Paul in Philippians three, his longing to to fellowship with Christ and His sufferings. I think about Paul and what he said the Colossians church in Colossians 124 that he wants these call to to continue the afflictions of Christ. I remind myself that Christ is in the difficulty. And if I have little difficulty, I have little Jesus, and I want, I want all of
Darryl Williamson
him. My favorite thing about being a pastor is I love seeing repentance and restoration
Darryl Williamson
Now that means that people have somewhere, somehow they dropped the ball, but seeing the Spirit of God come in and convict a person of sin or something they ought not to have done, seeing that cleaned up and seeing restoration come out of That, that’s the gospel. And so I love, I love seeing that that’s, that’s what Jesus came to die for. That’s his rescuing us from the reality of sin, the power of sin, eventually the presence of sin. I love seeing that when you see repentance and restoration, that is an advance on eschaton, right there. So that’s my favorite thing. I
Darryl Williamson
think the biggest mistake I made as a brand new pastor was really trying to get our people to doctrinal precision on everything. I spent a lot of time trying to clarify meanings, definitions and things like that, trying to shape them into a particular kind of theological profile. If I can go back, I would not emphasize, we would do some of that, of course, but I would emphasize how they’re living, how they’re following Jesus, the earnestness of their pursuit of following him. That would be the thing I would emphasize.
Darryl Williamson
The most important thing about being a pastor that did not learn in seminary, I think, is the the connection between leadership and discipleship.
Darryl Williamson
I think that that that leadership, creating a space, an organizational space for discipleship to flourish is key. I think being bold and courageous to come in and correct and confront is a key part of leadership discipleship. I would have loved to had a greater emphasis on that, to understand it’s not just about teaching, but also about leading, correcting the church and creating a space for people to thrive and flourish. If
Darryl Williamson
I had to stop being a pastor tomorrow, the thing I’d miss the most, to be honest, is the rhythm of preaching and teaching. I think that any other part of being a pastor I could do without being a pastor, I can I can disciple people. I can pour into them, I can pray with them, but that rhythm of preaching and teaching, it’s, it’s a treasure, and I love it. I love the discipline, the discipline of being in the word and and so I would miss that tremendously.
Darryl Williamson
Yeah, it’s, it’s a challenge to to distinguish between my spiritual flourishing and my ministerial flourishing. Are they related? Yes, there is a connection there. Are they the same? Absolutely not.
Darryl Williamson
There’s no doubt that there. There’s an aspect of our ministerial success that’s just a part of who we are as people, right? So if you have a particular kind of charisma, you have a kind of gift set that can result in a kind of outward growth and expression of success. It’s not a bad thing. But I also should recognize that there is a spiritual flourishing that can’t be measured in that way. And so if I’m walking with Christ as I should, I want to see some fruitfulness. I want to see some some results, but I should not somehow think that because my relationship and walk with Christ is rich, that I want to see this like great overflow of numerical growth or great anti.
Darryl Williamson
Dotes and things like that. It just may not, it just may not, not look that way. I will say this. I think the spirit of God is present, and when he’s present, he’s going to be doing things, and I should have these moments where I can recognize the presence of the Spirit of God. I see people coming to faith. I see people who are repenting, I see people who are committing and who are serving. I should see the evidence of a church filled with the Spirit of God. If I’m not seeing that,
Darryl Williamson
I should ask the question, why? Now that doesn’t mean I’m failing or I’m somehow off spiritually, but I’m required by God, I think too, to ask the question, Lord, why am I not seeing more fruitfulness in this work?
Darryl Williamson (MA, Friends University) is the lead pastor of Living Faith Bible Fellowship in Tampa, Florida; the leader of Arise City; and a Council member for The Gospel Coalition. He has contributed to All Are Welcome and 12 Faithful Men. He and his wife, Julie, have one adult child.
