Some keys to longevity in ministry …

I have been privileged to be a pastor for about 12 years ...

In the first church I served at, my service lasted about six years (if you include the three years I served as a student pastor). My second stretch lasted about six years. Surprisingly, my experience as a pastor is not unique. It does seem short, but statistics tell us that the average pastoral tenure lasts about 3.6 years. To state the obvious, that’s not very long, and it illustrates the unfortunate state of pastoral longevity today.

“As I listened, it became clear that prayer was for Matt the “powerhouse” of his ministry. Having a focus on prayer is vital when it comes to maintaining a long and fruitful ministry."

It was not always this way. One of my heroes of the faith, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), grew up during a time when long pastorates were the norm. His grandfather Solomon Stoddard pastored the same church for over fifty-five years. His father, Timothy Edwards, pastored the same church for over sixty years. And had he not been forced to resign from his church after (only) twenty three years, it’s safe to assume Jonathan Edwards would have served till the time of his death, just like his father and grandfather and most pastors in Puritan New England.

The relationship between pastor and church was more like a marriage than employment. In the three centuries since, the pastoral landscape has changed dramatically.

Over the past ten or so years I have gotten to know Matthew Murray. I had known of Matt for many years, but only met him personally and had the chance to really get to know him through our FCC Pastor’s retreats. Everyone knows him would say that Matt is a kind and humble man who loves Manchester United and a chat at the coffee shop. He and his wife Susan have led and pastored Engadine Congregational Church for thirty-four years. Thirty-four years! Matt first started serving in various Congregational Churches in the UK before he was ‘talent poached’ by the elders of ECC in the late 1980s to come and serve in The Shire, in the sunny shores of Southern Sydney.

A lot has changed during that time, and countless pastors (including me) have moved to other churches. Still, as I attended the farewell service on the 11th of March, I was curious for tips to longevity. While there many things that come to light in the gathering, there seemed three central themes that kept on bobbing up. Here they are:

Prayer

First, Matt is a person of prayer. As I continued to listen, it became clear that prayer was for Matt the “powerhouse” of his ministry. Having a focus on prayer is vital when it comes to maintaining a long and fruitful ministry. He also spoke to the need of every pastor to immerse himself in Scripture. While there are plenty of good titles and good authors (such as the above mentioned), there is no substitute for the word of God.

Love for others

Second, Matt truly loved others. The church on the 11th of March was packed! It was also really hot in there! When Matt was asked to describe his experience at ECC, he spoke of his love for the congregation in Engadine and their love him, as well the support of the leaders and elders over the years. He said, even after all these years, there was still a deep affection between the pastor and his people. I have been around long enough to know that this is unique, and I found Matt’s words concerning his congregation to be refreshing and encouraging.

Humility

Third, Matt exhibited humility. If you tried to look up Matt on the internet, you would find that he does not have much of a web presence at all. He does not have a blog or a Twitter account, much less a following. Matt is what we would call ‘old school,’ but I believe he is a model worth following and one that is all but lost in our day and age.

Please understand; I am not here to put Matt on a pedestal. When I asked him about doing a little write-up on him, he was very hesitant to agree, not just because he is a humble man, but because he is aware of his own sin and shortcomings. Matt doesn’t want anyone to look to him or to any other man. Rather he would have us look to Christ (Isaiah 45:22) and his power to save. As the psalmist puts it, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1)

Far too many pastors start off wanting to be the next John Piper or Tim Keller. It’s fine to have good models in pastoral ministry, but it is unhelpful and even detrimental to aim for ministry success from a worldly perspective.

Few pastors will spend nearly all of their ministry at one church. Obviously, Matt is unique, and I praise God for his life and ministry and the example he has given us. Many others have served well over the years, and perhaps you have heard of them and are aware of their ministries, but it is a safe bet that most are unknown to the world, except for the people and communities they serve. We can praise God for these faithful men, but if you are looking for the best model to follow, look no further than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate ‘good shepherd’ (John 10:11) who lays his life down for the sheep. Every pastor should strive to emulate him and serve in the grace and wisdom that only he can give.

Tim