What Is a Pastor S Study Anyways?!
PASTORAL THEOLOGY
LECTURE 20
THE PASTOR’S STUDY
What is a “Pastor’s Study” anyways?!
Well, typically, in larger churches, there will be an office in the church’s building that is designated as the Pastor’s Study. This is where one might find the Pastor outside of normal church service times. This is where the Pastor will privately counsel church members. This is where the Pastor will make important phone calls to other churches, the members, visitors, area businesses, etc.. This is where the Pastor prays prior to the beginning of the church service. And, this is where the Pastor ‘studies’ at!
Some pastors only use the ‘study’ (office) on Sundays. Some seem to live there 24/7…do they ever see their family?! Does the Pastor have to have a ‘study’ on the church grounds? No; but it is wise to have an office, a room, where he can get alone with God prior to the start of the services; where he can speak to people in private; where he can keep important books to use for reference and helps; and where church members know that they could probably find their pastor on a church meeting day.
How much time to spend ‘in the study’?
Some poor pastors don’t make much use of the Pastor’s study; they don’t really study much at all. The often follow the “Saturday night cramm session” philosophy. “It’s getting late on Saturday night and I don’t even have sermons started for tomorrow; Yikes!” That’s right, Yikes!!! A Pastor needs to study…and an hour or two on Saturday evening is hardly reasonable here! How many hours should a Pastor spend ‘in study’ (in the study)? 10, 20, 40, 60?
How much time does it usually take a Pastor to produce a wonderful sermon? 1hr, 2hrs, 3, 4, more? I would say at least 2, but usually 3 or 4. So, for a good one, it will usually be at the minimum 3 hours; so that would be a total of 9 hours a week for the 3 sermons; and then add about 2 hours for the Sunday School lesson, and that brings the total to 11 hours of study a week, bare minimum! Then there are Bible studies, Bible college classes, special events (funerals, etc.), counselling, administration items, and prayer! These last mentioned activities could add anywhere from 5hrs to 20+ hours per week, easily. So, that’s anywhere from 16 to 31+ hours a week, on average, that a Pastor might need to be ‘in study’ (in the study)! Just to let you know, putting together Bible College lectures usually takes about 2 to 4 hours per lecture; and, if you have 5 per week, then that is 10-20 hours a week ‘in study’ just for Bible College! So, using the higher amount of hours for each activity, it is easy for a Pastor to spend 40-60 hrs per week ‘in study’! That doesn’t include the actual preaching and teaching of God’s Word, which could be anywhere from 5 hrs per week to 15 hrs per week. And, then it is important to understand that he will need private devotion time with His Lord (like every Christian needs); this would (should) be anywhere from 1 hr per day to maybe 3 or 4 hrs per day; thus that is from 7 to 28 hrs per week. Soulwinning and visits could be anywhere from 2hrs to 10 hrs per week! So, the grand total number of hours per week that a typical Pastor might be involved with Church/spiritual related activities could be from 30hrs/wk to 113hrs/wk !!! A wide range, but even on the minimal side, it is a fair amount!
“TheArt of Pastoring” : pg 143-147 (Read highlited parts)
What to study?The Bible, Commentaries, books, sermons, mags, internet, news…..
The majority of the time ‘in study’ will (should) be spent with the Bible. Some Pastors seem to relate that they love reading books about spiritual things, and that they spend hours each day in that activity. That makes me a little suspect to where their devotion lies…. Can they say “Oh how love I thy law; it is my meditation all the day.”?!
The sources of study other than the Bible need to be kept in a clear ‘secondary’ priority of use and devotion. I think that some Pastors spend a majority of their time in their study, studying (reading, parousing) most everything but the Bible. Some older Pastors would have 100’s even 1000’s of books in their ‘study’ and would spend a majority of their ‘study’ time in those books…and, sad to say, a lot less time in the Bible. No sermon should have less Bible study time in it than other non-Bible sources!
[view the supplement for this lecture dealing with Biblesoft’s computer Bible program]
Some might even say “Why study anything but the Bible?!” That’s a provocative question, indeed. You could do just fine only studying the Bible. However, there are great ‘helps’ in these other sources. Many times a portion of Scripture is greatly enlightened by viewing a Commentary, or Bible help reference. A sermon is not simply the Word of God and nothing else. It typically has a lot of commentating, explaining, defining, illustrating, etc.. The fuel for these can partially come from these other sources. A careful maintaining of priority though is needed for a Pastor in his study.
How to study?
Some Pastors are ‘in study’ but nothing much happens. They may read a whole bunch, but they aren’t really studying. They are just going through a reading exercise, and nothing more. To read without thinking is like eating without digesting! If you are in study, then study, Pastor!
The Pastor should spend a while in study for a sermon, lesson, etc.. It’s like preparing a meal in the kitchen. It might be a 5 course meal. You definitely don’t want to serve leftovers, or simply microwave some fish sticks for 1 minute!
If the message is of little cost to the preacher, then it will be of little value to the congregation.
He should have a disciplined, organized, prosperous approach to his ‘study’. It is best to have set times during the week when he knows that he will be involved with ‘study’. Maybe have it be Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons from 2pm to 7pm. That would give them 20 hrs of study. Don’t have it be something that one does here a little there a little; when they can ‘squeeze’ it in. That ‘study’ time needs to be set in stone. And, during this study time each week, there needs to be a lot of organization to what one does with that 20 hrs or so per week; plan out how you use that 5 hrs each day. Is it all Bible study? Is there some prayer time? What about phone callse? How about lining up some counselling sessions? What do you need to have done each day? What will Saturday’s time consist of? Be sure to have a approach that is not too stressful, gives you some liberty, but is nonetheless organized well…it needs to be a fruitful venture. Arrange it differently until it becomes one!
Criswell’s Guidebook for Pastors: Pg. 59-61,67-69 (Read highlited portions)
The Bible’s Study:
Shew Thyself Approved
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
God expects Pastors to study; and to study to the point that they appear ‘approved by God’; studied up so much that they aren’t ashamed of not knowing things; studied enough to understand doctrine correctly on any given major teaching of the Bible.
Give Attendance
1 Tim 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
A Pastor is to give attendance to, time to, focus to, priority to the reading of the Bible and the study of doctrine.
Watching Daily
Prov 8:33-35 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
A Pastor needs to be in his study every day; he needs to be listening for the Lord’s instruction; he needs to not refuse the study; a good time in the study will bring favour from the Lord.
Search the Scriptures
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Be more noble than the average Pastor; have your mind ready to receive great things from the Word of God each day in your study; make it a daily routine; have the study actually be a study where you search hard to verify whether the things you believe or have heard are actually so, or not.
Love for the Bible
Ps 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
A Pastor will be diligent, faithful, excited, and fruitful in his daily study if he truly has a heart like King David had about God’s Word! The Pastor should take what he studied in his study and meditate on it all the day long!
Cry unto the Lord
Prov 2:3-5 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
Just think if you, as a Pastor, would actually cry unto the Lord for understanding of His Word as you go about to study it each day in the study! The study is where the Pastor seeks and searches for the hidden treasures, truths, of God’s Word. He oh so wants to find the knowledge of God! He searches for it with all that he has.
Do Count them but Dung
Phil 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Don’t let anything get in the way of you being in your study. Count anything that would come between you and that ‘but dung’ (other than urgent matters, or family needs, etc.). Make the study near a top priority every day!
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A Weariness to the Flesh
Eccl 12:12-13 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Be careful though, not to study just for study’s sake. Don’t do so much studying that your no good for your other many responsibilities as a pastor, father, husband, citizen, etc.. Also, studying in the Pastor’s study is hard work and the flesh may fight against it…the flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing!
It Doth Make thee Mad
Acts 26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Some people (wife, kids, neighbors, fellow church members, etc.) might feel that you are overdoing it a bit with all this Bible study in your study. They may think that you are a little out of balance. Of course, there is a balance to the ministry; it’s not ‘all’ study…there are a lot of other aspects to the ministry. But, don’t be influenced too much by what the ‘innocent bystanders’ are saying.
Ever Learning
2 Tim 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Some Pastors will spend hours after hours, weeks after weeks, years after years, studying the Bible and yet still remain grossly in error. Just look at Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Melancthon, and countless other “great theologians” of yesteryear…and today. You need to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading into all truth…and this is not necessarily an easy activity to undertake. Put aside your biases, your inclinations, your assumptions, etc..
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It is Profitable
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Your being in the study will indeed pay off. It is very profitable to study the Bible. It will be extremely profitable for your ministry. The Pastor’s study is worth every hour there!
Lovest Thou Me?
John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Some Pastors are pretty hard-headed and don’t right away understand what God wants them to be focusing on. They get sidetracked on everything but the main thing….feeding the sheep. They need to be ‘in the study’! If you love Jesus Christ, dear Pastor, then you will be in your study!
Neglect not
1 Tim 4:14-16 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
It is important not to neglect your gift of Pastor-teacher; give yourself wholly to ‘the study’; so that the profit of all your time in the study may appear to all!
Be Ready
1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Have your mind made up to be a studious Pastor; to be ‘in the study’ diligently, faithfully. You’ll be feeding that flock 3 to10 times a week; that’s going to take someone who is fixed upon having a meal ready each time!
Take Heed
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Take heed to yourself, dear Pastor; make sure that you make this a priority…something that you constantly are analyzing to see if it is right.
Day and Night
Josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Being ‘in the study’ needs to be a potentially 24/7 frame of mind. The Pastor should ‘meditate therein day and night’. If a Pastor does such, they are sure to have a prosperous, successful ministry for the Lord!
What’s the Goal
Eph 4:11-15 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
It will take much work behind the scenes, in the study, in order to fulfill this challenging passage! You are in the study so that you, and you alone (with God of course), can edify, perfect, unify, make sound in the truth, in a loving way, the many members of that flock, that body of Christ!
Be Sensible
Neh 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
You need to spend the time in the study so that once you come out of it you are at a point where you can ‘give the sense’ of the Bible, and cause them to understand what it is that you are reading!
Fruit in Season
Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The Pastor’s time in his study will definitely some day pay off! There will be fruit brought forth in the right season. All that work in the study will be fruitful, prosperous, well worth the effort! Pastor: be diligent and faithful to your study!!!
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