Phil Ryken on the Pastor-Theologian

Phil Ryken on the Pastor-Theologian July 13, 2009

CS009556Phil Ryken just published a piece from Ligonier’s Tabletalk at Ref21 that covers how John Calvin was a pastor-scholar.  It’s a solid article worth reading.

Ryken distills Calvin’s goal in preaching:

“Calvin’s goal in all his preaching and writing was to teach the Word of God faithfully so that the Holy Spirit could use his words to bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ and to help them grow in godliness. He knew that only God could do the real work of the ministry. Preaching accomplishes nothing, he said, “unless the Spirit of God does inwardly touch the hearts of men.” Yet Calvin also believed that the Spirit’s work included his own best efforts to teach the Bible: “Through [the Spirit’s] inward operation [preaching] produces the most powerful effects.”

He details Calvin’s preaching method:

“Although Calvin usually preached for more than an hour, he spoke extemporaneously, without text or notes. He was not speaking “off the cuff,” however, because whatever he said was the product of his own careful, first-hand exegesis and wide reading in the early church fathers and other Bible commentators. As Calvin once remarked to his congregation: “If I should enter a pulpit without deigning to glance at a book, and frivolously imagine to myself, ‘Oh well, when I preach, God will give me enough to say’ — and come here without troubling to read, or thinking what I ought to declare, and do not carefully consider how I must apply Holy Scripture to the edification of the people — then I should be an arrogant upstart.”

He concludes with this insightful word:

“Calvin’s example as a pastor-scholar is instructive today. For pastors, his life serves as a call to work hard in ministry, giving our best efforts to understanding the Scriptures. For parishioners, Calvin’s ministry can help us understand the God-given calling of our pastors. In devoting their time to prepare for preaching, they are not serving themselves but Christ and His church.”

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Excellent analysis.  Readers of this humble little blog know that I love this model of the pastorate.  Awareness of it is clearly spreading and catching on among the younger generation.  I’m excited to see what the future holds on this point.  I think we’ll see a generation of pastor-theologians rise up to lead the church once more.


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