This age of connectivity has brought with it many blessings and possibly even more blights. One of the negative effects of unfettered access to information is that people can shop for advice and teachings that fit their preconceived notions and personal biases. Believers are not immune to this practice and too often resort to searching online for guidance without availing themselves of one of the most valuable resources available to New Testament believers, their local church pastor.
I understand why many would avoid asking counsel of their pastor. The examples are numerous of men in ministry who have mistakenly thought their advice was the equivalent of divine revelation and that to contradict the pastor’s point of view was to be in rebellion against God Himself. A good pastor knows that his advice is not infallible. If he is humble, he will recognize his limitations while seeking to guide you into a Biblical path. With the understanding that pastors are sinners too and assuming your pastor is a humble, godly man, here are three reasons you should search the heart of your pastor for counsel before you search social media and the internet.
First, there is safety in a multitude of counselors. The book of Proverbs reiterates this truth several times (Proverbs 11:4, 15:22, & 24:6), and Jesus affirmed it when He admonished his disciples to count the cost (Luke 14:31). The first Person you should ask counsel of is the Lord. (Don’t be like the Israelites who fell for the deception of the Gibeonites because they asked not counsel of the Lord. See Joshua 9:14.) As you are praying for wisdom from God, you should be seeking counsel that God can use to guide you in your search for what is right. Your pastor should be among the number of godly counselors to whom you go to receive Biblical insight. His knowledge in the Word of God, his life experience, and his desire to see you succeed in your Christian life make him a valuable resource for wise counsel. Proverbs 20:5 says, “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.” There is much counsel in your pastor’s heart, but he can’t read minds or see the future. A person with understanding will draw that counsel out of him by coming to him and asking questions.
A second reason you should seek counsel from your pastor is that there is much danger in the multitude of false teachers spreading false doctrine. Access to more information means access to more false information. Paul said that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13), so it is very likely that you will encounter false teachings online. The internet is full of websites, videos, and blog posts that contain false doctrines. You would be wise to consult with someone who is very familiar with the truth of the Word of God and can readily identify Satan’s counterfeits. According to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, a pastor must possess those two characteristics, or else he is not qualified to be a pastor, so who better to consult with than him? He won’t always have the answer to your questions, and hopefully, he is wise enough to say, “I don’t know” when he doesn’t know. But many times, he will have an answer that can point you in the right direction.
A third reason you should seek counsel from your pastor is that it is his solemn duty to look out for your spiritual wellbeing. Hebrews 13:17 tells us that spiritual leaders “watch for [our] souls, as they that must give account.” That is a very sobering verse for pastors. While God will hold everyone accountable for every idle word that we speak (Matthew 12:36), there is another level of accountability that applies to a pastor as he leads people. A wise pastor will be on the lookout for any potential threat to believers, whether it is a false doctrine or bad life decisions. He will warn about potential dangers because he understands that God holds him personally responsible for how well he safeguards the spiritual wellbeing of those God has given him to serve. Since he has such a high motive for steering you in the right direction, you would be wise to seek his counsel.
Yes, some pastors have abused people, demanding that people consult with them before making any decisions and harshly rebuking them if they didn’t follow their advice. Shame on them for being “lords over God’s heritage.” (1 Peter 5:3) A good pastor doesn’t want to make your decisions for you. He wants to help you make wise decisions because that is an integral part of his job that he will answer to God for. The chances are that if you make a terrible decision, he’s going to be the one to help you pick up the pieces and repair the damage. Wouldn’t it be better to get his advice beforehand and possibly avoid the wrong decision altogether? The next time you have a question about the Word of God or a life situation, be wise and ask your pastor before you ask the internet.
Copyright © 2021 Steven Chambers. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission.
