There were real dangers lurking among the crowds that Jesus was feeding, healing and teaching. These same dangers still exist in the congregations pastors serve today. Some are more obvious than others.
Here are four threats to be aware of:
Pastors need protection from FANS
Pastors can relate to the fact that the crowds who followed Jesus often asked more from him than was reasonable. Immediately after Jesus fed the 5,000, that crowd tried to “take him by force to make him king. He withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (John 6:15). They even followed him to the other side of the lake for more of that miraculous food. By the end of that same chapter, Jesus’ teachings got so tough that “many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him” (John 6:66).
Fans are fickle. Friends are faithful. As our fans walk out on us, true friends are walking in to help.
Fans chase their pastor down in stores and restaurants; linger indefinitely after church; and text their pastor at random times for random reasons.
If you are not sure who is a fan and who is a friend, ask the Lord you’re or your spouse for discernment.
A pastor needs protection from CRITICS
As Jesus was teaching at the temple, his sermon was abruptly interrupted by a lynch mob of critics wanting to stone a guilty church member. They set her up to bring Jesus down (John 8:6).
Does it surprise you that someone was about to be executed in church? It shouldn’t, because every church has a few members who are good at throwing stones in various ways for various reasons. Stones can look like anonymous letters, group emails, or social media posts.
Critics will use both passive and aggressive stones. An aggressive stone looks like an open hallway tackle on the way to worship. A passive stone may be a veiled prayer request. Church critics see themselves as the pastor-police who are protecting the church, but they are nothing less than schoolyard bullies.
Some church members will make their current pastor pay for something a former pastor did. Pastors should ask their leaders to stand up for you the next time someone picks up a stone at church.
A pastor needs protection from SATAN
The devil is a terrorist who targets pastors. Ask your deacons or elders to pray for you before every service because you are on the front lines of a fierce spiritual battle. Recruit intercessors to prayerfully protect you against “the flaming arrows of the evil one,” as Paul did in Ephesians 6.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.” (Luke 22:31 CSB)
A pastor needs protection from HIMSELF
Jesus did not excuse this adulterer’s sin, he released her from it. Jesus covered her disgrace with his grace, but I’m curious as to where the dude in this adulterous relationship was? Leviticus 20:10 says both should die.
Pastors don’t get a pass on secret or public sins. Instead of playing the victim, we need to guard our hearts by surrounding ourselves with trusted leaders who love us enough to protect us … from ourselves. The pastor in the mirror is much more dangerous than his fans, critics and even the devil.
Pastors don’t need to serve in fear. However, we do need to be protected from all of the dangerous threats to our lives, families and ministries.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mark Dance and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News.
