Pastoral Work — How to Do It
The work of every minister is twofold; it is partly in the pulpit and partly out of the pulpit. The first is the work of the preacher; the second is that of the pastor. The two ought to be inseparable; what the providence of God and good common sense have joined together, let no man venture to put asunder. You will be in your pulpit only four or five hours in each week; what you are to be and to do during those infinitely important hours will be the theme of my plain, loving counsels to you in a future article. But your labors outside of your pulpit will occupy more or less of your time during every day of the week; they embrace the whole sphere of your pastoral intercourse with your flock, — your dealings with the awakened, with the sick and the afflicted, with the bereaved and the troubled; your organization of Christian work in your parish, and your executive oversight of all the manifold activities of the church. Your great business is to win souls to Jesus Christ, and to build them up in godly living; and all this cannot be accomplished by two sermons a week, even if they were the best that Paul himself could deliver. In fact, the largest part of Paul’s recorded work was quite other than public preaching. As for our blessed Lord, he has left us one extended discourse and a few shorter ones; but oh, how niany narratives we have of his personal visits, personal conversations, and labors of love with the sick, the sinning, and the suffering! He was the Shepherd who knew every sheep.
Determine, then, from the very start, that you will be a thorough pastor. Only a few men can be great preachers, but every minister who has a good heart and good sense can be a good pastor. Devote the forenoon of every day, except Monday, to your study, and do not allow anybody to intrude upon you, unless he or she comes there on the Master’s business. My custom was to pin on my study-door a card, “Very Busy;” this had the wholesome effect of shutting out mere formal calls, and of shortening the calls of those who had some important errand. Having given your forenoon to your studies, give your afternoons to pastoral visitation. The physical exercise alone will be a benefit, and the spiritual benefits will be tenfold more. Secure a complete record of the “whereabouts” of your congregation. Request from the pulpit that prompt information be given you of any change of residence, and also of any case of sickness or trouble of any kind. Encourage your people to send you word when there is any case of religious interest in their families or any matter of importance to discuss with you. In short, treat your flock exactly as if they were your own family. Be perfectly at home in their homes.
You should manage to visit every family at least once in each year, and as much oftener as circumstances may require. If you are wise enough not to have any “loafing” places, you can easily get through the largest congregation that you are likely ever to have. Spurgeon had an assistant pastor for his immense flock; but he made it a rule to visit the sick or the dying in as many cases as possible. He once remarked to a friend, “I have been to-day to visit two of my church-members who are near eternity, and both are as happy as if they were going to a wedding. Oh, it makes me preach like a lion when I see how my people can die.”
It has always been my custom to take a particular neighborhood, and to call on every parishioner in that street or district; but I have seldom found it wise to send word in advance to any family that I would visit them on a certain day or hour. For I might be prevented from coming, and thus subject them to disappointment or annoyance. Eun the risk as to finding them at home; and, if they are all absent, then leave your card, and try again at another time. If you come in upon your people unawares, as you commonly will, it will depend upon yourself to secure a cordial welcome. If you come in with a hearty salutation, and ask them to allow you to sit down with them wherever they are, regardless of dress or ceremony, you will soon be perfectly at home with them. No one should be so welcome as a loving pastor. Do not squander your call in idle trivialities or gossip. Encourage them to talk with you about the affairs of your church, about the Sabbath services and the truths preached, and the influence that your message is having upon them. In this way you may discover whether your shots are striking, for the gunnery that hits no one is not worth the powder. Fishing for compliments is beneath you; but it does cheer a pastor’s heart to be told, “Your sermon last Sunday brought me a great blessing;” “It helped me all the week;” or, better still, “Your sermon brought me to decide for Christ.” In a careful and delicate way seek to draw out your people in regard to their spiritual condition; if you find that any of the family is anxious about his or her soul, or has any peculiar spiritual trouble, then manage to have a private and unreserved conversation with that person. Be careful how you ever violate the confidence reposed in you. A family physician and a faithful pastor often have to know some things that they do not like to know, but they should not let any one else know them.
This intimate, personal intercourse with your flock will enable you to bring the undecided to a decision for Christ. It will also enable you to clear up difficulties and to solve doubts, gently to rebuke the delinquent, and to encourage the diffident and desponding. A close, hearty, personal talk will often accomplish more than a hundred sermons. As a school of practical theology there is nothing like dealing with a human soul in its various needs or conflicts and temptations. The first revival that I ever had (in my little church at Burlington, K J.) was worth more to me than the same length of time spent in the theological seminary. Next to God’s Word, the most important thing for you to understand is the human heart. Out of the knowledge that you gain in your intimate intercourse with your people you will often make some of your best practical discourses. My people have given me almost as many sermons as I have given to them. A living person is worth a dozen dead books to instruct you.
“A house-going minister makes a church-going people.” He wins hearts. If you make yourself at home in everybody’s home, if you are hearty in. your manner, — especially with the children, — if you come often to visit them in their sickness and in their sorrow, if you deal with them frankly and lovingly, you will gradually weave a cord around their hearts that is not easily broken. They will forgive a poor sermon, and stand a plain sermon without flinching. It is your business to be popular, not to gratify vanity, but to make your heaven ly message winsome. You represent Christ. Study to win everybody. Take an interest in everybody. Never slight the smallest child, or poorest or most obscure human creature in your parish. Never knuckle to the rich; never neglect the poor. The most effective ministers, who build up the most solid churches, are the good pastors. If many a minister would take part of the time that he now spends in polishing his sermons (and often polishing all the edge off), and would devote it to going among his flock, he would have a bigger congregation and vastly more conversions to Christ. All this pastoral work will consume time, and will often put a sharp strain on your nerves. No matter; it will pay in the end. Nothing costs too much that will save a soul. The shepherd who is above the watching and the tending and the nursing of his flock will soon have no flock to watch.