When we were children, we carefully wrote our Christmas wish lists. Some of us even kept lists throughout the year.  As Christmas approached, we would share them with our parents, telling them, “If I could just have these gifts I’d be happy for the rest of my life!” At eight years of age, I remember saying, “If Santa would just being me this G.I. Joe and a Stingray set up for my bike, I wouldn’t ever ask for anything ever again.” We imagined that that gifts for an eight year old would remain satisfying at eighteen, twenty-eight, thirty-eight years of age, etc.. The passing of time and growing up cured us of that illusion.

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However, I must admit that I do still wonder what happened to my G.I. Joe. My mom problem threw him out with all of my baseball cards.

But I digress. In like manner, when we are immature ministers, we imagine that if we could just have certain “gifts” in our ministry, we would be happy for the rest of our lives: great crowds, the celebrity of many fan-followers, serving in a large church, an important position, a title, doing an album that goes big, or (fill in the blank with your “have to have” wish).  

The “must haves” of an eight year-old’s Christmas wish list will fade with time. Maybe even by next Christmas.  But still, what parent denies him or her the joy of Christmas dreaming? Even if the things desired are what some would call frivolous, we let kids be kids and enjoy their magical age, along with this most magical of seasons. They’ll grow up and grow out of these things.

But such frivolous wishes are not so harmless in the context of vocational ministry. What ministers wish for and work for not only affects them, but it affects those whom they are called to serve. And as church history continues to remind us (even today), the effects of ministers’ selfish wishes can be dangerous, even eternally damaging to themselves and others.

This is one reason why the Apostles insisted ministers walk with other ministers. It was a pattern they learned from Jesus and passed down to Barnabas, Paul, et. al.. It was a pattern repeated by pastors like John Calvin, John Wesley, and Martin Luther.  These men knew what Jesus knew knows: older mentors and peer mentors help young ministers submit their desires to the fire of God’s holiness and love; they ask us if we desire these gifts for His glory, the strength of His church, and the salvation of many, or, for pride (celebrity) or selfish ambition (power).

As a pastoral coach, I often remind young ministers of the teachings and experiences of the pastors, missionaries, and ministers who have gone before them. The Bible calls such these things wisdom. When others have walked this way before us, we are wise to heed their counsel and learn from them. 

Therefore, for Christmas this year, we will once again offer our “Christmas Wish List for Pastors.” But this year, with a twist. This wish list comes from the pastors of church history, those whose lives, experiences, and writings have stood the test of time.  We will let them write not from the perspective of youth, but the perspective of age, telling us what pastors really need this and every Christmas. 

Here is Part I of Journey’s “Christmas Wish List for Pastors.”  Part II will follow in just one week. 

This year, and every year, history’s pastors would give pastors these gifts:  

Broken Chains

Grant unto him, O Lord, . . . the power to break all the chains of the evil power of the demons, to cure all the sick, and speedily to subdue Satan beneath his feet.  Prayer of Consecration for new local bishops, Canons of Hippolytus [2^ndCentury AD]

A Warring Soul

As a pastor, you’d better be ready to fight for the Gospel, but you’d better also be ready to war for your own soul . . . . The war of the pastorate is a deeply personal war. It is fought on the ground of the pastor’s heart. It is a war of values, allegiances, and motivations. It is about subtle desires and foundational dreams. This war is the greatest threat to every pastor. Yet it is a war that we often naively ignore or quickly forget in the busyness of local church ministry. Paul David Tripp, “Dangerous Calling”

A Gospel-Obsessed Ministry

We are proclaimers of this gospel. We are appliers of this gospel. We are representatives of this gospel. We are stewards of this gospel. And the one thing we must do – and never depart from – is this gospel, its proclamation and preaching. Thabiti Anyabwile, “The Unadjusted Gospel”

I teach the Gospel again and again because I greatly fear that after we have laid our head to rest, it will soon be forgotten and will again disappear.  Martin Luther

A Shepherd’s Heart 

When God’s sheep are in danger, the shepherd must not gaze at the stars and meditate on “inspirational” themes. He is morally obliged to grab his weapon and run to their defense. A.W. Tozer, “The Best of A.W. Tozer” 

Fire

Nothing but fire kindles fire. To know in one’s whole nature what it is to live by Christ; to be His, not our own; to be so occupied with gratitude for what He did for us and for what He continually is to us that His will and His glory shall be the sole desires of our life . . . that is the first necessity of the preacher.  Phillips Brookes, “The Joy of Preaching”

Not an Office. A Study. 

“The fight to find time to read is a fight for (a pastor’s) life.”  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Preaching and Preachers”

Hearers

We complain today that ministers do not know how to preach; but is it not equally true that our congregations do not know how to hear?  J.I. Packer

Honor

My child, night and day remember him who speaks the word of God to you, and you shall honor him as the Lord. For in the place in which lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord.  The Didache, AD 80-160

Insufficiency

I am not God’s answer to every challenge and opportunity in the church. He provides others more capable than I in areas . . . . It is just as important to recognize, for your gifts don’t lie.  Eddie Gibbs, “The Journey of Ministry”

Anti-Celebrity

We have a mounting epidemic in the church. We have far too many amazing, wonderful, incredible pastors. . . It’s this common, everyday, seemingly innocent language of adulation (bordering on idolatrous worship) that pushes leaders down a dangerous road of secrets, deception, fraud and lies.  Jimmy Dodd, “Survive or Thrive”

On the last day there will be a parade of ordinary men, whose names you have never heard, who will hear the following from the Savior: “Well done, good and faithful pastor.” C.J. Mahaney, “Well Done, Good and Faithful, Ordinary Pastor”

A Pastor-Confessor

Pastor, it is plain and simple: you and I need to be pastored. One of the scandals of hordes of churches is that no one is pastoring their pastor. No one is helping him see what he is not seeing. No one is helping him examine his thoughts, desires, words, and behaviors. No one is regularly calling him to confession. No one is delineating where repentance is appropriate. No one is reaching into his discouragement with the truths of the presence, promises and provision of his Savior. No one is confronting his idolatry and pride. No one is alerting him to places of temptation and danger in his life.  Paul David Tripp, “Dangerous Calling”

Peer Mentors

We should apportion our time with wisdom and spend more time with . . . people with resources, fellow battle warriors, and disciples.  This does not mean ignoring those who need us, but if we receive from and nurture ourselves with relationships that contribute to our lives, we will be in a better condition to serve others.“José Luis Navajo, Mondays With My Old Pastor”

Primary Things

The primary task of the Church and of the Christian minister is the preaching of the Word of God.  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Preaching and Preachers”

A Conviction

The most faithful and effective pastors are those who are driven by deep and energizing convictions. Albert Mohler, “Leading With Conviction”

A Biblical Job Description

When pastors measure whether or not they are successful, it must be by this criterion, namely, are we seeing the saints growing to completeness in Jesus Christ?  R. Albert Mohler, Jr., “Leading With Conviction”

The Ability to Say No 

We have a right to time alone with God, even prior to the claims of other people, and we may insist upon having it has a completely undisturbed quiet time despite all external difficulties. For the pastor it is indispensable duty and his whole ministry will depend on it. Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned be faithful in the things of daily life? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Life Together”

Being a Scholar-Child-Rhinoceros 

Qualifications of a pastor: the mind of a scholar, the heart of a child and the hide of a rhinoceros. Stuart Briscoe

A Study-full, Stage-less Ministry

A passion to preach without a discipline to study is a desire to perform. H.B. Charles, Jr. “On Pastoring”

Trembling

I’m not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on ‘how to cope’ to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought. David Wilkerson

Unction

All the minister’s efforts will be vanity if he have not unction. Unction must come down from heaven and spread a savor and feeling and relish over his ministry; and among the other means of qualifying himself for his office, the Bible must hold the first place, and the last place also must be given to the Bible and prayer.  Richard Cecil

A Yoke (And So, A Cross)

A generation of pastors is emerging whose flaming desire is to be yoked with Christ and to do what He did. If He grounded His identity in Scripture, they will too. If He ministered in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, then these pastors will too by means of all the gifts of the Spirit given to the church. If He demonstrated deep-felt compassion that prompted merciful and caring conversations and actions, so will these pastors. If He practiced the spiritual disciplines as means of identity formation and ministry empowerment, so will these pastors … find themselves getting alone with God in solitude and silence, passionately loving God and receiving ministry from Him just as Jesus did. If Jesus engaged in spiritual warfare in His salvation-bringing work, so will empowered pastors of the twenty-first century put on the full armor of God and stand against the enemy who prowls about deceiving and destroying people. John W. Frye, “Jesus the Pastor” 

A FINAL THOUGHT 

Thinking of the perfect Christmas gift for your pastor is tough.  Ties are tricky – for many they are even out of style. Buying books for a pastor can be difficult: what if he or she already has it and what about those pastors who don’t read? Gift cards are great, but once enjoyed, they’re gone. 

Let our pastoral gift experts help you find the perfect gift or gifts. The suggestions on this list are Bible-recommended, time-tested gifts that keep on giving.  Not only to your pastor, but to you, your church, and the kingdom of God.  

So go ahead and buy the gift card, but don’t make it your real gift.  Let it be the ribbon on the package of a gift that has the potential to change lives for eternity. 

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Special Note: We invite you to purchase our recently released book, “When the Call Comes,” written to help ministers as they walk with those who mourn. Unexpected, or after an extended illness, there is no pastoral responsibility, or privilege, that compares with shepherding people as they say their final goodbyes and mourn their loss. “When the Call Comes” helps pastors serve those who mourn, from the initial call to the end of the funeral.  We address issues like:

“What is the purpose of a funeral and how do I conduct one?”

“What is my role as a pastor, walking families through grief?”

“What should I say when I meet with the family?”

“What do I do in the case of a difficult death: suicide, violence, or infant death?”

“Why do we conduct funeral and graveside services?”

“What do I do when ‘the call’ comes?”

You can read the preface to the book by clicking on this link or you can purchase your copy by clicking here.

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NOTE: Journey Pastoral Coaching exists to provide pastoral coaching to Millennial ministers.

Saddled with large student debt, just beginning to set up homes and start families, and serving in low paying first and second positions, Millennials are those who most desire but can least afford to pay for pastoral coaching.

So we offer it to them at NO COST: Our members do not PAY for coaching; they EARN it by investing in each other.

We are able to do so thanks to the faithful and generous support of individuals and churches like yours who want to see young leaders not only enter the ministry, but remain in the ministry. If you or your church would like to help Millennial ministers in 20 US states and 5 nations build strong for a lifetime in ministry, please click here to contact us by email or to support Journey monthly or with your one-time gift. Thank you.

We also invite you to click and subscribe to our twice-monthly blogs at journeypastoralcoaching.com

“In the early years when I was becoming a pastor, I needed a pastor.” 

 Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir