The Minister's Devotional Life
by
Joel Stephen Williams
According to Robert Yule “The
ministry is a demanding occupation; it requires deep spiritual resources to
sustain and enrich it. Such resources can be at least partially, acquired
through prayer. Yet there is today possibly no part of a minister's life that
is less cultivated for want of practical guidance, or more quickly abandoned
for lack of time, than this. How can we sustain a regular discipline of prayer,
so that our ministry might be a genuine work of God and not just a feverish
round of well-intentioned but sometimes fruitless activity?” (Robert M. Yule, "Recent Writing on Christian Spirituality,” Scottish Journal of Theology 28 [1975]:
588).
A Spiritual Need Among Ministers
This problem is a common
one faced by many ministers. The private devotional life of a minister is often
either empty or nonexistent. While preachers attempt to achieve greater
expertise in Bible knowledge and in professional skills in order to perform
their roles better, at the same time they often feel a certain void of
spirituality. Beyond simple confessions
of a lack of spirituality among ministers, there are other symptoms of the
problem on a wider scale in the religious community. The charismatic movement
might be seen as a sign of an unmet need in Christendom. Likewise, the great
influence of the Eastern religions into the West in recent years is a symptom
of a void in spirituality. Here the contemplative ideal is usually being sought
after more than an actual religious doctrine. Furthermore, the general unrest
and frequent, experimentation in worship and liturgy might be an indication of
a need for more meaningful religious experiences. One, though, does not have to
spend much time searching for evidence of the problem; a simple survey reveals
that the private devotional life of the “typical” minister is not what it
should be.
A Brief Historical Perspective
In tracing the origin of
the problem from a very broad historical perspective, one might begin with the
great surge in monastic life in the early fourth century. This was no
coincidence; it happened just as the state made its peace with the church. It
was no longer difficult to be a Christian, rather, it became the fashionable
thing to do. The church grew in numbers and also grew in worldliness. Many, no
longer having the path of the martyr to follow, chose the hard life of ascetism
or the contemplative ideal. Centuries later in
Protestantism there was a separation from Rome along with a rejection of
orders, monasticism, rules, vows, celibacy, and most of what was associated
with it. The separation between the active and contemplative life ended, and an
attempt was made to praise godly living in various secular roles. Before this
time, any manner of life other than monasticism was considered a lower form or
a second state of piety.
Uniting the active and the
contemplative life has been difficult in Protestantism; and, according to some,
there has been an inability to develop an adequate theology of the spiritual
life at all. So, while Protestantism has been strongly anti-Catholic in
theological attitude, it always seems allured by the contemplative found in
Catholicism. More recent trends have complicated this situation. Skepticism is
more common, and skeptical thoughts about God will cut deep into the taproot of
spirituality, since prayer is based upon a belief in God and his actions in
this world. Also, the continued secularization of 20th century mankind is an
increasingly difficult deterrent in developing spirituality.
Whatever the cause, the
absence of an adequate devotional aspect in the minister's life has brought
forth many articles suggesting ways of recovering this missing element. Some,
laying the blame upon educational institutions for ministers, claim the
solution is to be found in training in spirituality while ministers are in
school. Others object that such schools are designed only for academic study
and argue that ministers must have their spirituality before they come to
school. What suggestions, though, can be made to help ministers obtain better
devotional lives?
Improving One's Devotional Life
First, ministers will have
to arrange their schedules to even find time for a devotional life. The
circumstances of today and the many pressing duties of a typical minister often
leave no time for the development of spirituality. One study done in 1968 concluded
that the pressure of time was among the most important factors that hindered a
minister's spiritual growth.
Second, having a place to
which one can retreat is very important. If the minister's study is on the
first floor of the church building with ringing phones, busy typewriters, and
noisy printing presses, then a minister needs another place or time at which one
can retire to commune with God. A private' place is needed since such
experiences need to be authentic, not just for show.
Third, a minister must
concentrate on developing a better prayer life. One must examine beliefs about
God, providence, and prayer. It is necessary to believe not just in God, but also
in a God who cares, who is sovereign, and who intervenes. If one believes that
nothing happens in prayer beyond character changes in the person praying, prayer
life will be shallow. Even so, developing an adequate prayer life can be
difficult.
One important element of
the minister's private prayer life that merits special attention is
intercessory prayer. Eugene Bradford reminds us that intercessory prayer is a
ministerial task and summarizes the abundant biblical data on the subject. In
intercessory prayer there is a link forged between the contemplative life and
the active life A minister can keep a prayer list or a church directory at hand
for intercessory prayer.
Fourth, a minister should
develop a system of regular reading from the Bible and devotional literature of
the ages. Numerous collections for this purpose such as John Baillie's, A
Diary of Readings, are very useful. In such reading the minister should
avoid the constant temptation of thinking only in terms of next Sunday's sermon
or Bible class. Though such devotional reading will influence the content of
one's preaching, it should be thought of as an addition to the regular study
done for teaching purposes.
Fifth, other exercises
such as fasting might be incorporated into a minister's private life. Jesus,
though not considered an ascetic in the normal sense, did fast for forty days
on one occasion. He did this in the privacy of the desert. Likewise, privacy
for the minister is needed to avoid hypocrisy or religion for show.
Sixth, the devotional life
of the minister must be integrated with practice. Compartmentalization of life
or world escapism is not desirable. Withdrawal and involvement must be held in
tension. Unless a minister integrates private devotional life with service for
others, a feeling of futility and uselessness will probably overcome such
activities.
The outward form is not
extremely important in structuring one's own devotional life. The inner content
is what really matters. Fads and trends come and go, but the core of the
devotional life remains the same.
Concluding Thoughts
A final warning is sounded
by many who are deeply involved in a contemplative life. One should not expect
extraordinary experiences; one will go through spells of dryness or apathy,
even hatred or contempt for the devotional life. Shallow enthusiasm can lead to
many broken resolutions, but simply quitting in despair can keep us off the
road to God as much as gross, carnal sins. Being aware of the dangers and
pitfalls, with perseverance and faith, ministers can develop a private
devotional life which will greatly increase their affection for God and
regularly enhance their ministry to others.
Originally published in Firm Foundation (2 March 1982): 134.
