WASHINGTON (DC)
Christian Post
March 10, 2019
By Leah MarieAnn Klett
To guard against the temptations and abuses that come with positions of power and influence in the church, pastors must cultivate a life of prayer marked by honesty and vulnerability, two evangelical leaders have said.
In a recent video posted on the Gospel Coalition website, Kyle Strobel, professor of spiritual theology and formation at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California, and Jamin Goggin, a pastor at Mission Hills Church in San Marcos, California, warned that every pastor will, at some point, be tempted by worldly power in ministry.
“Just because you’re doing ministry doesn’t mean somehow you’re not going to be tempted to employ worldly power for the sake of it,” said Strobel.
One way to combat this temptation, Strobel said, is to cultivate a life of prayer “where honesty is at its core.” He encouraged pastors to consider the areas in their lives where they might be tempted toward power, from getting more people to download sermons to filling church pews.
“We need to be open to all these areas in our hearts where we’re actually trying to use God,” he said. “We’re actually trying to come up with ways where we can employ ourselves and wield them to try to further His Kingdom. All of these things are temptations toward power.”
“As I see myself being tempted by these things, now I have to come and say, ‘Lord, look at this,’” Strobel continued. “‘I hear your message. I hear that without you, I can do nothing. I look at my life. I know how much you’ve done for me. I know everything I have is because you are a gracious Father, and yet I consistently look for ways where I can wield worldly power.'”
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