The following advice to pastors comes from a sermon by Dr. David P. Murray (Flee, Fight, Follow). Dr. Murray says that he first heard this from Pastor John MacArthur.
How a Man Becomes A Man of God
"Fling him into his office. Then tear the office sign from his door, and replace it with a sign that says, 'Study.' Take him off the mailing list. Lock him up with his books, and his typewriter, and his Bible.
Slam him down on his knees before texts and broken hearts and the lives of a superficial flock and a Holy God. Force him to be the one man in the community who knows about God. Throw him into the ring to box with God until he learns how short his arms are. Engage him to wrestle with God all the night through, and let him come out only when he's bruised and beaten into being a blessing. Shut his mouth from forever spouting remarks and stop his tongue from forever tripping lightly over every nonessential. Require him to have something to say before he breaks his silence. Burn his eyes with weary study. Wreck his emotional poise with worry for the things of God. Make him exchange his pious stance for a humble walk with God and man. Make him spend and be spent for the glory of God. Rip out his telephone. Burn up his success sheets. Put water in his gas tank. Give him a Bible and tie him to the pulpit. Test him. Quiz him. Examine him. Humiliate him for his ignorance of things divine. Shame him for his good comprehension of finance, batting averages, and political party issues. Laugh at his frustrated effort to play psychiatrist. Form a choir, raise a chant, and haunt him night and day with 'Sir, we would know God!' When at long last he does assay the pulpit, ask him if he has a word from God. If he doesn't, dismiss him. Tell him you can read the paper yourself. You can digest the television commentary. You can think through the day's superficial problems, and manage the weary drives of the community and bless the assorted baked potatoes and green beans better than he can. When he does speak God's Word, listen. And when he's burned out finally by the flaming Word, consumed by the fiery grace blazing through him, and when he's privileged to translate the truth of God to man and finally has himself transferred from earth to heaven, wave him away gently. Blow a muted trumpet. Lay him down softly. Place a two-edged sword in his coffin. And raise the tune triumphant. For before he died, he had become a man of God!"
