The pastorate is a dangerous calling. There are hidden perils around every corner, from plagiarism to the abuse of alcohol. No man, and I mean no man, is immune from these sinful dangers.
I still remember my professor in seminary telling our class to watch out for the “Three Gs” that would sink our ministries. These were (and are): 1) gold 2) glory and 3) girls.
By gold, my professor was warning us against the love of money. The love of money, as Paul wrote, is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Money can corrupt a pastor’s motivations for serving the church and lead to dishonest and manipulative practices. It can produce a spiritually complacent attitude, and turn a heart from service of God to idolatry.
You might have fallen into the “gold trap” if you are constantly talking to friends and family about the fact that you aren’t paid enough. You might have fallen into the “gold trap” if you skimp on your offerings to the church. Instead, just like all congregants, pastors should be giving generously to their church.
Pastors must beware of covetousness, as Christ warned (Luke 12:15). Our lives do not consist in the abundance of what we possess. Instead, we must cultivate contentment with what has been given to us (1 Timothy 6:6), rejecting the raging materialism of our culture.
By glory, my professor was warning us against pride and arrogance. Because the pastorate is a public calling, it can be a breeding ground for conceit. Particularly if apparent “success” meets us, it is easy to fall prey to the view that we are something special. For example, it is easy when complemented after a sermon to pat ourselves on the back, rather than attribute all glory to God.
You have fallen into the “glory trap” if you are not able to hear a critique without resentment or defensiveness. You might have fallen into the “glory trap” if you find yourself struggling with gentleness and patience toward congregants who do not see things the way you do. In the ministry, as in the Christian life, prayerlessness is often a manifestation of pridefulness (self-reliance).
Of all people, pastors must cultivate the humility necessary to serve Christ. This is precisely what Jesus desired to inculcate in his disciples when he washed their feet in John 13, and when he explained that his own ministry was one of service (Matthew 20:28). Jesus is the finest exemplar of humble service in the history of humanity. Pastors should follow his example.
By girls, my professor was warning us against sexual temptations. These temptations range from physical adultery to porn usage. Because pastors are in a position of authority, the ramifications of sexual sin increase due to their position in the life of a church. Pastors often counsel those who struggle with sexual sin, and are therefore subject to hearing about sins that, if mentally indulged, could begin to hinder their own sexual purity.
Paul made clear that Timothy was to view the “younger women [of the church] as sisters, with all purity” (1 Timothy 5:2). By noting that Timothy was to treat them with all purity, Paul was highlighting the potential danger of sexual misconduct that could beset Timothy if he wasn’t extremely careful. Pastors who call the sexually immoral to repentance must themselves be living a life of sexual purity. The word of God must work on our own hearts first, before we use it to work on others.
You have fallen into the “girls trap” if you find yourself flirting with women or speaking in an overly familiar way with them. You have fallen into the “girls trap” if you are searing your conscience with occasional pornography usage. You have fallen into the “girls trap” if you think that taking a second look is really no big deal. It is a big deal, and Jesus taught us to cut off and pluck out the sinful desires of our hearts (Matthew 5:29-30).
“Flee youthful lusts,” Paul told Timothy, “but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). Just as we keep a close watch on our teaching, so we must keep a close watch on ourselves (1 Timothy 4:16). Constant vigilance is necessary lest we let down our guard and do something shameful that will shame us for the rest of our lives.
Every time we hear of another pastor who’s fallen prey to one of these “Three Gs,” it is time to hit the refresh button on the prayer Christ taught us (“deliver us from evil,” Matthew 6:13), and to “take heed lest [we] fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
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