The Reformed Pastor

1. Pastoral Self-Care is the Foundation of Effective Ministry

Therefore, first take heed unto yourselves so that you will be that which you persuade your hearers to be, believe that which you persuade them daily to believe, and have heartily accepted that Christ and Spirit whom you offer unto others.

Personal holiness first. Before a pastor can effectively minister to others, he must diligently attend to his own spiritual condition. It is a profound contradiction to preach salvation while neglecting one's own soul, or to condemn sins in others while living in them oneself. God saves no one merely for being a preacher, but for being a justified, sanctified, and faithful servant.

Avoid hypocrisy. A pastor's life must align with his doctrine, lest his example contradict his words and become a stumbling block. Careless living can "cut the throat of many a sermon," making the word of God seem like an idle tale. Ministers must study as hard to live exactly as they do to preach exactly, composing their lives to encourage salvation.

Guard against sin. Pastors, like all people, possess a depraved nature and sinful inclinations, making self-watchfulness crucial. The ministry also presents unique and greater temptations, as Satan targets leaders to cause maximum damage. Ministers must be vigilant, for their sins carry more heinous aggravations due to their knowledge and public role, dishonoring God and the gospel.

2. Know and Nurture Every Soul in Your Flock Individually

We should know every person who belongs to our charge. For how can we take heed unto them if we do not know them?

Individual oversight. The command to "take heed unto all the flock" implies that a pastor must know every member personally, just as a shepherd knows each sheep. This personal knowledge is essential for effective spiritual care, allowing ministers to tailor their teaching and guidance to individual needs and circumstances.

Appropriate church size. Baxter argues that a flock should not be larger than a pastor can realistically oversee. If a minister's charge is too vast, he must seek assistance or, if necessary, live more simply to afford help, prioritizing the souls of his parishioners over personal comfort or wealth. The eternal well-being of souls outweighs any earthly inconvenience.

Diverse needs. The flock comprises various spiritual states, each requiring specific attention:

• Unconverted: Needing eyes opened, hearts softened, and repentance.
• Weak believers: Requiring strengthening, growth in grace, and establishment in faith.
• Struggling: Battling particular sins, temptations, or spiritual distress.
• Backsliders: Needing diligent recovery and restoration.
• Strong believers: Requiring encouragement, direction in service, and perseverance.

3. Ministry Demands Utmost Diligence, Sincerity, and Spiritual Fervor

This work must be managed laboriously and diligently, as being of such unspeakable consequence to others and ourselves.

Pure motives. All ministerial work must be done purely for God and the salvation of people, not for personal gain or reputation. Self-denial is doubly necessary for ministers, as wrong motives can corrupt even the most excellent preaching into "glorious hypocritical sinning."

Unwearied effort. The immense stakes of ministry—upholding God's kingdom, saving souls from damnation, overcoming evil—demand tireless labor. Pastors must study hard, not just for sermons, but to deepen their understanding, and apply their knowledge vigorously. Paul's "woe is me if I do not preach the gospel" should constantly echo in their ears.

Spiritual character. The manner of ministry is as crucial as its matter. It must be:

• Humble: Ready to learn and serve all.
• Affectionate: Demonstrating tender love for the people, willing to "spend and be spent."
• Reverent: Speaking as if in God's presence, avoiding levity.
• Spiritual: Led by the Holy Spirit, savoring divine truths.
• Patient: Bearing scorn and injury without ceasing to do good.

4. Confront Pride and Other Ministerial Sins with Humility

Certainly, pride is a greater sin than whoredom or drunkenness, and humility is as necessary as chastity and sobriety.

Humble confession. Baxter calls ministers to a "plain confession of our sin," beginning with pride, which he deems "more hateful and inexcusable in us than in other men." He urges self-humiliation for past negligence, especially in personal instruction, recognizing that God humbles before he helps.

Subtle pride. Pride infiltrates every aspect of ministry:

• Study and preaching: Choosing subjects, words, and delivery for applause rather than clarity or conviction.
• Reputation: Envying others' gifts, maligning those who "eclipse their glory."
• Opinion: Magnifying one's own views, resenting contradiction, expecting conformity.
• Sensitivity: Being "so tender that no man can scarce touch us but we are hurt."

Other pervasive sins. Beyond pride, Baxter identifies:

• Undervalued unity: Ministers often speak for peace but are instruments of division, failing to heal church wounds.
• Negligence: In studies, in vigorous preaching, and in executing acknowledged duties like church discipline, often due to fear of difficulty or suffering.
• Selfish use of money: Prioritizing personal or family wealth over charitable works and the needs of the flock, misinterpreting Scripture to justify avarice.

5. The Church's Priceless Worth Compels Our Utmost Labor

Remember the price that was paid for the church that we oversee. As Paul says in this very text, God the Son purchased the church with his own blood.

Divine commission. Ministers are "overseers" appointed by the Holy Spirit, making their commission divine and not to be disobeyed. This office demands constant vigilance, wisdom, and courage against a subtle, malicious enemy. The sheer volume and difficulty of the work, contending against sin in countless souls, should drive ministers to greater effort.

Christ's purchase. The church is "the church of God," sanctified by the Spirit, united to Christ, and bought with His own blood. This profound truth should ignite fervent zeal in pastors. Christ's sacrifice for souls makes them worthy of our "utmost care" and labor, far exceeding His own suffering and condescension.

God's faithfulness. Ministers are Christ's stewards, and He who entrusted them with His work will sustain them. Their privileges—learning, delightful knowledge, spiritual conversation, a "continual Sabbath"—are not for idleness but for empowering diligent service. These immense honors and provisions demand unwearied dedication.

6. Personal Instruction Yields Profound and Lasting Benefits

I have found by experience that an ignorant man who has been an unprofitable hearer has received more knowledge and remorse of conscience in half an hour’s close discourse than he did in ten years of public preaching.

Soul conversion. Private instruction offers a uniquely hopeful advantage for converting souls, delivering a powerful blow to the kingdom of darkness. It allows for direct, tailored engagement that public preaching, while excellent, often cannot achieve, especially for the ignorant or resistant.

Orderly edification. This method systematically builds up believers by laying a firm foundation of core truths, making public preaching more comprehensible and effective. It fosters familiarity between pastor and people, breaking down barriers and encouraging open communication about doubts and spiritual states.

Comprehensive care. Personal instruction enables ministers to:

• Better understand each person's spiritual condition and needs.
• Administer sacraments with greater discernment.
• Help people resist specific temptations, errors, and schisms.
• Encourage and honor diligent Christians.
• Inform people about the true nature of ministerial oversight and their duties.
• Prepare the next generation of ministers by establishing a vital practice.
• Promote family reformation and profitable use of time.
• Exercise and increase grace in the pastor's own life, bringing peace of conscience.

7. Embrace Difficulties as Calls to Greater Diligence

For difficulties must energize us to greater diligence in a necessary work, and many difficulties we will find, both in ourselves and in our people.

Internal struggles. Ministers face significant internal obstacles that demand heightened resolve:

• Dullness and laziness: A natural aversion to hard, self-denying work.
• Man-pleasing: Fear of losing affection, leading to allowing souls to perish quietly.
• Foolish bashfulness: Shame in speaking for Christ or confronting sin.
• Carnal interests: Fear of losing income, comfort, or reputation.
• Weak faith: Doubts about eternal realities, hindering fervent zeal.
• Unskillfulness: Lacking the art of engaging and winning over carnal hearts.

External challenges. The people themselves present difficulties:

• Obstinate unwillingness: Scorn for instruction, thinking themselves "too old to learn."
• Dullness: Slow to grasp even basic truths, leading to shame and avoidance.
• Ignorance: Difficulty understanding, requiring exceptional clarity from the pastor.
• Hardened hearts: Resistance to powerful persuasions, requiring the Spirit's work.
• Backsliding: Tendency for initial impressions to fade without ongoing care.

Necessity as motivation. Despite these formidable challenges, the work's absolute necessity compels diligence. Every Christian, and especially every minister, is doubly obliged to do all possible for others' salvation. The urgency of souls "gasping under the pangs of death" demands compassionate, unwearied effort, for a minister's own eternal welfare is tied to his faithfulness.

8. Reject Excuses; God's Call to Labor is Uncompromising

What is a candle made for but to be burnt? Burnt and wasted we must be in the end.

No time for idleness. Baxter sternly refutes objections that this demanding ministry is too time-consuming for studies or too detrimental to health and recreation. He argues that such pleas are "merely the plea of the flesh for its own interest," akin to a physician neglecting plague patients for personal comfort. Our time and strength are for God; it is better to be "spent in lighting the way for men to heaven."

God's "severe laws." The duties are not man-made but Christ's own, and He who imposes them will provide the strength and instruments. To call God's service "slavery and drudgery" is a "wretched insult." Christ will raise up ministers who "will willingly take the labor on them and rejoice to be so employed," accounting it the "happiest life in the world."

No excuse for inaction. The obstinacy of some people does not excuse a minister's duty. If some refuse help, others will accept it, and their salvation justifies the labor. Furthermore, personal conference is preaching, often more effectual than public sermons for individual conversion. Baxter concludes that there is "nothing from God, from the Spirit, or from right reason to cause us to question our work."

9. Implement Systematic Personal Instruction with Prudence and Love

The main danger lies in defects of diligence and defects of skill.

Preparing the people. To encourage submission to personal instruction, ministers must:

• Build trust: Convince people of their ability, sincerity, and love through consistent ministry.
• Preach necessity: Deliver sermons demonstrating the benefit and urgency of knowing divine truths and the principles of faith.
• Distribute catechisms: Provide a copy to every family, allowing time for learning.
• Deal gently: Remove discouragements, accept different catechisms, and encourage the elderly or less able.
• Persuade the reluctant: Personally engage those who refuse, convincing them of the danger of their contempt.

Conducting the session. When people come, the pastor should:

• Begin gently: Offer a brief, soothing introduction to ease minds and explain the purpose.
• Deal privately: Speak with individuals one-on-one (with others present for women to avoid scandal), as plain dealing is better received in private.
• Assess knowledge: Test their understanding of the catechism or basic creeds.
• Instruct and explain: Choose important points, avoid overly difficult questions, and thoroughly explain truths.
• Inquire into spiritual state: Prudently ask about their conversion, defining true conversion clearly.
• Press home truth: If unconverted, earnestly bring their heart to a sense of their condition.
• Conclude with exhortation: Urge reconciliation with Christ, use of means, and avoidance of sin, seeking promises.
• Encourage family follow-up: Engage family heads to continue catechizing at home.
• Offer charity: Provide relief to the poorest, especially those who show diligence.

10. Cultivate a Spirit of Love, Humility, and Unity in Ministry

We must live in mutual jealousies and drowned holy love in bitter contention. We have studied how to disgrace and undermine one another and to increase our own parties by right or wrong.

Unity in the church. Baxter laments the "undervaluing the unity and peace of the whole church" among ministers, where "almost every party thinks that the happiness of the rest consists only in turning to them." This contentious zeal divides the church, turning piety into "vain opinions, disputes, envies, and animosities." Ministers must actively promote unity, seeing discord as a breeding ground for error.

Love and humility in practice. Throughout all interactions, the pastor's manner must reflect love, humility, and seriousness. This means:

• Tailored approach: Adapting communication to each person's age, temperament, and spiritual state.
• Plainness and familiarity: Speaking simply and personally, avoiding affectation.
• Scriptural grounding: Providing evidence from God's Word for all instruction.
• Heartfelt earnestness: Avoiding superficiality, ensuring genuine feeling in application.
• Self-examination: Constantly guarding one's own heart, strengthening faith, and subduing corruptions.

A lasting legacy. Baxter's vision is for a "right reformation" that will bless generations. He urges ministers to be "studious of union and communion among ourselves" and to "give this nation the fruit of all the prayers of the Reformers, their cares, their works, their cost, their blood, and their heavy sufferings." This collective, diligent, and loving effort will save souls, bring peace, and ensure the purity and unity of Christ's churches.

Last updated: February 7, 2026