"Pastors are not mere teachers. We don’t just pass along information about the Bible. Yes, we must know the Word and divide it rightly. But our work goes beyond explanation. Pastors are craftsmen of the human soul. Our task is not only to explain the Word, but to apply it wisely in real situations.
We are shepherds. And like real shepherds, we don’t tend random sheep in random fields. We shepherd the sheep entrusted to us. That means the application of God’s Word is never generic. It’s always aimed at a particular people, in a particular place, at a particular time. The same pastor preaching the same text will not preach it the same way to different congregations in different seasons. He can’t help it. He applies the Word to the people standing right in front of him. He’s dealing with the needs of the day for the people God has given him.
If you don’t share this understanding of pastoral ministry, then this article is not for you. But if you do, then the concerns I’m raising will make sense."
And here are the main points:
"First, social media, like most media with global reach, delocates us."
"Second, social media encourages a pastor to pander."
"Third, influencer culture trains pastors to become personalities rather than simply people."
"Fourth, wherever you invest your best energy, especially your most focused creativity, that’s where your heart will go."
"Lastly, at least for now, I believe influencer culture becomes an echochambers which impairs a pastor’s ability to discern."
Read the entire article here:
thisisfoster.com/p/how-influ…