Who is Your Paper Pastor?

In an age where we can listen live to a conference happening in Chicago (GCNC09) from anywhere in the world, it's amazing to have access to hear the wisdom of brilliant, godly men like Tim Keller, D.A. Carson, and John Piper. There is a danger, of course, of using this access to compare your own pastor to these men and feel like he's less because he's not them. With that in mind, I found this article by Dan Phillips over at The Pyromaniacs very helpful and convicting.

A sample:

[H]ow many pastors know that there are people in their flocks, thinking, "John Piper would never say it that way. Dave Hunt says that what he just preached is heresy. John MacArthur isn't like that. Mahaney says that... Mohler says that... Lloyd-Jones said...."

So, because it's awkward for your pastor to say it to you — and because I've no church who'd suspect I'm talking to them, at the moment — I'll just tell you plain:

Brother, sister: John Piper isn't your pastor. John MacArthur knows nothing about you. Dave Hunt never got on his knees and prayed for you. Lloyd-Jones won't come to your house when you're recovering from surgery, or one of your children shatters your heart, or your marriage is shaking and rocking and barely hanging on. Charles Spurgeon won't weep with you as you weep.

You could buy or not buy _____'s next book, and he'd never know it. But if you're in a manageable-size church with a caring pastor and you're suddenly gone next Sunday, he'll be concerned. He may call. He may ask if everything's okay.

God gave you the pastor He gave you.

Read the entire article. It's worth it.