One Sunday after preaching, I found myself gravitating to a man I knew would compliment me for another great sermon. I found that I did this every Sunday. I bypassed others and went straight for my backslapping, always sermon-affirming, never-to-disappoint friend. The day I caught myself doing this was the day I realized this was unhealthy. So, I ignored that friend and stood in the lobby, eager to talk to anyone, even those who didn’t like my sermon and were honest about it. 

Why are pastors like that? According to my interview with Dr. Andreas Kostenberger, it comes down to our self-image. The Bible does talk about it, but it has to be a discussion around how Jesus views us. We both agreed that God will sometimes make us insecure so that we, in time, find our security in him. Dr. Andreas Kostenberger writes this on his blog on this subject: 

The role of pastors in fostering a healthy self-image is vital. People may think the concern for mental health and a proper self-image is a fairly recent phenomenon, but it is not. In the pages of the Bible, we see the apostle Paul display a consistent concern for the mental health of his associates and people in the churches. We see this most poignantly by the recurrence of the Greek word group, sōphro-, typically translated into English as “self-control,” though a more accurate translation would be “sound or healthy mind.” In his letters to Timothy and Titus, Paul urges that a sound mind be pursued by church leaders (1 Tim 3:2; 2 Tim 1:7; Titus 1:8), older and younger men (Titus 2:2, 6), older and younger women (Titus 2:5; cf. 1 Tim 2:9, 15), and by every believer (Titus 2:12).

Drs. Andreas and Marny Kostenberger have four adult children, have decades of experience equipping leaders for ministry, and are devoted servants of God in our local church. Andreas is a Bible teacher and prolific author with a heart for coaching men in the ministry. Marny enjoys hospitality and coaching ministry wives and other Christian women leaders. Together, Marny and Andreas have written books on marriage and family, and each has written on topics of their expertise. Andreas is well known for his love of Biblical Theology and the Gospel of John. Both of us are also certified Christian leadership coaches (CCLC). Whether you are a pastor planning a sabbatical, a missionary starting home assignment, or any Christian leader looking for refreshment, encouragement, and support, we look forward to hosting you soon at our quaint cottage home! Whether you are a pastor planning a sabbatical, a missionary starting home assignment, or any Christian leader looking for refreshment, encouragement, and support, we look forward to hosting you soon at our quaint cottage home!

Check out:

www.oaktreecottage.org

www.biblicalfoundations.org

The post Podcast 146: The Pastor and His Identity (Dr. Andreas Köstenberger) appeared first on Before You Quit.