Go Beyond the Pulpit. Pastor While “Walking Around.”

The true test of effectiveness in loving God’s people is the willingness to get involved in their lives. Effective pastors do not stop with mere words from the pulpit. They live its message among the people. They pour their lives out in ministry to those whom God has sent them.

I call this knowing how to “teach while walking around.” I borrow the phrase “while walking around” from Tom Peters, who popularized the concept of managing while walking around when reporting on a practice of managers at Hewlett-Packard. These managers did not cocoon themselves in corporate offices, but walked among their employees to stay in touch with their most valuable resource—the people who worked for them.¹

In short, teaching includes what pastors do in formal settings, what they say in everyday conversations, and how they model their values in the faith communities where they serve.

How Jesus modeled teaching

No doubt, Jesus preached in public. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus taught in formal settings like the synagogue (Matt 4:23; 9:35) and public venues when crowds gathered around him (Matt 5–7; 13:3–33; 15:10–20; 22:1–14; 23:2–39).

But such formal teaching comprised a small percentage of his teaching ministry. Much of this teaching was while walking around with his disciples, ministering to people.² Jesus also taught as life happened. He taught at his baptism (Matt 3:15), during his wilderness temptation (Matt 4:1–11), after healings (Matt 8:10–13; 9:2–6; 17:17–21), during his betrayal (Matt 26:47–56), in conversations with his disciples (Matt 10:5–42; 13:37–52; 14:27–31; 16:5–11; 16:23–28; 17:9–12; 17:22–23; 18:20; 18:21–35; 19:11–12; 19:23–20:16; 20:18–19; 21:21–22; 24:2; 24:4–25:46; 26:2–13, 17–30, 31–35; 28:18–20), and with non-disciples who asked him questions or engaged him in conversation (Matt 8:20; 9:12–23; 11:4–30; 12:3–8, 11–13, 25–37, 39–45, 48–50; 13:57; 15:3–9; 16:2–4; 17:25–27; 19:4–9, 16–22; 20:22–28; 21:16, 24–44; 22:18–22, 29–32, 37–40, 41–45).

Teaching while walking around was a common method of teaching in his day.³ It was later used by Paul in the latter half of the first century (Acts 20:20),⁴ and before that, by Aristotle and his disciples in the fourth century BC.⁵

Actually, teaching while walking around has ancient roots. In the greater context of the Shema (Deut 6:4–9),⁶ Moses included instructions for parents to conduct religious training with children in the course of everyday life, including “when you walk along the road” (Deut 6:8). The message of the unity of God and the obligation to love him was so important that it required both formal and informal instruction.⁷

Pastors in the twenty-first century do teach while walking around as well. They cannot keep from teaching through word, example, and deed.

Pastors, we teach by how we live—or don’t live

Following Jesus’s example, pastors likewise teach by living what they say they believe (or when they don’t).

1. People believe our words when they align with our actions

In general, people tend to trust others who live what they say they believe, but are less likely to believe the veracity of those who say one thing and do another. When there is an inconsistency between the two, they tend to believe actions more than words.

If you saw a sign in a repair shop window that said, “We can fix anything!” next to a sign that said, “Please knock on the door—the bell doesn’t work,”⁸ would you believe they really can fix anything? If you heard that an outspoken wildlife advocate, who had been critical of the mining industries practice of generating pollution that kills sheep and cattle, pled guilty to a poaching charge,⁹ would you believe he really cares about laws and animals? If you read a book by a famous football coach that describes discipline as “what you do when no one else is looking,”¹⁰ but later learned the he had to resign after looking the other way at his players misconduct and then lying about their deeds in an attempt to cover up their violations, would you trust his integrity?

What about a pastor who preaches on a Sunday morning from Ephesians 4:32 to be kind to others, and then later in the week yells at a clerk at the grocery store who makes an error? Or a pastor who encourages the church members to give sacrificially, but doesn’t tithe? What happens when pastors do not live what they say they believe?

Preachers cannot expect people to apply a sermon when the preachers do not practice what they preach themselves.¹¹ What we do matters more than what we say.¹² There is an inseparable connection between the message and the messenger. People will not believe the words of leaders that they do not trust.¹³ People have a right to demand that their leaders live up to their beliefs.

Pastors teach when they live what they say they believe, and when they don’t.

There is a riveting moment in the motion picture The Patriot (2000), which is set during the days of the American Revolution. Gabriel Martin (played by Heath Ledger) interrupts a worship service already in progress to enlist soldiers for the militia. As Rev. Oliver (played by Rene Auberjonois) resisted allowing the disruptive announcement, Anne Howard (played by Lisa Brenner) took the floor to support Gabriel’s request.

Dan Scott, barely a week ago I heard you railed for two hours about independence. Mr. Hardwick, how many times have I heard you speak of freedom at my father’s table? Half the men in this church, including you, Father, and you, Reverend, are as ardent patriots as I. Will you now, when you are needed most, stop at only words? Is that the sort of men you are? I ask only that you act upon the beliefs of which you have so strongly spoken and in which you so strongly believe.¹⁴

After her stirring speech, Gabriel asks, “Who’s with us?” and one by one, men stand. In short, she said to live what you say you believe.

2. People learn by observing our way of life

There is never a time when a pastor is not a pastor. Pastors can never drop their guard in the name of authenticity or relaxation and act in a way that is unbecoming to the office.

Just as President Reagan never took off his suit coat in the oval office,¹⁵ pastors should never act in a way that lessens their office.¹⁶ The size or location of a church does not diminish the importance of the office of pastor. It is the same office Charles Spurgeon, W. A. Criswell, Adrian Rogers, and Jim Henry held. The office is a good thing, something worth aspiring to (1 Tim 3:1).

People are watching, perhaps even more than they are listening. Pastors teach when they hold the door open for a disabled person, when they yell at an umpire who makes a bad call, or when they stop to talk to a homeless person outside a fast food restaurant. They teach by example—an example their people are commanded to follow (Heb 13:7).

3. People learn by doing ministry alongside us

One way pastors can help people live Jesus’s commands (see the “Great Commission” in Matt 28:18–20) is to release and equip them to be ministers. This, in fact, is a primary responsibility for pastors (see Eph 4:12).

Just as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to classroom instruction, there is not a single learning venue that will always achieve optimal results. When pastors work to equip the people for ministry, they may do so in formal teaching venues like a worship service or a retreat setting, but it can also be done while doing ministry.

The combination of hearing and doing is a powerful learning duo.¹⁷ For some people, the truth they have heard does not become real to them until they begin applying it.¹⁸ While doing cannot replace hearing, neither is hearing alone enough.¹⁹ The combination of hearing, observing, and doing is an effective way to learn how to do something.²⁰

However, when it comes to ministry, it also helps people grow spiritually. Getting involved in church activities may not catalyze spiritual growth,²¹ but serving others in a sacrificial way can.²² People grow spiritually when they minister.²³

When pastors equip the people to minister, they are helping them to do the works God prepared for them to do (Eph 2:10), but also, they are helping them become the disciples God called them to be (Matt 28:19–20).

4. People learn from how we handle conflict

In the midst of conflict, pastors love the hurtful. But that is not all they do—they also teach. Paul wrote,

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. (2 Tim 2:24–25 NLT)

In this passage, there are several words or phrases that indicate that Paul is referring to a conflict environment: “quarrel,” “difficult people,” and “oppose the truth.” There are also several phrases that indicate the role of God’s servant in these situations is to teach: “able to teach, gently instruct, and learn the truth.”

Pastors should not run from conflict fearing personal pain; rather, they should lean into it, knowing it is one way they teach while walking around. It is not personal. The difficult person is not opposing the Lord’s servant (2 Tim 2:24–25). It is the truth they oppose. Conflict is an opportunity to teach.

5. People can learn from our example even when we fail

However, finally, there are times that pastors, like everyone else, fail to live what they believe (cf. Rom 7:14–25). What then? What happens when there is a discrepancy between pastors’ realized beliefs (what they actually do) and their aspirational beliefs (what they believe in) and want to do?

They should learn from their hypocrisy,²⁴ determine to grow spiritually, be transparent about their failings, and desire to be more like Christ. There is a difference between saying, “I’m only human,²⁵ cut me some slack,” and saying, “I’m a sinner in need of the grace of God.” Paul affirmed his need for God’s grace (1 Tim 1:15), yet was able to ask others to live like he lived (1 Cor 11:1).

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This article is adapted from Jim L. Wilson, Pastoral Ministry in the Real World: Loving, Teaching, and Leading God’s People (Lexham, 2016).

Further resources for further contemplation

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• 5 Ways to Prevent Pastoral Burnout

1. Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman, In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies (HarperCollins, 2012), 137.
2. John B. Polhill, Acts, ed. David S. Dockery, The New American Commentary 26 (B&H, 1992), 384. I do not mean to imply that peripatetic teaching must replace other types of teaching by virtue that Jesus did it. Cynic philosophers also used the methodology and did not have a great reputation among the people. “Cynic philosophers were peripatetic, traveling from town to town, often preaching to crowds on street corners and in marketplaces.” “Some seem to have fallen somewhat short of the ideal and had a reputation for fleecing the gullible crowds.”
3. Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, ed. David Dockery, New American Commentary 22 (B&H, 1992), 90: “As Jesus is walking about the vicinity of his new home in Capernaum, perhaps in conscious imitation of the peripatetic ministries of many rabbis and philosophers of the day, he finds two brothers who are fishermen and commands them to become his disciples.”
4. Charles A. Tidwell, Educational Ministry of a Church (Broadman, 1982), 30: “Paul taught wherever and whomever he could.”
5. J. L. de Villiers, “Philosophical Trends in the Graeco-Roman World,” in The New Testament Milieu, ed. A. B. du Toit, Guide to the New Testament 2 (Orion, 1998).
6. Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, The New American Commentary 4 (B&H, 1994), 162: “It is the expression of the essence of all of God’s person and purposes in sixteen words of Hebrew text. Known to Jewish tradition as the Shema (after the first word of v. 4, the imperative of the verb shama’, ‘to hear’), this statement, like the Decalogue, is prefaced by its description as ‘commands, decrees, and laws’ (or the like) and by injunctions to obey them (6:1–3; cf. 4:44–5:5).”
7. James D. Smart, The Teaching Ministry of the Church: An Examination of the Basic Principles of Christian Education (Westminster, 1954), 14: “It is noteworthy that, in this sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, emphasis is laid upon the importance of persistence in teaching and upon the utilization of informal opportunities.”
8. Glenn Mehta, Stolen Treasure (Xlibris, 2012), 143.
9. Associated Press, “Idaho Wildlife Advocate Pleads Guilty to Poaching Two Elk,” Casper Star Tribune, December 19, 2013.
10. Sean Gregory, “Jim Tressell,” Time (June 13, 2011), 19.
11. Brad J. Waggoner, The Shape of Faith to Come: Spiritual Formation and the Future of Discipleship (B&H, 2008), 188: “Preaching that fills the head with a lot of biblical facts is vastly different from preaching that focuses on putting truth into practice. We must call the people of God to action, and they must see that we are practicing what we preach.”
12. Ken Melrose, Making the Grass Greener on Your Side: A CEO’s Journey to Leading by Serving (Berrett-Koehler, 1995), 13: “No matter what our talk may be, it is our walk, our behavior that reveals our true beliefs.”
13. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others (Jossey-Bass, 2009), 131: “Above all, people want to believe in their leaders. They want to believe that the leaders’ word can be trusted, that they do what they say. Our findings are so consistent over such a long period of time that we’ve come to refer to this as the first law of leadership: if you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message.”
14. Emmerich, The Patriot (DVD, 57:58–60:55).
15. Dinesh D’souza, Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader (Simon & Schuster, 1997), 201.
16. My point here is not about dressing formally, but is about aligning conduct with the importance of the office of pastor.
17. Barrie Hopson, Managing for Development, Lifeskills Management Book (Gower, 1999), 70: “Some theory can help learning (we can read books or watch videos on how to drive a car or play golf, and so on), but most learning comes from doing rather than hearing, and in most cases learning involves both theory and practice.”
18. Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles, Where’s the Learning in Service-Learning? (Jossey-Bass, 1999), 69: “When we asked our reflection interview subjects what they learned from service, they agreed that it was easier for them to make sense of material because ‘hands-on experience is definitely a lot better than hearing it, because it doesn’t click in your mind until you experience it or relate to it.’ They found that the understanding attained through service-learning enhanced what they learned from books and lectures. ‘We learn these theories and ideas in school, but until we really apply them or see them in action, they’re not real. And we come out of school—if we haven’t done something like this—come out of school not understanding.’ Students recognize that understanding is more than acquisition of information or memorization of theories.”
19. Jo B. Mertens, “Incorporating Service-Learning,” in Service-Learning and the Liberal Arts: How and Why It Works, ed. Craig A. Rimmerman, 107–36 (Lexington, 2011), 111: “Participating in service as part of a course has a positive effect over and above the effect of generic community service.”
20. Nelson-Jones, Life Coaching Skills, 112: “The Chinese proverb says l hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand. Learning by doing is essential to successful coaching. Knowledge gained by exploring oneself, hearing and observing gets clarified and consolidated when clients learn by doing. You do not learn to drive a car without driving. Likewise clients acquiring and strengthening particular lifeskills need relevant activities that help them to improve the skills and to integrate them into their daily lives.”
21. Hawkins and Parkinson, Reveal, 35–36: “We discovered that higher levels of church activities did not predict increasing love for God or increasing love for other people. Now don’t misread this! This does not mean that people highly involved in church activities don’t love God. It simply means they did not express a greater love for God than people who were less involved in church activities. In other words, an increasing level of activities did not predict an increasing love for God.”
22. Greenleaf, Servant Leadership, 159: “There is now seeking on an unprecedented scale, and the land abounds with gurus who are feeding the hunger of the seekers. The change that I anticipate is a new awareness among seekers in which those whose needs with be met only as they serve others will separate themselves from those who are satisfied to remain committed almost wholly to meeting their own needs—which, in the nature of things, will probably never be met because one is rarely satisfied with what one only seeks for oneself.”
23. Waggoner, Shape of Faith to Come, 140: “Serving God and others is a mark of spiritual maturity. In fact, without service, spiritual transformation is impossible.”
24. Ronald L. Dufrensne and Judith A. Chair, “Mind the Gap: Hypocrisy Monitoring and Integrity Striving as a Source of Ethical Leadership,” in Organizational Change, Leadership, and Ethics: Leading Organizations toward Sustainability, ed. Rune T. By and Bernard Burnes, 97–119 (Routledge, 2013), 108: “Embracing hypocrisy and moving in the direction of integrity is indeed more important for leadership effectiveness and ethical leadership.”
25. To see what it means to be fully human, look at Jesus. He was fully human (Gal 4:4; Mark 6:3), yet never sinned (Heb 4:15).