Be ready in season and out of season. (2 Tim. 4:2)
People don’t aspire to predictability. We value spontaneity and freshness above being conventional or routine. Yet a minister of the gospel should be this for his people: the predictable pastor. That is not the same as saying the pastor is boring or uninteresting or that he never does things on the spur of the moment. But it is saying that he is consistent. His ministry will be marked by a reliability that speaks of his deep devotion to Christ and to Christ’s flock.
When Paul exhorted Timothy to preach the Word, he urged him to “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). There was to be a steady rhythm to his ministry of proclamation, a rhythm that did not flag as circumstances changed. Whether the church was experiencing times of joy or sorrow, whether enjoying times of favour or suffering persecution, Timothy had to keep preaching the gospel.
When we apply Paul’s exhortation to other aspects of the minister’s task, we see that pastoral work too ought to be done “in season and out of season.” A pastor seeks to care for Christ’s people consistently: member by member, in good times and bad, year after year.
Shepherds in the first century would spend not just hours or days but weeks at a time tending the sheep. In the evening they’d even lay down in front of the door of the sheep pen in order to protect the flock (John 10:7). The shepherd’s dependability is what allowed the flock to flourish: Every day, the animals could rely on his protective instincts, his knowledge of good grazing areas, his physical strength, his unwavering presence with the flock. This steadiness is a model for those who “shepherd the flock of God” today (1 Peter 5:2).
When you are a predictable pastor, there is a sense of expectation among those in your care. They know that you’ll be available in their times of need and their times of celebration, both to mourn and to rejoice with them (Rom. 12:15). You might hear your people say, “We knew that you’d come, Pastor—thank you.” They might not recall exactly what you said, but they’ll remember that you came and that you cared. Now, the pastor is just one man, so he can’t always show up. But his people should know that if their pastor makes a commitment, he will keep it. After all, one of the qualities of an overseer is that he is disciplined (Titus 1:7–8), focused on his task, not liable to get offtrack. He is a person who will follow through on what he said (Matt. 5:37); he’ll come, and he’ll even come on time.
And then when he visits, the predictable pastor will do predictable things. For instance, he will open Scripture and share its message. When I was ordained to the ministry, my grandparents (by marriage) gifted me with a small NIV Bible to take on my pastoral visits. They knew that Scripture would be an essential tool for my pastoral ministry—and it was. It always went with me: on visits to hospitals, prisons, and aged care facilities, to coffee shop meetings, and on visits to people’s homes. Whatever situation a pastor enters, it is the Word of God that can speak with unfailing truth.
The predictable pastor will also be known for praying with his people. He will ask good questions, and he will listen well. As he spends time with his people, the predictable pastor will model faithfulness, together with all the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23).
Most importantly, the predictable pastor will have a predictable message. Before the pastor comes to the home or the hospital, his people will know what he is going to say: He will point them to Christ. Again and again, the pastor will tell them about Jesus. Drawing once more from 2 Timothy, we hear Paul instruct Timothy in 2:14, “Remind them of these things.” Paul is referring to the message of Christ, who is “risen from the dead” (v. 8) and who is ever faithful to his own (v. 13). This life-giving gospel must be announced repeatedly, not just in the pulpit but in homes and cafés and everywhere else.
Just as faithful preaching will always be Christ-centered, faithful pastoral care will be Christ-centered. It is your calling as pastor to reflect with your people on the many implications of Christ’s death and resurrection for their own lives—and for their own deaths. This will be your unwavering message, in season and out of season.
For a pastor, this predictability is freeing. You need not be innovative in your message. You need not have a radical counselling technique. You simply ought to pray for God’s help to be faithful, even as you keep reflecting: “What kind of ministry does the Lord Jesus call me to have? Let me pursue such a ministry with all my heart.”
Be the predictable pastor.
