Pastoral Formation

Reading Peterson’s memoir makes me realize that God uses what we have and who we are to form us a lot. Instead of talking about spiritual formation, Peterson talks about pastoral formation. He doesn’t say it explicitly. But the idea of pastoral formation permeates through the book. He talks about his father and mother in Montana, seminary in New York, Graduate school in Baltimore, a local church in Maryland, etc…All these local elements formed him the way he is now as a pastor. His awareness of how God has formed him as a pastor is vital for his pastoral impact—for himself as a person and for others as a pastor.

I often talk about spiritual formation. I’ve started to realize the significance of spiritual formation in these few years. While I am reading his book, I’m reminded that I don’t usually talk about pastoral formation: how am I being formed spiritually into His likeness as a pastor?

As Paul said, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18 ESV). This is the goal of Christian maturity; this is the end of spiritual growth. It applies to all of us; it particularly applies to pastors—pastoral formation.

Pastors are usually concerned about others—the spiritual formation of others. It’s a pastoral concern. Lately I realize that such a pastoral concern may deceive pastors’ own pastoral well-being as grow-ers.  Pastors easily assume (mostly, we do it unconsciously) that we are spiritually formed when we’re dealing with or showing concerns for the spiritual formation of others. Such a pastoral concern is a pastoral act. But it’s not pastoral formation. It can be deceiving. It can be illusive.

Pastoral formation is not about dealing with the problems of others. Pastoral formation is to deal with one’s pastoral soul and struggle. Pastors are spiritually formed into the likeness of the chief Shepherd (cf. 1 Pet. 5:4) by facing our naked selves. Pastors are pastorally formed by discerning and accepting how God has been spiritually forming us since the day we were born. When we pastors know how to deal with our own formation, we then know how to deal with others. We pastors grow only when we deal with our pastoral formation. We don’t grow when we deal with others. And I dare to say that we fail to assist others to grow if we fail to be formed in His likeness. Every person reflects the glory of God; pastors, more or less, ought to reflect a bit more. Pastors lead with pastoral formation—being transformed into His own pastoral likeness. In terms of forming others spiritually, pastors can’t do much. What pastors can do is to allow God to form us. This is what we can only do if we want to help others to practice spiritual formation.