I have mentored pastors and leaders within the Church for many years.  I enjoyed that interaction. On one occasion, a pastor was struggling with what to do next in his ministry. Instead of creating some grand plan and mission statement, I took him to II Timothy where Paul was instructing Timothy what to do when times of questioning come. 

I read the following text to the pastor as if I was speaking to him regarding his situation: “I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching” (II Timothy 4:1-2).

In this pastor’s desire to be loved by all the people, his teaching ministry had become so warm and fuzzy that it lacked the kind of depth required to build mature believers. He was failing to correct, rebuke, and encourage his people with good teaching. He had become unprepared.

As a result of his decision, he had set up his congregation and himself to become what Paul went on to describe in the following verses, ^“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (4:3-4).

It is not always comfortable to stand behind a pulpit correcting and rebuking ways of thinking that compromise the truth, but it’s the calling of a leader who has chosen to offer wholesome and balanced teaching. The discomfort we might experience when called to challenge the unwholesome things people too readily believe must be dealt with or we will compromise our calling and the faith of our listeners. We will end up telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.

This instruction is not just for pastors and leaders within the Church. It is for all of us in all spheres of life. When we sense something is amiss in our lives, returning to Scripture to recalibrate our thinking is the most important thing we can do. It will keep us aligned with the truth and not waste our time scratching itching ears or chasing after myths that appeal to minds not yet fully renewed by wholesome teaching.