A Robust Minister

Since he came to Asbury Theological Seminary in 1966 Dr. Donald Demaray has been devotedly teaching and shaping the lives of seminarians and pastors. Now retired as a professor of preaching, Demaray continues to teach, preach and write at a pace that calls the word "retired" into serious question.

His professional longevity is testimony to the principles of personal health — spiritual, emotional and physical — found in his recently released book, A Robust Ministry, co-authored with Kenneth W. Pickerill. Rich in wisdom and case studies, the book reflects Demaray's years of experience and reveals a clear plan for running the marathon of ministry with endurance.

LLM: What motivated you to write A Robust Ministry?

Demaray: Having counseled with hundreds of clergy, I saw an enormous amount of discouragement — often clinical depression, divorce, promiscuity, pornography, etc. Then when I read in our local paper that we are losing 1,500 clergy from ministerial positions a month (not a year — a month), I said to myself, "That's got to be a misprint!"

So I started to do my own research and discovered that the number's right on target. The most conservative data I found was from Jim Dobson and placed the figure at 1,200 to 1,600 per month. We decided there needed to be a case study-style book, not an academic book, full of stories to convey some basic principles of spiritual, physical and emotional fitness.

LLM: I am intrigued by the significance you give to "spiritual direction" in the life of a pastor. Can you explain that more?

Demaray: During 30 years of practice in spiritual direction, I have found that most pastors have personal issues, and they're serious enough and hungry enough to want substantive theological understanding in which to frame their concerns. They want not so much to be told what to do as to hear the questions relevant for them to answer what to do. They have a need for a co-mingling of indirect counseling and strong biblical and theological support.

LLM: If spiritual direction is so vital, how does a person go about finding a spiritual director?

Demaray: It is not easy. Our church conferences should be doing more to identify and train spiritual directors, and to encourage pastors to seek out a spiritual director. I look to the day when we will have interested pastors, superintendents and bishops come to training sessions on spiritual direction. I have had a spiritual director in my life for a half century. The same person.

But in the meantime a hungry pastor, self-aware of his or her needs, can write to Renovaré, Richard Foster's organization, and seek referrals (www.renovare.org). I'm very keen on pastors working with somebody outside their denomination. Very often Orthodox, Anglican or Roman Catholic clergy are equipped to do this.

LLM: But what about finding a spiritual director who has similar theological convictions?

Demaray: When it comes to spiritual direction, I'd be more concerned about a person's morality.

LLM: How do you persuade a pastor to consider seeking spiritual direction?

Dr. Demaray's book, A Robust Ministry, is available through Light & Life Communications. Call 1 (800) 348-2513 to order your copy today!

Demaray: My answer is that spiritual direction is analogous to writing. I have a critical reader who goes over all my stuff. That critical reader asks me the tough questions, "Hey, Demaray, is that what you really meant there?" In other words, one pair of eyes isn't good enough to get something published. Somebody else has to look at it.

That's the way it is in spiritual formation. Our own capacity to look within is limited. Kierkegaard said we are made alone, isolated, and we have to have somebody standing over there looking at us objectively to give us the kind of help we need.

LLM: Let me switch gears. I've read between the lines in your books and wonder, do you think a lot of pastors are being influenced and stressed out by an unhealthy view of leadership?

Demaray: Yes, in two ways. The emphasis on visionary leadership tends to shape pastors who impose their vision on people. In my book I tell about a former pastor named Bill who had very vivid pictures of what he wanted to do and achieve in his church, and the pictures became reality. But he never forced it; he never swaggered about saying look at my vision. It came from a genuinely Spirit-filled, Spirit-led heart. If a vision comes from the Spirit of God it will be couched in humility.

Secondly, and I wish to say this with gentleness and social tact, but I think of one of my graduates who was so faithful and substantive in the spiritual direction of his people — but his church had not grown. So his denomination left him without a pastorate. He was as faithful as he could be, but today he's working at a hardware store. There's something fundamentally wrong with that.

Jesus spent His life working with 12 people. Quite honestly I don't know what to do about it. It's part of our culture — not just ecclesiastical culture but our whole culture today. And it's yielding some very bad fruitage. I'm convinced that for the 37 percent of clergy caught in the trap of pornography it's often an escape mechanism from these pressures.

LLM: What is a good first step for a person to get on the road to a healthier ministry life?

Demaray: It all begins with the prayer life. When one is attuned to God, the body becomes the temple of the living God and the emotions are put in perspective. For example, instead of getting angry at the board meeting a person can engage in an empathetic dialogue. But it all begins with one's relatedness to God. Prayer is the starting point, the alpha and omega.

For help, the pastor should identify the prayer warriors in the congregation — maybe there are only two or three (eventually let's hope there are 12 to 15) — and work with these people. Get these prayer supporters not only to pray but to counsel. That's a kind of group spiritual direction. Prayer is our work; it's not an addendum. It is our work. And health will flow out of that kind of life.