Pastors Having Difficulty In Defining "Spiritual Maturity"

Pathetic News Item

Quote:

A new Barna survey revealed on Monday that half of churchgoers cannot describe how their church defines a "healthy, spiritually mature follower of Jesus."

Some defined it as having a relationship with Jesus (21 percent), following rules and being obedient (15 percent), living a moral lifestyle (14 percent), possessing concern about others (13 percent), being involved in spiritual disciplines (13 percent), applying the Bible (12 percent), being spiritual or having belief (8 percent), sharing their faith with others (6 percent), and being involved in church activities (5 percent).

About one-fifth of self-described Christians did not offer an opinion.

The survey also suggested that most pastors struggle with defining spiritual maturity.

Surveyed pastors offered a range of ways to measure someone’s spiritual maturity, including the practice of spiritual disciplines (19 percent), involvement in church activities (15 percent), witnessing to others (15 percent), having a relationship with Jesus (14 percent), having concern for others (14 percent), applying the Bible to life (12 percent), being willing to grow spiritually (12 percent), and having knowledge of Scripture (9 percent).

Most of the pastors who participated in the survey were also vague in offering biblical passages that address spiritual maturity.

About one-third of pastors gave the generic response that the “the whole Bible” described spiritual maturity. Pastors were asked to identify the most important portions of the Bible that gave a definition of spiritual maturity.

Other pastors gave general answers such as “the gospels” (17 percent), the New Testament (15 percent), and Paul’s letters (10 percent). Overall, about three-quarters of pastors gave some type of generic answer. Another one out of five pastors gave a “semi-generic” response, such as “Romans” or the “life of Christ.”

Only one-fifth of pastors offered specific passages that included Galatians 5, John 3:16, Ephesians 4, Matthew 28, and Romans 12:1-2. Just two percent of pastors specifically identified the Galatians 5 passage that describes the “fruits of the Spirit,” which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.

Seven percent of pastor respondents gave “theme specific” responses, most commonly the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and the Beatitudes.

~Source

Unquote.

I cautious with Barna's labeling of "Christian" and thus "Christian pastor", but if what he has found is pretty accurate, this is not unexpected.

Go back and look at how the pastors answered this.

Pastors measure spiritual maturity by:

"spiritual disciplines" (that's good news for Donald Whitney, especially when you see that knowing Scripture is lowest on the list)---this is highest on the list

"having a relationship with Jesus" (not sure what that means, but for the benefit of the doubt, let's assume they mean salvation--I'm being generous here for argument's sake)--this isn't even on top of the list! It comes in FOURTH. Other things are better indicators of spiritual maturity than being saved? Without salvation we are dead and consider the things of God to be foolish and can't understand them (1Cor. 2:14).

It gets worse...

"applying the Bible to life" (12%) comes BEFORE "having a knowledge of Scripture" (9%)!

Excuse me, but HOW CAN YOU APPLY SCRIPTURE IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT?

Most men who go through seminary were never qualified to be elders to begin with, so why would anyone think they would automatically be qualified to be pastors after a few years of school? Education doesn't qualify a man to be and elder. GOD does. No amount of Greek or Hebrew or expository preaching will ever turn a man into a shepherd. That is solely the work of God and it doesn't come by way of high tuition fees.

The fact that knowledge of Scripture is the lowest on the measuring rod of spirituality is an important factor when you consider that merely 1/5 of the pastors even offered a specific passage on spiritual maturity! If they don't know what Scripture teaches about spiritual maturity, they don't know themselves and therefore are ignorant of what GOD says about maturity, let alone teaching their churches.

Only a measley two percent of the pastors surveyed even gave Galatians 5 as the definitive passage on spiritual growth.

One-third threw out a generic answer such as "the whole Bible" describes spiritual maturity. These are men who are neither mature, nor qualified as pastors. They should've failed their seminary classes. And their sincerity isn't the issue here. God has made CLEAR requirements for those who desire to be elders, because clearly not all who have the desire, dare I say MOST, are not qualified.

What are these "pastors" spending their time doing during the week?

What are they "preaching" on Sunday after Sunday?

If they haven't a clue about what God says regarding the growth of the Christian, then they can't exhort them to grow. They themselves won't grow either. So what is their motive to be pastors if its not the spiritual condition of the people and the honor of the Lord?

Here are just some of the requirements for pastors/elders:

1Ti 3:2 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach...6 He must not be a recent convert

Tit 1:8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

These are qualifications of men who are mature, both spiritually and mentally/emotionally.

On the heels of the famous (well I guess its not so well known by pastors anymore) Gal. 5 passage about deeds of the flesh versus fruit of the Spirit, is this command:

Gal 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

This verse is referring to those who are spiritually more mature to exhort those overtaken in a sin and aid in their restoration (refer back to chapter 5). But it takes maturity! If you haven't a clue what that is, you can't help the one caught in a sin! I guess only two percent of the pastors in Barna's survey would be able to help those caught in a sin.

And so the carnality of the "churches" continues. "Church" leaders haven't a clue or care about spiritual maturity for themselves let alone their flock so we end up with anemic or even dead "churches" filled with people who find it far more interesting to be entertained than grow spiritually and please the Master, Jesus Christ.

We end up with the Prejeans, Osteens, Warrens, Pipers, and Driscolls.

These hirelings ought to be fired for impersonating a pastor.

True shepherds, like Peter, will have a heart for the maturity of their flock:

1Pe 5:2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Peter's final recorded words from his shepherd's heart was:

2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.