What Does It Mean to Be a Lutheran Pastor?

As I passed through our synod’s ministerial education system and especially as my education became more focused at the end of college and into seminary, I and my schoolmates, like those before us, sought the answer to the question….

What does it mean to be a Lutheran pastor?

Seeking and understanding the answer to that question didn’t end at graduation though. In fact, for every Lutheran shepherd, it’s a worthy endeavor to review what it means to be a “Lutheran pastor”, because a Lutheran pastor is neither a Baptist preacher, nor an Evangelical motivational speaker, nor a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox priest. He is a shepherd of souls – a Seelsorger (Soul Carer), if you will, whose best tools are the Means of Grace – the Gospel in Word and Sacraments, who like a skilled surgeon learns to distinguish when best to utilize the cutting tool of God’s holy Law and when to heal with the saving balm of the Gospel…

I could go on, but I would like to share with you a resource I came across from my final year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. That year we held an Evening Lecture by Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander on the subject, “What It Means to Be a Lutheran Pastor”. During our college years, in lectures on history and theology in the classroom, in personal counseling in his office and in morning devotions in chapel, Prof. Deutschlander had taught many of us how to be Lutheran shepherds. (Readers of this blog may recall his chapel devotion I posted back around Easter.) So it was appropriate that he be a guest speaker on this important topic.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a digital recording or a full transcript of the lecture to which I can refer you, but I do have the outline of his lecture, which has some real gems for your consideration. I have not had a chance to poetically translate the poem, Des Pfarrers Predigt An Sich Selbst (The Pastor’s Preaching to Himself) by Dietrich Vorwerk, which was included with the outline. For those of you with an affinity for the German language, feel free to translate the poem for our non-German readers and if you do, please share your translation in the comment section! Enjoy!

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What It Means to Be a Lutheran Pastor
An Evening Lecture by Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary – Mequon, WI (2004-2005 School Year; Date Unknown)

A Lutheran pastor is wedded to the Means of Grace.

He is neither pope nor employee.

He is nothing more, nothing less than the ambassador of Christ, who has just come from the palace, from the heart of God, with a message. – St. John the Baptist: Ecce Agnus Dei! (Behold, the Lamb of God!) He must increase, I must decrease!

He has no business pretending to be anything else or wanting to be anything else; he is not an entertainer, not a belly-up-to-the-bar buddy, a glad-hander, or a some-people pleaser. His model is Christ, the apostles and prophets: Dignity without stuffiness, overflowing with love without shallow sentimentality. He does not see the ministry as the family business, or himself as the local religious professional.

He sees himself as pastor in church, in the confessional, with the sick and even in the public arena.

He wears a robe and a stole for a reason when serving in the pulpit and at the altar.

He understands as one wedded to the Means of Grace that his counseling is an application of the Law and the Gospel; otherwise someone else may be better equipped to do it than he.

To the sick and those about to die he comes carrying with him the Great Physician and often to act as the usher into heaven.

In the public arena he knows that he is always “on;” therefore he conducts his business in such a way that he does not disgrace his Master but is rather an example of a pious public life.

He is always sharpening his awareness of the theology of the cross.

His life is a roller-coaster that mirrors the liturgical year; his times on the Mount of Transfiguration always prepare him for Lent, and his time in Lent always bears the promise of Easter.

He does not become addicted to success as the world sees success, nor is he ungrateful at those times when the Lord is pleased to grant success; he looks for the hidden God in little things.

In it all he remains his whole life long a juggler; there is no such thing as a boring day; the opportunities to serve in his study, in classrooms, in sickrooms, in funeral parlors, and at home with his family give him ample opportunity to marvel at the goodness, grace and mercy of God in permitting him to be a Lutheran pastor.

IN SUM: HE IS THE SERVANT OF CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WHO SERVES CHRIST BEST WHEN HE SERVES CHRIST’S PEOPLE FAITHFULLY.

Des Pfarrers Predigt An Sich Selbst
By Dietrich Vorwerk

Ein Pfarrer muss sein
Ganz gross und ganz klein;
Vornehmen Sinns wie aus ein Königsgeschlecht,
Einfach und schlicht wie ein Bauernknecht;
Ein Held, der sich selbst bezwungen,
Ein Mensch, der mit Gott gerungen;
Ein Quell von heiligem Leben;
Ein Sünder, dem Gott vergeben;
Ein Herr dem eignen Verlangen,
Ein Diener den Schwachen und Bangen;
Vor keinem Gross sich beugend,
Zu den Geringsten sich neigend;
Ein Schüler vor seinem Meister;
Ein Führer im Kampf der Geister;
Ein Bettler mit flehenden Händen,
Ein Herold mit goldenen Spenden;
Ein Mann auf den Kampfesstätten,
Ein Weib an den Krankenbetten;
Ein Greis im Schauen,
Ein Kind im Trauen;
Nach Höchstem tractend,
Das Kleinste achtend;
Gestimmt zur Freude,
Vertraut dem Leide,
Weitab vom Neide;
Im Denken klar;
Im Reden wahr;
Des Friedens Freund,
Der Trägheit feind;
Feststehend in sich, –
Ganz anders als ich!

Some concluding remarks:

The High Priest in the Old Testament wore a breastplate with the names of the Twelve Tribes engraved on precious stones, so that every time he went into the presence of God he carried their names with him. Thereby he prefigured the intercessory work of Christ, our Great High Priest. But he prefigured ours as Lutheran pastors too. I carry your names engraved on my heart when I go into the presence of God. May he grant you love for himself, for his pure Word and Sacraments and for his people whom you will one day be privileged to serve and whose names you will one day carry engraved on your heart when you go into his presence.

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