Permission to Ignore the Gurus

Let’s get this out of the way so I’m not misunderstood: if you’re in pastoral ministry, I hope you’re working hard. Really hard.

Paul worked hard (Acts 20:35). He was able to speak of his hard work to the Thessalonian church (2 Thessalonians 3:7-8). He could say, “For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Nobody could accuse Paul of b...