Francis of Assisi’s Noble and Wise Warning to Preachers and Teachers

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Francis of Assisi’s Noble and Wise Warning to Preachers and Teachers

Over the past few years we have witnessed what happens when gifted people pursue knowledge and influence without developing the character to back it up. I don’t need to list the names; you know them, and there will undoubtedly be many more. One has to start wondering if our “system” of church—what we promote and what we value—is contributing to such a regular output of scandals.

In the ancient Eastern Orthodox Church, humility was valued even over education when “qualifying” someone for ministry. The thinking was that anyone could get a degree but it takes genuine spiritual experience to walk in humility. Education is essential to “rightly divide the word of truth,” but connecting leadership with humility instead of education on its own is a brilliant emphasis. Three times the Bible says, “The Lord opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Arrogant people use people—for financial gain, sexual pleasure, or ambitious pursuits—and ambitious people are the kind who are often drawn to the biggest endeavors like megachurches and public ministries. I am not by any means saying all pastors of megachurches are ambitious—I’ve met many humble leaders in my travels—but I am saying that large enterprises in general draw ambitious personalities. And the Christian culture certainly offers a bit of “fame” that can feed proud pursuits. It is a rush to have a large room full of people hang on your every word.

When ambition and power are joined, a person is living on the precipice of temptation, just where he or she is likely to be weakest. In many circumstances it seems like it’s only a matter of time until the fall occurs. One megachurch pastor rather recently took his own advice when he limited his leadership of such an endeavor to less than a decade, saying “it’s perilous to a pastor’s soul to stay longer than that.” Some hearty few can no doubt prove to be the exception (again, there are many I admire who have led large churches for decades), but I honor this man’s humility in recognizing the inherent danger of such a position and acting accordingly. It is as divine to give up power and influence as it is human to strive after and cling to it.

To counteract the allure of pride, Francis of Assisi was rather stingy in giving Franciscan monks the permission to preach. He made it clear, and we would do well to consider this today, that wanting to preach isn’t a license to preach. In The Earlier Rule Francis urges anyone in authority not to grant permission to teach “indiscriminately.” He is emphatic that no brother should simply assume it for himself or hang on to it with ambition. “No minister or preacher should appropriate to himself the office of preaching, but he should set it aside without any protest whenever he is told.”

In Francis’ mind, the choice of when you start preaching or retire from preaching isn’t yours alone.

Interestingly enough, as we debate the role of women in ministry today, Francis was particularly wary about Franciscan men having authority over women. “Absolutely no woman should be received to obedience by any brothers, but once she has been given spiritual advice, let her perform a penance where she will.” Many women were drawn to the charismatic figures of the early Franciscan preachers, and Francis was adamant that no brother use his charisma, teaching or counsel to gain personal favors with any of these women. The brothers could teach or give counsel, but they must not, under any circumstance, be put in a place of power that could be abused. Francis appears to have feared the influence these women might have on the brothers (one act of “fornication” and they lost their habit and were kicked out of the order for good) but he was at least as equally concerned about the effect the men might have on the women.

Francis saw the ambition and pride inherent in teaching in a way that should sober every preacher. Scripture itself tells us that not many should presume to be teachers as teachers will be judged more strictly than most (James 3:1). Francis warns anyone who assumes this dangerous calling: “Therefore in the love which is God, I beg all my brothers who preach, pray, work, whether cleric or lay, to strive to humble themselves in all things and not to take pride in themselves or to delight in themselves or be puffed up interiorly about their good works and deeds—in fact, about any good thing that God does or says or works in them and through them.”

He begs.

When is the last time an elder mentor warned young church planters about pride as much as they taught about fundraising, leadership, and lust management?

Focus on the Savior

Francis urges us to pivot from thinking about how God is using us to remember the shame of our “vices and sins.” Appropriate shame reminds us we needed and still need a Savior, which keeps the focus on what Jesus did for us rather than what we do for others. Thus, we’ll keep preaching the works of Jesus instead of ourselves. Rather than use our sermons to convince others we are on the “right side” of the issues, we will use our sermons to exalt Jesus as the true and only Savior, Lord, and King.

Francis saw humility as the foundation of faith, and pride as the greatest enemy of our souls. He feared pride and clung to humility as a castaway adrift in the ocean clings to his life preserver. Yet how many of us cultivate pride by engaging in self-promotion and seeking further advancement that makes us more, not less, vulnerable to pride? Sadly, we fear obscurity more than we fear pride.

Francis urges us to be vigilant and exhaustive in our pursuit of humility: “All of us must beware of all pride and vainglory. And let us keep ourselves from the wisdom of this world and the prudence of the flesh. For the spirit of the flesh desires and is most eager to have words, but cares little to carry them out.”

In this Francis explains that disaster is waiting to happen in the gap between what a person teaches and lives. Motivating or inspiring people with your words but not with your character is exactly the opposite of what each one of us should strive for, yet I don’t know of any self-aware teacher who wouldn’t admit that this is what he or she struggles with most. We put far more effort into our presentations than our practice. We want every word of our message to count in a way that perhaps we do not care if every hour of our life counts.

The demonic nature of ambition and pride is that they can use something so glorious and good like ministry for evil aims—ambition, control, fame, profit and even, occasionally, sexual pleasure. Our flesh “does not seek a religion and holiness in the interior or spirit, but it wishes and desires to have a religion and holiness outwardly apparent to people. And these are the ones of whom the Lord says, ‘Truly I say to you: They have received their reward’ (Matthew 6:2). But the Spirit of the Lord wishes the flesh to be mortified and despised, worthless and rejected. And it strives for humility and patience, and the pure and simple and true peace of the spiritual person.”

Are today’s leaders known for their humility, patience, peaceful demeanor, and purity? Or something else?

Francis isn’t known for either his writings or his preaching. His most popular work, the “Canticle of the Sun” is famous perhaps more because of who Francis was than the power it possesses on its own. Almost all Franciscan scholars believe he never said his most famous saying! (“Preach the Gospel; if necessary, use words.”) So it’s not surprising that Francis teaches us (paraphrasing), “Don’t impress me with your words; live an interior life of humility.”

Though I am an embryo compared to Francis’ own spiritual development, this focus on character is why I wrote The Glorious Pursuit: Becoming Who God Created You to Be, which catalogues the ancient discipline of practicing the virtues of Christ. Learning and leading without pursuing character is a trap. If we become better speakers or leaders without becoming better people, we’re setting ourselves up for a fall.

It’s not an accident that, when I describe each virtue, humility is the only one to receive two chapters. The ancients (not just Francis of Assisi) considered humility to be the “queen of the virtues,” a character trait that is emphasized throughout Scripture. Learning is good and holy and sacred. Teaching is wonderful. Building an organization that leads many to faith and disciples those who already have faith is glorious. But leading and teaching without pursuing humility and character plays into a hostile enemy’s plans. He can play the long game, letting us build a huge edifice over decades, only to burn it down in a week.

Please don’t think Francis’ words are limited to those in “professional” ministry. If you have any influence in this world—as a parent, a recognized “wise” friend, a teacher, an employer, a blogger, a celebrity, a politician—you are sabotaging everything you hold dear if pursuing character isn’t near the forefront of your life ambitions. The “glorious pursuit” is for everyone who wants to live a life of integrity.

In the end, a life of character is a life that lives to exalt Jesus above ourselves. Pride makes us focus on ourselves—how we’re treated, how we’re followed, whether we’re listened to, or how secure our power base is. That’s narcissistic and even demonic. Humility reminds us that we need Jesus, others need Jesus, and life is about exalting Jesus.

I have a Scripture in my church office just to the left of my computer screen, reminding me that everything I write and say should be based on this: “Make known His deeds among the people; make them remember that His name is exalted” (Isaiah 12:4). Every sermon, book, or blog post we write should have as its goal the exaltation of His deeds, and making others exalt and remember His name, not ours.

I’ll let Francis have the last words. After warning of pride, he launches into the end of all ministry (parenting, friendship, and church):

“Let us refer all good

To the most high and supreme Lord God,

And acknowledge that every good is His,

And thank Him for everything.

He from Whom all good things come.

And may He,

The Highest and Supreme

Who alone is true God,

Have and be given and receive

Every honor and reverence,

Every praise and blessing,