Who is the most dangerous pastor? Is it the scheming and deceptive heretic, looking to lead the church away through false doctrine? Surely that is a dangerous man! But not the most dangerous. What about the compromiser who waters down the message of the gospel so that there is nothing of Jesus and the cross and forgiveness left in his sermons? That is definitely a dangerous man too, but not the worst.

As I have pondered this question a bit more than usual recently (I’m chairing a pastoral search committee) I am becoming convinced that a far more pervasive and destructive type of pastor is truly the most dangerous man of all. Who is he? He is the pastor for whom the ministry is just-a-job. Beware the just-a-job pastor. Woe to that church who finds themselves served by such a man.

The just-a-job pastor will do the work required, but no more. And even that will be done with the minimum effort needed. The sooner they can get “the work” done, the sooner they can get back to their hobbies and other interests. The “sheep” are only a casual interest to them, as someone has to show up to hear them preach. They rarely visit the flock. They don’t check up on the sick. They do the minimum, and it shows. Such churches rarely grow, and if they do, it is in spite of this pastor, not because of him.

Just-a-job Pastors often produce just-a-job Christians. And that is the biggest danger of all: stagnant believers going through the motions and not growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I don’t wish a heretic or compromiser on any church. But frankly, those men are easy to identify. The just-a-job pastor is more subtle, and sadly more prolific. May the Lord save us from such men.