Pastor Great-Heart

At the 2009 Desiring God pastor’s conference, Mark Dever left the group with this quote by Charles Spurgeon to illustrate how he viewed his role as a shepherd of God’s people. It’s a beautiful picture of what it means to be a pastor, and a sobering yet emboldening reminder to those courageous few who are called to this form of kingdom service.

I am occupied in my small way, as Mr. Great-heart was employed in Bunyan’s day. I do not compare myself with that champion, but I am in the same line of business. I am engaged in personally-conducted tours to Heaven; and I have with me, at the present time, dear Old Father Honest: I am glad he is still alive and active. And there is Christiana, and there are her children. It is my business, as best I can, to kill dragons, and cut off giants’ heads, and lead on the timid and trembling. I am often afraid of losing some of the weaklings. I have the heart-ache for them; but, by God’s grace, and your kind and generous help in looking after one another, I hope we shall all travel safely to the river’s edge. Oh, how many have I had to part with there! I have stood on the brink, and I have heard them singing in the midst of the stream, and I have almost seen the shining ones lead them up the hill, and through the gates, into the Celestial City.

I also love this quote from the second part of The Pilgrim’s Progress, when Christiana’s party leaves Gaius’s Inn and Mr. Feeblemind lingers in order to be left behind, and he is encouraged to accompany the party by Great-heart:

But brother … I have it in commission, to comfort the feeble-minded, and to support the weak. You must needs go along with us; we will wait for you, we will lend you our help, we will deny ourselves of some things, both opinionative and practical, for your sake; we will not enter into doubtful disputations before you, we will be made all things to you, rather than you shall be left behind.

HT: DGB