The Countenance of the Lord on the Face of the Pastor: Leading Volunteers

Caesar’s Gaze

Throughout his commentary on the war in Gaul, Caesar describes how his soldiers respond to his presence and attention. In a particularly vivid section about the critical battle with the Nervii, when all seemed lost, Caesar grabbed a shield and fought on the front lines, toe-to-toe with the enemy. It is Caesar’s own account but most of his praise is for others. I don’t see any reason not to take it at face value. Thus I believe that it was a real contribution, not simply a show. At the same time, it was a powerful example. On top of that, though, because Caesar was watching them, each man wanted to do his best. Caesar was ever generous with praise for bravery and excellence and his troops longed for it. Knowing that and desiring his personal approval, they fought harder while he watched. His presence and his gaze turned the battle.

(Caesar) perceived that the affair was at a crisis, and that there was not any reserve which could be brought up, having therefore snatched a shield from one of the soldiers in the rear (for he himself had come without a shield), he advanced to the front of the line, and addressing the centurions by name, and encouraging the rest of the soldiers, he ordered them to carry forward the standards, and extend the companies, that they might the more easily use their swords. On his arrival, as hope was brought to the soldiers and their courage restored, while every one for his own part, in the sight of his general, desired to exert his utmost energy, the impetuosity of the enemy was a little checked.

C. Julius Caesar, Caesar’s Gallic War Harper's New Classical Library (Medford, MA: Harper & Brothers, 1869).

Robert Preus’ Approval

My limited exposure to the sainted Robert Preus was similar to that of Caesar’s soldiers. Robert was the figurehead president of CTSFW my first year at the Seminary while Stemalchowitz was the actual authority. Robert had practically invented the Fort Wayne Seminary, not only because he was a key defender of inerrancy in St. Louis during the walkout, but also because he was the most central figure in a renewed interest in the Book of Concord and Lutheran orthodoxy. He had been removed from his presidency by the board of regents in a forced retirement, but was restored to a limited presidency of the seminary by the convention that unelected Ralph Bohlmann for one year. The following year David Schmiel would be made president with the intent of softening, or perhaps even closing, Fort Wayne. This was immediately before the Weinrich interim and the eventual election of Dean Wenthe and the restoration of Robert’s legacy. All that to say, it was a turbulent time and with the typical zeal and exaggerated sense of importance of most students in most place, it felt to us as though we were engaged in the spiritual equivalent of locking shields to face the Nervii,

Robert was one of the most charismatic men I have ever met. I have vivid memories of sitting in living rooms of a schoolmates with half a dozen other students while Robert held court. His intelligence was obvious, but unusually quiet. He didn’t have anything to prove to us and he probably spoke less than half the time. He encouraged us not only to ask questions but also to expound theories and ideas. He listened intently and enthusiastically. We were eager for his praise and he was quick to give it. On occasion, he also gave little assignments to a speaker. This was either to expand our theories in a positive direction or for correction, but always in such a way that it felt like he needed us to do it for him rather than for ourselves. He treated us like we were theologians and he took what we thought and said with the utmost respect. In turn, we would have done most anything for him.

The Lord’s Coutnenance

The theological applications of this are almost without number. Luther understands that God’s looking at us with favor is the essence of the Gospel. He extols this beautifully in his commentary on the Magnificat.

Mary confesses that the foremost work God did for her was that He regarded her, which is indeed the greatest of His works, on which all the rest depend and from which they all derive. For where it comes to pass that God turns His face toward one to regard him, there is nothing but grace and salvation, and all gifts and works must follow. Thus we read in Genesis 4:4, 5 that He had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. Here is the origin of the many prayers in the Psalter—that God would lift up His countenance upon us, that He would not hide His countenance from us, that He would make His face shine upon us, and the like. And that Mary herself regards this as the chief thing, she indicates by saying: “Behold, since He has regarded me, all generations will call me blessed.”

Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 21: The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 21 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 321.

Once one begins to read Scripture in this light, he finds it everywhere. The Aaronic benediction is perhaps the most significant place, but my own favorite in Psalm 33:

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. (NKJV, Ps 33:18–19).

The point is simply this: we live, in Christ, under the gracious supervision of the Lord. This informs filial fear. We do not want to disappoint Him. It also inspires us to do our best, confident that our efforts, even though they are imperfect, are pleasing to Him and useful in His Kingdom.

I am inspired to follow the example of Caesar and Robert Preus. I hope you are also. But how much more might we recognize and rejoice that fatherhood and all vocations that exercise authority for the sake not of simply accomplishing a mission but for the good of the subordinates, are to reflect the love and character of our heavenly Father. He is not stingy with His attention, nor is He slow to praise and bless us. This understanding can and should have a profound impact on how we treat our wives, children, and parishioners. It can and should drive not simply visitation, but a real attentiveness. In my own way, I try to embody something of this in what I termed Ideals for Pastoral Leadership by Example back in June of this year here on the blog:

With Members:

Know their names and something about them, Quick to respond, Aware of visitors, Avoid favoritism, Conscious of their sorrows

Simply paying attention to people isn’t enough of course. Caesar loved his men. Preus loved his students. Both knew it. The pastor must actually love his flock and earn their respect. The same is true of circuit visitors, district presidents, and even the synodical president. Our attention to subordinates isn’t a manipulation technique meant simply to multiply combat effectiveness. It is real interest in the person being led. It is driven by compassion, humility, and love of the Church. Leaders who have genuine love for their subordinates can demonstrate this by showing interest and giving praise where praise is meritted. That love and attention will creates the respect that craves attention and approval in the subordinates even as it did with Caesar’s army and Preus’ students. This desire on the part of the subordinate is because the relationship of pastor to congregation (and of president to district, etc) is paternal. It is a reflection of the Divine. When the pastor lifts up his countenance upon a parishoner, God’s own countenance is reflected. Do not imagine that the relationship is the exact same as God to believer, or course, nor envision this as a father relating to toddlers or even teen-agers. Being a pastor and leading volunteers is nothing so much like parenting adult children. There is not much in the way of negative or positive rewards. It is mostly setting an example, giving advice, and being there to pick up the pieces if and when things go awry. Again, though, this is mostly the relationship we find ourselves in with God according the grace of free will and His steadfast mercy.

A Series on Leadership by Example for the Church

I hope to have a series of these articles, considering leadership principles, slogans, and proverbs drawn from historical and secular sources wherein I attempt to consider them theologically and also to apply them to the unique challenges of both leading volunteers and also of leading the Church. My hope is that such consideration can help flesh some things out so that we might think about these things more precisely, recognize and learn from our mistakes better, and overall act more deliberately. Next week I hope to tackle the whole concept of leading volunteers directly but in the future I hope to also take up Jocko Willink’s thesis from Extreme Leadership and a number of things from Wiliam McCraven’s The Wisdom of the Bullfrog as well as Jamison Hardy’s Pastoral Leadership. I expect to always include some illustration from Caesar.

Today’s lesson then is this: the loving gaze of our risen General brings hope and restores courage like no other. He doesn’t just pick up a shield. He takes the arrows into His own Body. Aware of His gaze, our desire is to exert our utmost energy, to walk in a way worthy of the calling in which we have been called, and to check again the lying enemy who lives within our own chests, in the world, and even in the Church. The truth is that enemy has already been defeated. The victory is ours and the General is most pleased as the angels sing our praise.