What practical remedies can be offered to shepherds (or pastors)?

Having talked about the negativities in the pastors’ lives, Hartman offers a practical remedy to build a spirit of ministry and evangelism, that focuses on two essential factors:

First: the ability to continuously encounter and cherish the Bible, and to present the practical aspect of Biblical life, so that everyone can enjoy fellowship in Christ Jesus.

Second: Hartman calls for the need to read writings from Church history extensively, or the writings of the early Church Fathers, as we say in the Orthodox Church.

He writes, “One of the most useful and humbling resources I have found for my own development as a preacher has been church history … When I look over the manuscripts of even my best sermons, they read like poorly written knock-offs of good sermons from men

1704 St. Augustine of Hippo, The Works of St. Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century: Part III— Sermons; Volume IX: Sermons 306-340A , trans. Edmund Hill, ed. John E. Rotelle (New City Press, 1994) 340.3: p. 293.

like John Chrysostom (349–407) … one of the greatest preachers in church history. I strongly encourage regular reading of his sermons and biblical commentaries. This is from one of his Easter sermons, talking about the resurrection defeating hell:

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.

It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.

It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.

It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.

It took earth, and encountered Heaven.

It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?

O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated!

Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!

Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;

for Christ having risen from the dead,

is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!¹⁷⁰⁵

“While the style is better suited to Chrysostom’s fourth-century Constantinople than to modern America, this is still better than your (and my) best Easter sermon. No wonder it is read aloud every year in Eastern Orthodox churches! Even though none of us have ever preached something this good, reading great sermons from the past constantly prompts me to think through this question: ‘How do I preach like that in a twenty-first century context?’

1705 John Chrysostom, “ Hell Took a Body and Discovered God ,” http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/aprilweb-only/13.0b.html..

Reading church history will humble you and equip you to be a better pastor and a better preacher.”¹⁷⁰⁶