1. Help them understand that the size of the crowd does not always equal the spirituality of the church.

Many sincere young men wrestle with the question: “If compromising truth and accommodating our behavior to the attitudes of society results in more people hearing the Gospel, isn’t that a good thing?”

2. Display a genuinely kind spirit.

Sometimes young pastors react against what they—often correctly— perceive to be a bad spirit in older pastors. A young man can compare the worst of fundamentalism with the best of New Evangelicalism and concludes that the latter is better. (Ephesians 4:32)

3. Accept new methods when they break no biblical principle.

Sometimes a novel approach is met with sharp criticism. Many church practices widely accepted today, including advertising and running buses, were condemned when they were first tried.

4. Clearly and carefully teach the Bible basis of your position to younger pastors.

Many young pastors just want someone to show them why from the Bible. Their questions stem from a search for biblical truth not a heart of compromise. (Acts 17:11)

5. Encourage every success and blessing in younger men.

When God blesses a young pastor, don’t assume his church is growing because of compromise. (3 John 3)

6. Recognize that a young man can do things with which you personally disagree that are not unscriptural.

One pastor may take up the offering after the sermon while you take it up after the choir special. You may disagree, but that does not make the other pastor’s position unbiblical.

7. Seek for ways to mentor and encourage younger pastors.

Dr. Paul Vanaman often encouraged me when I was a young man. He would invite me to preach, give me gifts, and pass along advice he had received from his mentor, Dr. Bob Jones Sr. He would also caution me in an area where he thought I was unwise. His kindness made room for his warnings and instruction in my life. (2 Timothy 2:2)