A Pastor prepares a sermon every week. He studies in his office and sometimes at home. A Pastor usually take a week maybe even longer to get one sermon ready. There are time when Pastors have to prepare a sermon in a short time for various reasons.
A Pastor is suppose to be a scholarly man. Studying theology is essential for all Pastors yet there are some Pastors who are claim they are not scholars. They don't take time to study. Some may have graduated seminary and feel they have done all the studying they want to do. Other just believe God will give me the words to say, which can lead the church to a place it should not go.
What are the dangers of a Pastor is who a non-scholar?
First, a Pastor who is not a scholar will be open to false teaching. They will take in every wind of doctrine and not test it whether it is through a conference or a book they read. Pastors tests everything as well as all Christians. Pastors are shepherds that protect the flock, but they are not scholars they will hurt the flock.
Second, they will be unprepared. Pastors will be unprepared for not only the upcoming sermon but on their ministry to the church. Pastors do not have all the answers, but they can read about it and wrestle with it along the person they are counseling.
Third, they will fail in correctly handling the word of truth. Paul told Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). When a Pastor does not take the time to study, he fails in handling the word of truth which can lead into misinterpreting the Bible and/or false teaching which goes back to the first point.
Finally, they will lead the church astray. As I mentioned earlier, the Pastor is to protect the flock. If they are not scholars, they will hurt the church and lead them down a path of false hope. It is important for the Pastor of a church, no matter the size, to be a scholar.
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