I attended our conference’s annual January pastors’ meetings the first part of this week. Three observations:
1. The major presenters at pastors’ meetings in the Adventist Church are seldom themselves pastors. In our case, the presenters were a theologian-turned-university-administrator and an itinerant revivalist. The administrator delivered polished sermons with solid biblical content. He evinced respect for the pastors he was addressing. But his sermons had originally been crafted in a different era and sometimes it showed. One of his sermon repeatedly alluded to a counterculture classic from the early seventies. He didn’t explain the allusion and pastors under fifty did not get it. The revivalist was full emphatic declarations about just how pastors can accomplish spiritual renewal in their congregations. I listened and smiled. I have a doctor in my congregation who also dispenses prescriptions for church renewal with absolute confidence. I’d like to get the revivalist and the doctor together.
2. If you go to pastors’ meetings very many times you are likely to hear some visiting non-pastor declare with great earnestness, “If you don’t ________ [fill in the blank] you should have the courage to resign from the ministry. The blank might be a specific point of doctrine or prophetic interpretation or a particular approach to pastoral leadership. I used to be wounded by these comments. Now I just smile and think, “That bozo might delight to see the Adventist ministry purged of people like me, but I’m sure he would not consider switching places with me. He would find no glamour in the kind of faithful, steady pastoral service that is associated with the annual increase of tithe that comes from my little congregation. The truth is, the money associated with my ministry is what funds his opportunity to denigrate my ministry.”
3. God doesn’t require perfection. In spite of my criticisms, I acknowledge God uses theologians-turned-university-administrators and wandering revivalists even when they invade pastors meetings. There were pastors at these meetings who were deeply touched with healing and encouragement through the ministry of these men. With that in mind, I will step onto my platform tomorrow morning confident that for all my defects and deficiencies, God will use me, too.
Whoever you are—administrator, revivalist, erudite pastor, stuttering shepherd, model of confident faith or struggling friend of Thomas—preach tomorrow with the confidence God has something to say through you. And he will say it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
When I was an intern I was at a pastors' meeting where an about-to-retire union president stood up and made this speech: "I see from your church report that a third of you had a little growth in your churches. A third of you stayed about the same. And a third of you actually lost members. So two thirds of you could be dead and buried and wouldn't make a bit of difference to the work of God in this conference." This was in North Dakota, a state that has steadily lost population since 1920, and churches were dwindling (and have shrunk even more since then). I was riding with my senior pastor, and on the way home I looked over and saw him sobbing. He said "I try so hard, and all they can say is that I might as well be dead and buried."
Interesting. . .I've always wondered what was discussed at these meetings.
John, you might check out the NAD Ministries convention at Myrtle Beach next week:
http://www.comeseegotell.com/
In the ministry breakouts almost all of the presentations will be given by pastors in pastoral ministry. Perhaps you could compare and contrast their presentations with the presentations given by people who have left the ministry for administrative and itinerant callings.
Loren,
Thanks for your story. That pastor's tears portray the heartbreak I hear from many pastors. I'm mostly immune to the dissing of my ministry by those who've been "promoted," but we must constantly work to counter the denigration of faithful ministry that is all too frequently voiced by zealous, non-pastoral clergy.
Dave,
Thanks for your work to get pastors sharing with each other.
John
John, good to see you online. I've missed you, and with good reason. This short post is so beautifully written and my only response is, "I aspire to be as mature as you are some day." I'm not being 'smart." I'm serious. I heard those dismissive and critical comments and they still piss me off. More than that, they actually make me feel like changing professions. Hopefully I can let them roll off my back the way you do someday.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I keep plugging away with these Spirit-led folks I have the privilege to serve.
Peace to you, brother!
Post a Comment