A Memo to Pastors
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, June 08, 2005
- Viewed 303
- (5) comments so far
To my fellow pastors:
If you have been following these series of posts then you probably care as much about the church as I do. I know that many of the people we pastor don?t get this, but I do: We are not only committed to Christ, but we truly love Christ?s body. We are pastors because we love the church. I am writing this as one of two final installments of this series inspired by the pain I have come to know first hand in five churches, because I believe that we are all pained when one part of the body is suffering.
Let me offer these thoughts to you, my colleagues.
First, we must believe, know and teach the truth. Our congregations are filled with people who are awash in relativism and the backsplash of overly rigid dogmatism. If our congregations are going to be places where people ?speak the truth in love? then we must be custodians of the truth that is found only in Jesus. We must learn differentiate between ?big T? and ?little t? truths; between that which is categorically and objectively True that we must hold to with firm conviction even at the cost of unity and those ?truths? of our life experiences and perspective that are personally cherished and important for us to share with each other to build trust and intimacy, but not necessarily worthy of division. Some of the truth is that we polarize around non-essential issues, personalities and preferences. Let us follow Paul?s example in 1 Cor 7 where even when giving instruction in the sticky matter of sexual ethics Paul could differentiate for his people the difference between ?I? and ?the Lord?.
Second, whether we like it or not, our ministry is about both the Word and the People. Always. We are not Bible scholars or professors who have the luxury of just studying and teaching the Word, nor are we social workers, politicians or non-profit leaders who only worry about our constituency. We always serve both. To paraphrase Eugene Peterson, we must always be in the middle of the mystery of God and the mess of people. Always.
While the authority and relevance of the Word is certainly under scrutiny, it not attack by the world these days, I believe that the notion of The People is being attacked from within. We Christians have taken in the values of a ?divorce culture? and have perpetuated it in the church. People are unconvinced about, inexperienced in and incompetent at building lasting covenant relationships. We pastors must teach them another way. We must work on being good with people and not just ?caring? for them, but also creating the environment for people to grow and flourish in faith. We must learn to humbly lead them in both life-transformation and ministry. And teaching them that to be in Christ is to be in Christ?s body in a local congregation. That is the Christian way.
By the way, the People part is far more difficult than the Word part, I believe. Most of us nailed down the World part in seminary, but seminary probably didn?t help us one bit at the people part. Working with people will also push your own emotional buttons and trigger your own psychological hooks. Personally I believe pastors should invest at least as much time and money in psycho-therapy, mentoring and supervision as we did in seminary. (I think I spent more money in therapy than in seminary believe it or not, and I got a Ph.D!)
Third, while you were probably at one time one of the ?star players? in your church or a para-church ministry (which is why someone told you to consider going ?pro?) as a pastors you are now on the bench. We are not the ?star players? of the church, but the coaches. We are supposed to be on the sidelines, as it were, instructing, equipping, encouraging and leading a church of ?teammates?. Beware the temptation to take the ball and run with it.
When people come to you to lead a new church, a breakaway or some other split, beware the ?we need a shepherd? line.? More than they need a shepherd they need to be part of the flock. They need to be part of the body. In choosing you, they are rejecting each other. Make them stay and work it out. Teach them to know the Word, obey Jesus, and forgive and love each other.
And finally, the toughest news for us pastors to remember: If it?s about you, then it?s not about Jesus. This is true in every sermon, every meeting we lead, every decision we make. My family and I know that all that we enjoy in life is for us to fulfill the calling of leading San Clemente Presbyterian Church. We often say to each other that we know that the only reason we get to live in San Clemente is because I am the pastor. If I stop being the pastor, I?d have to leave.
This is a tough thing to acknowledge for most of us. We want to have a life, build some job security, sink deep roots and provide for our families. This is all good. But remember, you accepted a call to be a pastor. There are many other ways you could be serving Christ (especially as a lay person). When you accepted the call to pastor, you became betrothed to the Church.
Minister means servant. And in the end that is all we do. We serve Christ, we serve the Word, we serve the People. Period.
Friends, I believe this is a high calling and great privilege. As pastors we are part of more holy moments than most. But our goal is not ourselves but Jesus, seen through His body faithfully living out the gospel in a particular time and place. That is why we are here.
Your brother and fellow pastor,
Tod
Thanks, Tod... you know it's really easy to go for an extended period of time fooling ourselves thinking that it's really all about us; but we really know better. Take some time today to re-focus your thoughts on the real reasons you are doing what you are doing. It could change your attitude and your week!
FOR DISCUSSION: What did you think? Do you ever struggle with the things Tod mentions in his memo?
One of my favorite blogs to read is from Pastor Tod Bolsinger at "It Takes a Church... Recently, Todd wrote a memo to pastors that has some great thoughts. (You can read a lot more from Tod at his blog that his updates regularly… just follow the link above. Tod writes…
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bernie on Wed, June 08, 2005
Author says:
“By the way, the People part is far more difficult than the Word part, I believe. Most of us nailed down the Word part in seminary, but seminary probably didn’t help us one bit at the people part.”
No schools train completely; on-the-job training and personal growth are demanded from any serious career.
However, I wish the “word” (I think there’s a typo in the original; word, not world)part was nailed down. It too needs great focus. There is no shortage of false beliefs floating around, and no shortage of people afraid to confront them. John the Baptist, Jesus, etc. confronted false teacher’s, and it cost them their life. After all, it was the “religious establishment” that did Jesus in. The very people who were in position to proclaim God’s Word killed the Word of God.
Jesus promised us persecution if we are like Him, so I think we do need to stand-up more for the “big T’s” than we do. “All that is necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.”
...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247/
SPCT on Thu, June 09, 2005
WOW! A pastor who understands just what it means to pastor! AMEN, AMEN, and AMEN, Tod (and Todd.)
May I also point out that there are many pastors in local churches. Whether they hold an offical office or not, they are pastors in what they do and how they function. Same goes for elders. There is, today, our official role of elder or pastor, then there are those elders and pastors in the church who simply function as elders and pastors. These are the folks to whom the congregation goes when they really need godly advice, wisdom, and maturity.
Difference is, they’re not paid for it.
Don’t be deceived. Jesus doesn’t hand out titles, he hands out gifts.
SPCT on Thu, June 09, 2005
BeHim, no one in the discussion group seems to be able to email you. Appears your employer may be blocking email from addresses not on it’s approved list. Do you have another email address?
(Todd, I hope you’ll endulge me this post here. BeHim is sending us some email messages but no one can respond to him as we are getting “undeliverables” back. If you would be so kind to let us try and reach him…Thank you, brother!)
Blair Frodelius on Thu, June 09, 2005
At our pub ministry discussion group last night, we talked about some of the bad experiences we’ve had in churches. An interesting item came up briefly. The people who leave churches, rarely let the pastor know why. They just up and go. With little or no feedback on their reasons for leaving, the church is left assuming that it was the individual who had the problem, when it may have been something with the church leadership that was not being addressed.
My definition of a pastor is someone who treats the people in his church as friends and fellow travelers. Not just as a leader and dispensor of the Word. But as a real “shepherd”. One who takes care of his flock in practical ways and will go after the one stray lamb to bring him back to the fold. Most times, pastors are so busy running the business of the church, that they lose sight of people as children of God and begin to think of them as objects to fill seats, tithe and/or “be saved”.
Just my two cents. I think pastors are some of the most undervalued people in America today. God bless them!
Rev. Kevin Jones on Mon, June 13, 2005
Dear Tod i thank you for the wisdom God gave you to write to us who are called to be pastor. Remember me as you are praying for I am seeking my call to become a pastor.
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