DISQUS

gwalter · 1 month ago

Today, as I watched the flow of comments come in from your post on Facebook, I was impressed by a disturbing trend that I saw. There were many who expressed their love and appreciation for their pastors. Specifically, those who loved and appreciated the "great" man (or woman) God had placed in their church.

However, I did not see, nor have I ever heard someone say, "I don't really like the guy God sent us - but I love him with all my heart and appreciate him."

In fact, just a few days ago, I was chatting with a friend online and he mentioned how he didn't really care for the current pastor. "But it doesn't really matter," he said, "because the leaders are doing some great things in spite of him." (paraphrased)

This, I've found, is a common thread. The people of the church see the pastor as someone who is just passing through. If they like her, they'll do everything they can to hold on to her. If they don't, they'll just tolerate her until she moves on. It's their church anyway, not the pastor's - so it really doesn't matter what the pastor tries to do.

Granted there are some incompetent pastors out there. But isn't that God's responsibility? Doesn't the Bible tell us that God is responsible for all leaders and it is our responsibility to give them respect? What if God deliberately sent an incompetent pastor to your church? What if God sent someone who wasn't as warm and fuzzy as you'd like?

Shouldn't we follow those men and women, regardless of how they make us feel? Remember when Aaron and Miriam mumbled about Moses? Or worse, do you remember the rebellion of Korah and Kohath?

I asked my friend about this apparent disregard for the man sent to lead their church? He explained that there were some really good ministries happening, regardless of what the pastor was doing, or not doing. I asked him if good was good enough - or were they sacrificing the great, for the merely good?

And what about unity? And direction?

Is it possible, that despite the apparent disregard the people of this church had for his ministry, that God still sent Him to accomplish something specific? Is it possible that God knew of this man's faults and issues, but still called him to do something in that church? And how would he do that, if the people disregarded him - merely because they didn't like him, his personality, or his style?

And, as Ryan so well articulated above, why can't we love and appreciate someone, even if they wouldn't be our first choice?

DavidBurdick · 1 month ago

Thanks Adventist Wheel for this post. I'm not a pastor, but I've seen the whole spectrum of them and they certainly are just like you and me. If David could have his ups and downs, everyone of us can. God has appointed regular people as His leaders because they could identify with their flock and better serve their needs. Even Jesus shouldered an often crushing burden. The home of Lazarus was His sometime place of refuge when He could find no human relief from the crafty priests even in His own home.

I am thankful that our pastors have such books as the Desire of Ages and others. They need all the support they can get. Their only hope is to come to the end of their rope and then hang on for dear life. Then they will meet the unknown God.