May 1, 2008
We Are All Pastors
Posted by RO Smith under caring ministry | Tags: community, leadership, pastors, priesthood |I am starting to think out loud, and want your interaction and feedback.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Acts 2:42-47
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
1 Peter 2:9
Without getting into detail, there have been some issues at our church. I know all churches have issues, so that is nothing new. But the issues occurring at our church have got me thinking about what we value in being ministered to by others, in particular those with the title of “pastor”. It seems that there has been a disconnect in the pastors and the rest of the staff when it comes to being ministered to. Now, please know that I am not letting the pastors off the hook, or saying anything about their leadership style; I am going for something deeper…
I guess what the entire situation has got me thinking about is this: Why do we put so much onus and credence in what the person with the title of “pastor” does or doesn’t do? And how do we get people to see that we are all “pastors”?
It seems that all of us in church ministry want to be ministered to and be acknowledged by our pastors. In looking at these passages, I can not help but ask the question: Why? Why does it matter what those with the title of pastor think? What does it matter if they do not minister to us? What does it matter if they barely even know who we are? (Speaking from a mega-church perspective) More importantly, is it fair to them to have the these expectations placed on them?
As I read the passage from Acts and 1 Peter, I see a “mega-church” community ministering to each other regardless of a pastor’s or an apostle’s presence. In the Acts passage, people are following the teachings of the apostles, but no where does it say or assume that the apostles are personally tending to the needs of ALL the people. It is the community of people that is speaking in to the lives of one another. They are all pastors!!
My question is: How do we get back to this? How do we get people to be okay with being ministered to by people that do not carry the title of pastor? How do we get to the place in our ministries where people “pastoring” one another is enough? Maybe the bigger question is: How do we get to the place where God is enough?
May 1, 2008 at 7:09 am
Just wanted to say great, great stuff. But it’s 12:15 at night, so I will be back tomorrow to post something more intelligible.
rhett
May 1, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Do you think there is a strong spiritual authority that comes with a pastor rather than a lay person?
Sometime when people call me pastor Jeremy, I get a bit uncomfortable because the title has soooo many associations and comes with a lot of authority.
I also think the leadership style within the church determines how receptive people will be when others (non-pastors) minister to them.
God poured His Spirit on all flesh, not just pastors.
May 1, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Hey Jeremy,
I do not think we can underestimate the wisdom and calling of those we call pastors, and who are called to be formal pastors. With that calling I think comes authority. The key is where the authority comes from? Some people give it to them because of the title or reputation; but their true authority comes from God. And as you put it at the end of your comment, “God poured His Spirit on all flesh, not just pastors.”
It is that Spirit that gives the true authority, it is that Spirit in the pastor connecting with that Spirit in others that gives trust in the “authority position”. It is NOT the title that gives authority.
And yes, i think the leadership style withing the church does help guide whether the idea of “we are all pastors” can work.
Great question!
May 2, 2008 at 12:40 am
[...] We Are All Pastors [...]
May 2, 2008 at 2:26 am
My answer to your question, “how do we get back to this” is this: it starts with the individual. The janitor. The admin assistant. The techie. I think there is an incorrect assumption that pastors have some sort of high-speed connection to God, while others have more of a dial-up. This is the same thinking that made Martin Luther combat the church so many years ago.
Each of us can have the gift of pastor, although some really do have this spiritual gift more than others. One person on staff can pastor another with simple words, with a little spiritual encouragement and by loving them without condition.
I think when assumptions are broken and grace and love abound, pastoring will no longer be a role but a way of life around churches.
May 2, 2008 at 2:42 am
I think that the title may cause some of the confusion…because I think that who we call ‘pastors’ are more likely to have the gift of teaching and there is another type of person that has the gift of ‘pastoring’…more of a spiritual gift-type thing…I guess what I am saying is that not all ‘pastors’ have the gift of pastoring.
Maybe the problem is that we get disappointed when the teacher doesn’t have the gift of pastoring or shepherding…
BUT…what matters to me is if ‘pastoring’/shepherding is valued & encouraged and happening in a church…
I think these things organically happen in our ‘lay-driven’ group….and in the middle of our current crisis (lay leader of our group is in ICU)…we are all pastoring each other…at the hospital 24/7…so I am experiencing what everyone is longing for…that early church community where we are all in this together.
May 2, 2008 at 3:40 am
Thanks Matt and Syd. Great posts! I think you both bring up the issue: what if the person who is “pastor” doesn’t pastor you the way you think he/she should? Or if his/her pastoring doesn’t mesh with the way we think it should?
I guess I am wondering if our expectations of “pastors of the church” are way too high, and our viewing others as pastors around us is way too low? It seems many churches “split” because of these high, and possibly unrealistic, expectations people put on pastors.
May 2, 2008 at 5:27 am
This may sound funny to say, but I see my pastors as humans…and can imagine how I would feel if someone, all of a sudden, called me ‘pastor’ and had a list of expectations (beyond what is required of church leaders in the bible) and it makes me feel like this could be an exhausting and sometimes thankless job that is never ending….so I think official ‘pastors’ need tons of prayer & encouragement (Do not grow weary in doing good) because of the way people hold them up and expect them to be mind readers and cater to them.
I think some paid pastors have a ‘day job’ like the rest of us and just wish they could spend their time actually ministering to people…. :)and on the other end there is a danger that career spent in the professional ministry could,over time, surround you in a ministry bubble and keep you out of touch and disconnected from real life.
I think there is a ‘high and possibly unrealistic expectations’ put on pastors…totally!…most pastors went to seminary because they wanted to help people and no one trained them for the discouragement and politics of church work.
At the end of the day…it all boils down to loving people….and caring about them in a different way than the world does. Having your heart shaped and pounded to be more like Christ…and that is true for everyone.
May 2, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Sydney:
Really like what you have to say, especially this:
“I think some paid pastors have a ‘day job’ like the rest of us and just wish they could spend their time actually ministering to people…. :)and on the other end there is a danger that career spent in the professional ministry could,over time, surround you in a ministry bubble and keep you out of touch and disconnected from real life.”
I wonder if we were really meant to be in full-time professional ministry ever. I’m one who has been in it full-time for at least the last 7 years, and bits and pieces other places. I think something does happen to us pastors and directors when it becomes our job. We get a little too comfortable, and we forget how life operates for everyone else.
RO talks about our expectations we have upon pastors, but I wonder if the expectations that pastors have upon lay leadership, congregants, volunteers, etc. is actually quite skewed. We challenge people to committ and step up, not taking into consideration the demands of their daily life, when those of us in full-time ministry have the luxury to make that our job, have flexible schedules, etc.
I think a lot of pastors start dabbling in other interests as a way to keep themselves sharp, because I think professionalized ministry can begin to “dull” a pastor’s life and wisdom. Sometimes I think Paul had it right. He was a “tentmaker”, as well as received some support from those he was with. But you don’t get the impression he was full-blown clergy. It’s almost like we need a two term limit on pastoring, like the presidency (not compare politics and ministry). So that there is a limit to professional clergy. Then we need to go back into the working force, etc.
The other difficulty as well, is that once a pastor is full-time, it seems inevitable there are certain strings attached. It’s quite common to hear that many pastors don’t quite preach and speak like they should out of fear of driving away the “money people” in the church, or turning people away. They depend on these people for their professionalization, so instead of us being bold proclaimers, we are wearing “golden handcuffs” as some of my friends put it.
Very dangerous place to be.
One of the reasons I moved into counseling full-time (am about to) was because of my fear of this. And I wanted the freedom to volunteer or only work part-time in a ministry using my gifts.
Okay…enough for now. But I like where you are going.
And I like to see how everyone in your group has rallied. Demonstrates to me the Church.
rhett
May 6, 2008 at 4:31 am
thanks rhett… if I weren’t typing on a mobile phone….i’d reply longer…but… I am humbled and invigorated to be a part of a group like ‘young marrieds’ ….it is a defining moment.
May 13, 2008 at 1:51 am
[...] pastors, stressed, unrealistic expectations, volunteers | Recently, I wrote a post called We Are All Pastors, and was discussing this topic with my co-worker and friend Rhett Smith. He brought up an [...]
May 13, 2008 at 3:57 am
[...] RO has been concerned with what are some unrealistic expectations placed upon pastors which he wrote about in the post, We Are All Pastors. [...]
May 13, 2008 at 4:27 am
A pastor on every block. A church in every neighborhood. I think we need to give every person permission to do ministry where they live. Give them a congregation(their neighborhood) and give them free quality tools and the ability to network freely to be successful in creating a spiritual footprint. Most importantly is give them full control of the process and ask the simple question. How can we help you? Make ministry community focused vs church attendance focused.
We are doing it. I have more details on my site of how we can accomplish this. A new day is here. Your generation can make it happen.
I am enjoying the insights and questions this blog raises. keep it going.
Steven