For some strange reason my sisters always took an alternative root and debated the topics. This never turned out well. They never seemed to learn the purpose of these meetings. It was not about right or wrong or behavioral modification. It was about survival.
Well, it is time we have our own family meeting. But this meeting does not include my biological brothers and sisters. This family meeting is with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
So if you will permit me, have a seat as I pull out my yellow pad.
As a church consultant for INJOY Stewardship Solutions, I have noticed a disturbing trend for quite awhile but have not addressed it. But the time has now come.
We are way too tough on pastors. WAY TOO TOUGH. And here is the worst part, as lay people and church members, we are honestly not qualified to question the quality of their preaching. We know what we like but that is where our scope of understanding usually ends.
We are not public speakers. We do not have to create 40+ public presentations to the harshest critics alive.
The internet has made everyone an expert, myself included. With a few clicks of a mouse I can watch sermons, listen to live streams, or download podcasts of some of the greatest communicators of all-time. And it begs the question, if I can do this and mimic Andy Stanley in my small group or Sunday School class, why can’t my pastor?
This is a false premise. God uniquely made Andy Stanley (or any other top pastor you could name) and gave him a unique style and approach. He also uniquely made your pastor and gave him a unique style and approach. You can’t be Andy Stanley but you can be the best you God created.
So if the preaching is biblical and exalts Jesus, just say “Thank you”. And be thankful as well if you live in America or another country where you do not have to fear for your life as you listen.
Leadership is a more complex issue. Many pastors have been given the spiritual gift of leadership. Many have not. I do not think any pastor went to seminary and said, “I want to study for years, be paid well below my level of education, be constantly scrutinized for everything I do, put my family in a glass house, and fight Satan on a daily basis because I want to be a CEO of an organization.” To the contrary, they went to seminary to learn how to reach more people for Jesus.
Do pastors make mistakes? Of course, we all do. Can pastors get better in terms of their communication and leadership? Of course, we all can. Do they deserve our respect and support while on their individual life’s journey? Of course, just like we all do.
It is a common occurrence for me when talking to a pastor to have them say, “I don’t know how much you can help me. We’re a pretty small church.” To which I ask, “Well, how many do you run in attendance on the weekends?”
“200.”
“300.”
“400.” These are the common answers.
To which I respond by saying, “Pastor, the average church is America is running around 85-90 people. You’re multiple times larger than the average church. Also, I can’t get my wife and daughter to listen to me half the time:-) You have 200 people showing up to hear you every week. You’re doing something right. Let’s talk about that.”
Perhaps someone reading this post has been part of those conversations.
We are too hard on pastors. Perhaps pastors are even too hard on themselves, each other and their staffs. We, as a church leadership community, need to slow down, gain some perspective, and celebrate the incredible things God is doing through pastors at hundreds of thousands of churches across our country.
God’s not dead and neither are our churches. Pastors, thank you for all you are doing.
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