O Pastor, Where Art Thou?

As a child, when I thought of pastors, I had an image of a gray haired man in a suit, standing behind some wooden box in the front of a big room. Basically, this:

Even as an adult in the ministry, I shuddered at the thought of ever becoming a pastor. It was too rigid, too stuffy. Too much responsibility. And years of youth ministry had created an aversion to wearing suits.

Yet, God called me to pastor anyway. But, and I am tirelessly grateful for this, it was to pastor a new church, a church that had no preconceived notions of what a pastor was, or how he dressed. And, to top it off, God called me to pastor a church in a bar, so my image of "pastor" could now be fully tossed out the window. Now, it looks like this:



The problem was, I still had no idea what the substance of the role of pastor was all about. I had served under some good pastors for too short a time, or some good men who were just plain tired and burned out, or some- well, let's just say some works in progress. And from my time as a youth, I knew that pastors needed to be good speakers and be nice to people, but other than that, not much.

I read some leadership books. They seemed to tell pastors to act like business men. I stopped reading them.

I tried being a hands off pastor, let things just flow. Nothing happened.

I tried to be a sterner leader. It alienated people.

Then it hit me: Pastoring has become about leadership alone, and forgotten the key characteristic of shepherding.

I looked at popular pastors- locally and nationally. The big guys were leaders, alpha-dogs. They conveyed concern and compassion and seemed genuine. They were good speakers. But everything the church did flowed from them- they were leaders, and they were the fount of inspiration for every major initiative of the church. If the pastor didn't create the idea- or at the very least massively endorse it- it didn't go far.

Just the other day, Chase, a new visitor to the Gate mentioned that the reason some people think church is boring is because it's the same old thing all the time. He went on to say that some people complain, just to complain, but that if there is a problem, the complainers need to offer a solution.

It was then that it hit me- again. The church needs leader/shepherds. See, the problem is that the pastor has become, in the minds of the modern church, much like the Old Testament Priest. He does it all. He is the visionary. He is the initiator. He is the chief prayer warrior. And the Leaders Only Model of pastoring has taken this bait hook, line and sinker.

Why? Because it's easier.

It is easier to lead the people and tell them what to do than it is to prepare and disciple and equip them to do it themselves. That's shepherding.

Shepherding is walking alongside the people, and guiding them gently. It's noticing their spiritual inclinations to do good and nudging them toward that. It's nurturing the natural gifts and talents of the individuals in the church and working with them to see those gifts used for God's glory. Shepherding is letting the people who make of the Body of Christ make choices for themselves, and only stepping in to keep them on the right course and away from danger.

I'm learning there is a balance that must be sought between leading and shepherding. The church is where all believers can come together and share ways to seek God, but the church must have a leader that brings it all together in a focus.

And, I believe, above all, the pastor must be allowed to be human. Too many times I've read about or seen pastors who become idols, or who suddenly fall to a "secret" sin that gets publicized. Pastors are not celebrities, and they do make mistakes.

A good pastor will have the grace to equip the church to make decisions, the strength to lead the church toward Christ, and the courage to share his failures.

Pastor =/= Celebrity

Kristin and I were in town to meet the church I was about to join as Youth Minister. Everyone knew we were coming, its a small town and all, but I thought we could slip down to the Festival going on in the park unnoticed and check things out. Almost immediately, we felt eyes on us. The people were sort of subtle about it, but it was clear, they kinda knew who we were. Finally, someone asked if I was the new youth minister. Then people started talking to us.

I felt,for the first time, like a celebrity.

I don't think we set out to be 'celebrities' to our churches, but it often happens. Pastors who are loved become special people in the community. They get good seats at events, special parking, and lots of invites to cool stuff. People begin to talk like they talk, dress like they dress, and name drop them in conversations to feel important. Don't get me wrong- pastors should be loved and appreciated, but caution must be taken.

Pastors Are People
Something begins to happen in and around Celebrity Pastors. People begin to think they can do no wrong. They take their words as gospel, and their actions as saintly offerings. But pastors are people. They are fallible. They are given to fits of stupidity and error just like everyone else. They have affairs, struggle with alcoholism, have tempers, and occasionally lie (and not just in those cheesy 'pastor stories that sometimes get told from the pulpit to make a humorous point). Not just in their sins, pastors are people in their needs. They need friends they can vent to, cry with, laugh with and bounce ideas off of. They need friends. But Celebrity Pastors find friends hard to come by. The power they wield puts up a wall between the people and them, a sort of "I wanna talk to him, but he's so important and I'm not" vibe sets in. And the more distance between Pastor as Person and Pastor as Celebrity, the more it becomes about the power of the position and not the people they serve.

Power Corrupts
When people view their pastors as celebrities, eventually it can go to their head. They begin to get beyond the checks and balances of the people because no one would dare question their word. If it goes on long enough, even if someone does confront an error the pastor will refuse to see it. This is how bad theology becomes common theology. No matter how good the intent of the man setting out to lead, too much power will corrupt. You've seen it in nationally known pastors like Swaggart and Haggard, leading powerful churches while living a lie and believing their power strong enough to keep it hidden. But it happens on smaller levels, and without such blatant sin. Sometimes, a pastor becomes so powerful that the church can't function without him. He retires and the replacement is a sacrificial lamb because he's never good enough, and never will be. Or the church just dies, because the life of it was in that one man.

Pastor Worship is Idolatry
Paul told us to imitate him as he imitated Christ. Paul wanted us to look at Paul and see Jesus. The problem we have today is that we can come to get lost in the charisma and words of the man serving God, and so forget to see the God who sent the man. I dare say there are people more loyal to their pastor than to Jesus. After all, you can see him, and converse with him, and be near him- you know, the same things the Israelites said about the golden calf they made while God chatted with Moses on the mountain.

The Answer
So, here is how we can avoid setting our churches, and our pastors, up for failure:

Churches: Remember the pastor is human. He makes mistakes. Even in his teaching. So check what he says with Scripture and prayer. NEVER take him just at his word, because his best intentions will still fall short of God. Allow him to admit his faults, and encourage him to do so- and if he asks for help, give it. He needs your help in walking with Christ, even as he is called to lead you to walk with Christ. Pray for him. Question him. And never feel afraid to approach him. He may be the guy speaking each week, leading everyone, but he is still one of you. Don't forget that. And don't let him forget it either. But when he takes a stand that stands with God (and God backs that choice in Scripture)- back him with all you have.

Pastors: Remember you are human. You rely on God for the same grace you extol your church to seek and live in. Be real with the people, and never pretend you have it all together. Take time to be with them more than just a greeting as they enter or leave church. Share your sins and failures, and ask for their help. Do what you do for the Name of Christ, above doing it for the love of the church. Don't be afraid to take a stand- one that comes from Christ, not your views- and be willing to lose popularity over it. Make it clear with words AND actions that Christ leads you, Christ is your Lord, and that you merely lead the church where Christ leads you. Don't let people make you into more than you are.

That church that made me feel like a celebrity also taught me the dangers that come with it. It taught me how to be a pastor, not a celebrity. How to care for the people more than the position. They taught me that a real pastor will lead the people where they don't want to go, even if it costs him greatly- and he'll lead them there because that dangerous and lonely place is where Jesus is.