Well, today I think I'll indulge in a bit of a rant.
One of the things about going to seminary was not so much about learning all the "technical" things (Bible, theology, languages, etc.) – though, that was a lot of fun. No, much of the reason that I went to seminary (Western, specifically) is to be made fit for vocational ministry. That is, where I could test and evaluate my character for the demanding task being a pastor. Much of the hard work of being in seminary was about the inner stuff: my motivations, attitudes, and expectations of ministry.
A frustrating observation of ministry, and especially the pastorate, over the last three decades, has been the profound lack of respect and honor most sheep have toward their shepherds. This is a mixed bag and can get complex. Yes; there are clearly cases of “over-respect” and the horrifying phenomena of what has come to be known as “spiritual abuse.” But aside from that, the pastorate no longer has the same honorable position as it once enjoyed – both among the sheep and (more controversially) among the shepherds.
One of the things about going to seminary was not so much about learning all the "technical" things (Bible, theology, languages, etc.) – though, that was a lot of fun. No, much of the reason that I went to seminary (Western, specifically) is to be made fit for vocational ministry. That is, where I could test and evaluate my character for the demanding task being a pastor. Much of the hard work of being in seminary was about the inner stuff: my motivations, attitudes, and expectations of ministry.
A frustrating observation of ministry, and especially the pastorate, over the last three decades, has been the profound lack of respect and honor most sheep have toward their shepherds. This is a mixed bag and can get complex. Yes; there are clearly cases of “over-respect” and the horrifying phenomena of what has come to be known as “spiritual abuse.” But aside from that, the pastorate no longer has the same honorable position as it once enjoyed – both among the sheep and (more controversially) among the shepherds.
At the root of this, seems to me, is a lack of value for spiritual things. We don't truly value our spiritual lives. This, inevitably, leads to disrespect of pastors. I once heard a Roman Catholic priest explain his role to a group of Protestant youth as being “a doctor for the soul.” I still find it a helpful analogy. Your pastor exists because your spiritual life is important. Your pastor is specifically gifted, trained, and experienced to attend to the needs of your spiritual life and especially how that life interacts with the rest of your existence. Just as your physician is gifted, trained, and experienced to attend to the needs of your physical health, so is a good pastor.
In those golden days of yesteryear when being educated and being a fully-formed person was valued by evangelical Christians, the pastor was usually one of the most educated persons in his community. In those days, one was a “professional” because they “professed” something: both in word and in deed (think of the classic professions of ministry, law, and medicine). Yet it seems these days, on the pastoral side, there are some disturbing trends: an anti-intellectual attitude; a professional-ism that is more akin to the “hireling” that Jesus condemned (Jn. 10:12-13); and – all too frequently – an amnesia about who the real enemy is.
Let’s focus on this from the pew side. The sheep do not value their spiritual lives. One of the ways this works out is that people separate their spiritual lives from their "real," practical, day-to-day lives. There's the work week and Sunday - which we treat as a special day. But that specialness, for example, then allows people to separate their life of faith (Sunday morning) from the rest of their week ("real" life). Once separated and disconnected, their spiritual life is now marginalized and left to wither. A life that is lived as a follower of Jesus fully engaged in the workplace is, well ... it's just not Done. Spiritual life is no longer about the interior change that God wants to occur but is about outward behaviors, morality, and meeting expectations. Spiritual life weakens, is starved, gets sick, isn't treated, and imperceptibly goes on life support.
Because people don't value their spiritual life, as "Christians," then they don't value those who can help them stay spiritually healthy: pastors, ministers, elders. Especially those who are widely read, deeply experienced, have worked very hard to grabble with and get a firm grasp on the truth of God's word, to develop discernment and clarity about the motivations of our human hearts, and have sacrificed much in order to serve. People value their physical health, so the respect physicians. People value their economic health, so they respect financial advisors. The general lack of authentic respect for qualified pastors is a symptom of a larger disease.
So, my major point is that many church-going people - even while wanting to be more "spiritual" - do not truly value a robust and integrated spiritual life.
I welcome your comments and observations.
In those golden days of yesteryear when being educated and being a fully-formed person was valued by evangelical Christians, the pastor was usually one of the most educated persons in his community. In those days, one was a “professional” because they “professed” something: both in word and in deed (think of the classic professions of ministry, law, and medicine). Yet it seems these days, on the pastoral side, there are some disturbing trends: an anti-intellectual attitude; a professional-ism that is more akin to the “hireling” that Jesus condemned (Jn. 10:12-13); and – all too frequently – an amnesia about who the real enemy is.
Let’s focus on this from the pew side. The sheep do not value their spiritual lives. One of the ways this works out is that people separate their spiritual lives from their "real," practical, day-to-day lives. There's the work week and Sunday - which we treat as a special day. But that specialness, for example, then allows people to separate their life of faith (Sunday morning) from the rest of their week ("real" life). Once separated and disconnected, their spiritual life is now marginalized and left to wither. A life that is lived as a follower of Jesus fully engaged in the workplace is, well ... it's just not Done. Spiritual life is no longer about the interior change that God wants to occur but is about outward behaviors, morality, and meeting expectations. Spiritual life weakens, is starved, gets sick, isn't treated, and imperceptibly goes on life support.
Because people don't value their spiritual life, as "Christians," then they don't value those who can help them stay spiritually healthy: pastors, ministers, elders. Especially those who are widely read, deeply experienced, have worked very hard to grabble with and get a firm grasp on the truth of God's word, to develop discernment and clarity about the motivations of our human hearts, and have sacrificed much in order to serve. People value their physical health, so the respect physicians. People value their economic health, so they respect financial advisors. The general lack of authentic respect for qualified pastors is a symptom of a larger disease.
So, my major point is that many church-going people - even while wanting to be more "spiritual" - do not truly value a robust and integrated spiritual life.
I welcome your comments and observations.
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