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How are you doing?
I’m wondering what is going to break first – my stamina or the honeymoon? To steal a line from Bilbo Baggins – is there enough jam to spread over the toast?
The hard reality is there is 1 of me, close to 300 congregants that want a piece of me. I’m convinced that it’s not me they want but the pastoral care/presence. It stresses the importance of reproducing leaders that know how to feed themselves and care for the souls of others.
In the meantime…do we both have the grace to live with each other? Will I be authentic enough to let people know – I love you, you are important, I want to connect with you but I’m limited? Will I be the anti-superman Pastor who is honest about his limitations and frailties? Will the congregants be patient and gracious with their pastor? I think the answer is yes on both fronts…at least it is so far.
I’m thankful to be in a context where that can happen. I know of some that can’t. But then again, it’s fair to ask how they got there in the first place. A blog I read asked the question this week when did the shift happen for pastors to ‘run the church’ as opposed to care for souls. I feel the tension but I wonder if some of it isn’t self-made.
I know of some pastors that couldn’t NOT run a meeting or not tell their ministry leaders how to do their job. They have to have their way, the last word. And maybe it started out that way for a good reason – the church in crisis, immature leaders, needs one voice and clarity or there are sin issues to work through – whatever. But it’s not healthy to run a marathon that way. It’s not biblical. It sets everyone up for failure down the road. It doesn’t set a culture up for leaders to thrive in.
Ultimately, we want to be a place where all people can come and connect with Jesus with no masks, no pretension. That starts with leaders….most notably me.
So…how am I doing today? It’s still complicated….but it’s still good.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Stacy Kober // Feb 9, 2009 at 10:28 am
Rest assured you are doing a great job and it is obvious to all of us that this is what God has called you to do. Thanks for being so open and authentic by putting it all out there!
2 Jamie Roach // Feb 9, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I think you are considering some important questions. How feasible is it for pastors to shepherd communities of people that learn to care for and be present to one another. Could this help relieve the pastor from feeling he or she needs to be the one to hang out with every person in crisis?
3 Mike // Feb 9, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Sounds like a good complication to have to work through. Keep working through it. In the words of a pastor friend of mine, “There is an other side.”
4 daveb // Feb 9, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I am starting to think that finding the balance with these types of “tensions” is good for the soul.
5 Georges Boujakly // Feb 10, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Pastor Grant,
You are asking the right questions and in turn the church will hopefully ask them with you. I for one am.
The answer some may give is to get more paid staff. That may be needed but no church can hire enough staff to care for the souls of church members. We must learn to care for our own souls, and for each other in an ongoing and organic way in imitation of Christ. The best way I know to do that is to do life with a few others who are willing to train in self and others’ soul care (also in imitation of Christ).
6 Grant // Feb 10, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Georges – when you call me Pastor I feel like I should break out a sweater vest and a pipe.
But you are challenging me to be that contemplative pastor and I am thankful for that.
7 daveb // Feb 10, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Get over the “pastor” thing….we’ve had that discussion before…Pastor Grant! =0)
8 MarkE // Feb 11, 2009 at 12:09 pm
“I’m convinced that it’s not me they want but the pastoral care/presence…Will I be authentic enough to let people know…?”
Not without practice. It is sort of like trying to keep your balance in a swift current. Life comes at us like a torrent. The default is to be swept away with it. It takes an intentional effort to keep your balance.
I like your use of the word “presence” here. That is where it happens. But you can’t be present on-the-spot if you are not able to be present off-the-spot. This, too, requires practice.
I also like the focus on reproducing leaders. That is our charge, but a teacher is not above his master. You can’t give what you don’t got. Our heads are too full of “knowledge” and “correct beliefs” because that is all that many of our leaders have. Kingdom leaders know how to be present with God and others. They are the ones that are expanding the invisible church. Be that kind of leader. And watch your balance.
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