Listening to a non-church-goer

Some good thoughts here. Erwin McManus says that most churches have lost the essence of what it means to be a church. I agree. I'm cautiously optimistic about more loosely formed groups of believers meeting to be the church. I think I'd want to read the pastoral epistles (Timothy, Titus) to recognize that there is a role for leaders. There's always a danger of throwing out too much in an effort to return to the essence. Buildings, programs, much in our churches that must grieve God's heart - good, let it go. But let's not think that two or three people who get together for coffee occasionally (as an example) is an adequate replacement. Let the discussion continue! (I think Rachel should write a book...)

Comments

[Bene Diction]

I was wondering as a pastor what you think of the statement that most ministers are unskilled to do other tasks. If you weren't a Baptist minister, would you still be a minister? (I'm not quite sure that questions comes out correctly. If you weren't being paid by a denomination, could you still be a minister?)

[Darryl Dash]

I'm not sure that statement is more true of pastors than anyone else. It's obviously difficult to switch careers (if that's what you can call pastoring), but people do it all the time. I'm not sure why pastors in general are seen as less capable to do so. With Baptists, the denomination has little to do with you being a pastor. You're on to something, though - my identity isn't too wrapped up with my denomination's recognition.

[Bene Diction]

Thanks, that was one of those questions that comes out sounding harsh, and I didn't mean it that way. I think we are all called to do something, it's more common to hear ministers talk about 'calling.' I suspect it could be quite crushing psychologically, if one thinks they have 'failed' in the career of ministry, and that seems a terrible burden we shouldn't ask people to carry.

[Darryl Dash]

No offense taken. One of the problems is that many pastors may be pastors because they "feel" called, but that calling has never been confirmed by those in the church - or maybe it has been confirmed by unhealthy churches for bad reasons. We'd all probably be better off if all of our churches took a big reality check and admitted that they're not doing as well as they think they are. Part of this should be pastors admitting (a) we're part of the problem and (b) many of us could probably make a better contribution to the Kingdom in a non-pastoral role. That sounds harsh too, but it's probably not too far off where we find ourselves.