This is a follow up to Ministerial Rebellion. I have been a preacher/pastor for 23 years, so I can talk about my own…
Preachers/ministers can be some of the most arrogant, self centered, proud, heady, and self-promoting people on earth. I know… I have walked that rocky path myself… to my shame. Ministers (Including staff) need to own up to the fact that sometimes THEY bring problems on themselves. No… they didn’t preach heresy. No, they didn’t break any laws. No, there was no moral failure (Known as “The Big Three”). Yet by their actions they have left a wake of hurt and destruction in the church that might equal those things.
For instance, there is a pastor (Not in Alabama) who constantly lies and manipulates others to the point that the Personnel Team told the rest of the staff never to have a conversation with him without someone else present. In another church a staff member volunteered that they had been secretly recording conversations with other staff (And when it was reported to the Personnel Team, they did nothing). Another led worship wonderfully, but constantly offended people in the church with crass comments and not keeping his word. Yet in another congregation three staff decided to spread half truths about the pastor who eventually had to leave due to the rift their actions caused (Soon after they were found out and also resigned). Over the years I’ve heard countless ministers berate their congregations and congregants that belies a condition of the heart that is troubling at best (“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he…”). These things should not be!
The point is this… Ministers… you need to own up to YOUR BLIND SPOTS. YOU need to admit your faults, failures, and mistakes. YOU need to learn repentance and seek forgiveness. Just because you have been called to vocational ministry does not mean you came down from Mt. Sinai. Your actions may not fall into The Big Three category, but they wound the Bride of Christ in an egregious manner (And you probably blame Deacons, other staff, or sheep for your problems). If everyone is out of step but you, maybe YOU are the one out of step.
Maybe… rather than going to a convention, preaching conference, to the beach or mountains… ministers would do well to take a week to get alone with Christ to be evaluated by Him. To listen to the Holy Spirit. To do some introspection and come under the microscope of Jesus. Try this minister…
Get alone with God and a copy of Scripture…
Make it a several day event…
Be unavailable to everyone except God (Check in each evening if you have to)…
Ask God… “Reveal to me my blind spots”…
Wait for God to speak…
Walk according to The Spirit.