Pastor

We are installing a new head pastor tomorrow, after over a year of search.  We had plenty of notice that the previous pastor was retiring. Congregations try to exercise due diligence in calling a pastor, beginning with prayer, evaluating themselves honestly, searching with an open mind, listening to the Holy Spirit. From what we can tell of the early churches, they did the same, and there is no sin in it.  However, it brings out an unfortunate side-effect, in that each of us gets into a mindset of "What do I want to see?""What do I think a good pastor looks like?" We become connoisseurs of pastors, much like the connoisseurs of churches warned against in The Screwtape Letters.

I think we are called rather to obey. That is better for us.  It is an unamerican idea, perhaps. Some denominations do not have congregations calling their pastors, but assign them.  I imagine this is not quite so pristine and spiritual in practice, but the idea itself has some advantages.

As in many things, some must be set aside for the more ambiguous tasks, so that others may pursue righteousness unimpeded.  King David was not allowed to be the builder of the Temple because blood was on his hands, even though God had allowed and even ordered the warfare. There must be elders in the church who call pastors to account, to intervene with them when the lose focus or go astray.  Theirs is not quite the position of obedience that the rest of us can settle into.  Those leaders can still learn obedience, of course; also, any of us might be called to confront those in power, even if it is not our assigned role. One size does not fit all.

It is not healthy to sit in judgement of a pastor's preaching when it interferes with our simply learning the lesson set before us this week. I say this as one who is a great offender.