Emerging Pastors
From my perspective, having been a Bible College grad, but not seminary, and having been full-time as an associate pastor for the last 11 years, I think that the emerging church model will definitely redefine the office of Pastor/Teacher. I don't necessarily think that it will be the end of salaried positions, quite frankly, we don't really make that much to make a difference. (In the majority of cases, pastors are not paid well, or even supported sometimes by finances, etc., except when you see the "bigger" more visible ministries.
I think though that the biggest shift in pastoral ministry from an emerging sense is going to be in that pastors will be participants of the community, more so than in the modern church. We were all trained not to become friends with our congregations and pastors are dying of loneliness. Jesus was friends with the disciples...he had relationship with them, not just a teacher/student role. I just read a great article on this by Erwin McManus. It really speaks to this concept. It's called the Friendship Dilemma. (http://erwinmcmanus.com/friendship-dilema)
I want to be a part of something bigger than me. I want others to share that journey with me. I think it will be awesome when others walk with me and share the journey. It will also hurt sometimes, but is the cost worth it? I think so. Jesus thought so. It may take longer doing church the emerging way. We just can't open up shop and start pushing people through a conveyor line. We have to live with them. See their struggles, walk through them together. That's what I think the emerging pastors will look like.
I think though that the biggest shift in pastoral ministry from an emerging sense is going to be in that pastors will be participants of the community, more so than in the modern church. We were all trained not to become friends with our congregations and pastors are dying of loneliness. Jesus was friends with the disciples...he had relationship with them, not just a teacher/student role. I just read a great article on this by Erwin McManus. It really speaks to this concept. It's called the Friendship Dilemma. (http://erwinmcmanus.com/friendship-dilema)
I want to be a part of something bigger than me. I want others to share that journey with me. I think it will be awesome when others walk with me and share the journey. It will also hurt sometimes, but is the cost worth it? I think so. Jesus thought so. It may take longer doing church the emerging way. We just can't open up shop and start pushing people through a conveyor line. We have to live with them. See their struggles, walk through them together. That's what I think the emerging pastors will look like.
John,
I agree. Years ago the local pastor or "preacher" as he was often called was a respected member of the community. In recent years they've become irrelevant to the community because they've spent too much time hiding in their own little christian subculture doing their own thing.
Instead of coaching a local basketball team they have to create a church basketball league. Instead of joining groups like Rotary, Lion's Club or another civic group they create a ministerial associate to hang out with their pastor buddies. Instead of being scout leaders and touching the lives of "unchurched" kids they create programs like Royal Rangers for the churched kids. You get my drift.
God help us to become friends of sinners.
Posted by
Kevin and Lisa |
4/16/2006 11:10 AM