Friday, August 21, 2009
a personal challenge for Steve the church minister
“Pastoral ministry always comes back to you, the minister. This is the bummer of being a minister. It’s also why it’s a great job. A huge personal growth challenge which you get with very few other jobs.”
Nigel Wright, Baptist leader, Thursday, August 19.
Posted by steve at 10:47 AM
)
Always comes back to the minister? Only if that’s the model you follow. If everyone in your church is a minister, then the pastoral ‘task’ is spread evenly and widely. Much more healthy. Yes, you’ll get the occasional hiccup; but is the ‘church minister’ free from hiccups in his pastoral work?
Comment by Mike Crowl — August 21, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
thanks mike. a few comments. overall this is my blog and so the quote was a personal challenging quote.
1. at the risk of being 2 vulnerable, i am not only a paid pastor, but a paid lecturer. i get paid far more to lecture than pastor. so what i found challenging in the quote was a way of seeing a lot of the shit I get tossed as a minister, as being a chance for personal dev and a rich way of seeing the job.
2. i can’t change anyone else in the church, but i can change me (which happens to be the minister). if there is lack of love, or conflict in the church, what i found helpful about the quote was the reminder that i can show a greater way – love.
3. yes all a ministers, but i have yet to see a healthy church in which the job of leadership has been delegated to everyone. often that task of leadership rests with the minister. a wise minister seeks to encourage leadership across a community and to develop all as ministers. but i repeat – i have yet to see a healthy church in which the job of leadership has been delegated.
steve
Comment by steve — August 22, 2009 @ 10:46 am
Mike,
the heading on this blog post does set the scene “a personal challenge for Steve the church minister” – its all about me! – and not a generic theology of ministry
steve
Comment by steve — August 22, 2009 @ 12:24 pm