Sunday, July 03, 2005
An Interesting Juxtaposition
Two blogs I really enjoy Jollyblogger and Eternal Perspectives seem to be dealing with different slants on related issues. That issue in a nutshell, is "spiritual authority," -- how it is gained, how it is granted, how it is earned, and what honor or respect we owe it.
Jollyblogger addresses issues by examining a paper someone write called "We Know More Than Our Pastors" that deals with how blogging is resulting in new ways to "do church." EP has done a couple of posts recently (here and here)recounting dealings he has had with people that simply lack sufficient respect for biblical knowledge and training.
This discussion is really close to my heart for reasons that I hope are obvious. I am nearly as well trained as most pastors, but because I do not serve in a professional pastoral role, that can be a source of great friction in my life and particularly in my relationships with pastors. There are some things that I would like to address based solely on my experience.
I was drawn to study for the ministry as a profession largely because it was a profession that would pretty much allow me to tell other people how to think -- kinda like blogging, huh? If that drew me in, I have to think it has drawn in a lot of other's as well. Those of us that were drawn to that aspect of the profession are going to be put off by anyone in the congregation that wants to either argue, or is simply very independent, or in some cases is too inquisitive.
In my case the desire to "tell other people what to think" was/is born very much out of an insecurity -- a feeling that I just don't quite fit into the world, so I'll try and remake it into a world into which I do fit. Thus if you argue with me you are telling me that I really am a misfit since what world should not be one into which I fit. If you are too independent, you thwart my plans, again, leaving me a misfit. If you are too inquisitive, you threaten the vision of the world that I have simply by examination.
As someone who has a lot of information with which to argue or question, pastors that are like me generally end up very unhappy with me because I end up doing those things. The words, "I'm the pastor here" have been uttered in my presence more than once. I will admit to being a pushy know-it-all in my younger years, but in recent more mature years, my desire has been to build a relationship in which the pastor and I can work together, but I still run into this issue, a lot.
Other more secure pastors than I sometimes create a different issue that can end up in the same place. Mark Daniels posted this past week about being a "recovering snob." His words, not mine. I think in his confession Mark has put his finger on a big part of the perception that Mike at EP is struggling with, though I have no idea if Mike himself has done anything to create that perception. So many pastors and leaders (Mike is not serving as a pastor, but like me is trained so) are viewed as being "not really real." That is to say they seem to live in a different world than the rest of us. People, rightly or wrongly, perceive such people as not having a real grasp of the world in which the rest of us live. Thus, when they start throwing knowledge at us we tend to react with, "So, how does that help me put dinner on the table for my family?"
Some pastors, in my opinion, foster that "other worldly" perception -- it insulates them from people (hey we are back to that insecurity thing) and it grants them an air of authority that they might not otherwise enjoy.
So having said all that, there are some simple lessons, reminders, that I will not so humbly render to pastors. These are not aimed at anyone in particular, the links I have made here are simply what set me thinking along these lines, I know none of the people involved enough to say if these lessons apply to them or not.
Jollyblogger addresses issues by examining a paper someone write called "We Know More Than Our Pastors" that deals with how blogging is resulting in new ways to "do church." EP has done a couple of posts recently (here and here)recounting dealings he has had with people that simply lack sufficient respect for biblical knowledge and training.
This discussion is really close to my heart for reasons that I hope are obvious. I am nearly as well trained as most pastors, but because I do not serve in a professional pastoral role, that can be a source of great friction in my life and particularly in my relationships with pastors. There are some things that I would like to address based solely on my experience.
I was drawn to study for the ministry as a profession largely because it was a profession that would pretty much allow me to tell other people how to think -- kinda like blogging, huh? If that drew me in, I have to think it has drawn in a lot of other's as well. Those of us that were drawn to that aspect of the profession are going to be put off by anyone in the congregation that wants to either argue, or is simply very independent, or in some cases is too inquisitive.
In my case the desire to "tell other people what to think" was/is born very much out of an insecurity -- a feeling that I just don't quite fit into the world, so I'll try and remake it into a world into which I do fit. Thus if you argue with me you are telling me that I really am a misfit since what world should not be one into which I fit. If you are too independent, you thwart my plans, again, leaving me a misfit. If you are too inquisitive, you threaten the vision of the world that I have simply by examination.
As someone who has a lot of information with which to argue or question, pastors that are like me generally end up very unhappy with me because I end up doing those things. The words, "I'm the pastor here" have been uttered in my presence more than once. I will admit to being a pushy know-it-all in my younger years, but in recent more mature years, my desire has been to build a relationship in which the pastor and I can work together, but I still run into this issue, a lot.
Other more secure pastors than I sometimes create a different issue that can end up in the same place. Mark Daniels posted this past week about being a "recovering snob." His words, not mine. I think in his confession Mark has put his finger on a big part of the perception that Mike at EP is struggling with, though I have no idea if Mike himself has done anything to create that perception. So many pastors and leaders (Mike is not serving as a pastor, but like me is trained so) are viewed as being "not really real." That is to say they seem to live in a different world than the rest of us. People, rightly or wrongly, perceive such people as not having a real grasp of the world in which the rest of us live. Thus, when they start throwing knowledge at us we tend to react with, "So, how does that help me put dinner on the table for my family?"
Some pastors, in my opinion, foster that "other worldly" perception -- it insulates them from people (hey we are back to that insecurity thing) and it grants them an air of authority that they might not otherwise enjoy.
So having said all that, there are some simple lessons, reminders, that I will not so humbly render to pastors. These are not aimed at anyone in particular, the links I have made here are simply what set me thinking along these lines, I know none of the people involved enough to say if these lessons apply to them or not.
- There will always be a need for leadership when there is a group of people. Leadership skills are different than teaching skills, pastors need to master leadership skills, or pull someone close to them that can do it for them (Moses and Aaron?)
- Real authority is earned, never granted. Positional or granted authority fades rapidly if the one so endowed does not live up to it.
- Real leaders recognize other leaders in their group and work to make allies of them, not minimize them, which in reality turns them into opponents.
- True leadership exercises itself not for the sake of the leader but for the sake of the lead.
- The church in general desparately needs to encourage the development of persons like myself, that is to say trained, but not employed, and in such encouragement needs to make strong and valuable places for them in the church's ministry.
- Iron out your insecurtity problems before you take the job. Or at a minimum, work them out somewhere besides on the job.
- The more authority you have, the more humility you need.
- True leadership does not seek to keep the lead "in their place" it seeks to elevate them to leadership as well.
- Never rely on your authority, rely on your ability - check that - Rely on God.
- Endeavor to be "in, but not of."
Well, now I am starting to sound like a motivational speaker, so I'll knock it off, but you get the idea.
