Wednesday, September 04, 2013
Pastoral "Needs"
A 21st century pastor has to be a community developer.
A 21t century pastor has to be a discipler.
A 21st century pastor has to be a diplomat.
A 21st century pastor has to be an opportunity seizer.
I honestly do not know what to make of this list. Pastors have been traditionally too much of the academic and this list is way too much of the entrepreneur. The academic pastor worked when the congregation was committed. The entrepreneur builds a church when the congregation is just marketplace - but therein lies the rub - how do we move from full pews to commitment? Like Paul, in some sense the pastor must be all things to all people. Like in any business, it often takes different leadership to start a business than to maintain one.
The simple fact is that the skills needed in the pastor are tied deeply to the congregation that pastors serves. The only thing that can be solidly said about the what a pastor needs to be is mature in Christ.
You see if you are mature in Christ, the Holy Spirit will supply you with what you need in the moment and at the place.
Just a final thought/comment - the role of pastor needs to be seriously thought through generally. Were I to carefully analyze Rhoades' list here in church terms, I would call it what an evangelist needs to be, NOT a pastor. Somewhere, somehow, I think that confusion needs to be cleared up.
