Sunday, 22 July 2007
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Ministry
Today I am dealing with a strange issue. How do I rectify my desire to minister the Gospel, to be a functional part of the "body of Christ", when I despise the whole system? I am being serious. I hate the whole setup. The glorification of the one "Pastor".... the pulpit ..... the thing we call preaching, which seemingly amounts to a man on a stage glorifying himself through religious terminology and a wild, barely discernable supposed message which amounts rarely to anything referring beyond heaven and hell. Or, a preacher who will intellectually pull apart the scripture and make us all feel as though we are learning some new revelation, but never deals with the practical aspects of where we live... which is mostly to prove his own intellectual superiority over all of us silly lambs.
I don't really know what my objection is built on. Is it that a whole large group of people subscribe to the spiritual superiority of a single person/couple... who ultimately wants to have the final say over what we decide to believe? Is it that so many people minister out of their own insecurity, and overcompensate with an act? With an entertaining show.... and we all feel like we've had church if we've been moved to shout or say amen! We come home from church happy, if we've had a good feeling or experience..... If we've been moved, or entertained, or enlightened to some "new revelation".
To many pastors, ministry is primary and relationship is secondary. The image is primary, the character is best left under the rug. Our pulpits are full of young men who don't know how to have a relationship with God outside of "ministry". I've met so many who wouldn't open a Bible if they didn't have to preach. Who wouldn't even pray if they weren't looking for a fresh "word" for the congregation. (Most get away with it, because after all, if God can use a donkey to get his message across, I guess he can use anybody.)
My husband has a desire, I think, to be a Pastor. Now, this is a man who has a strong relationship with Jesus, who digs into the Bible, even when he's not in charge of a Bible-Study. He applies the scripture to his actions, he intercedes for others, is constantly growing in faith, in love of God, and love of his neighbor. Maybe it is because of the stereotypical pastor that I fear this position. Maybe it is because I am afraid it would make my wonderful, godly husband into one of "them". Or even worse, that I would become the stereotypical pastor's wife!! Oh dear God, deliver me from all my fears and do whatever you want to with my life!
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Comments (7)
Minister teh gospel?
St Francis when giving instructions to his friars before sending them out said: "preach the gospel. If you must, use words!"
Let people see it in you if you want them to see it in the bible.
I agree! It's so hard when all you've seen is one way of doing things to really comprehend a completely differant method. It's also scary to step out on your own and be fully responsible. I think that's the biggest reason pastors have so much power. It's easy to say "pastor said" and blame the results on him,even when we're not convinced that he's right! We have to learn that our shephard is Jesus, not the man behind a pulpit. As for your hubby, I think he sounds like he's already a great pastor of his home!