| A Presbyterian pastor |
| Written by JACK HABERER, Outlook editor | ||||||
| Monday, 19 September 2011 04:54 | ||||||
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Most letters to the editor arrive in response to a particular article. The following one came without prompt from Walter Smith of Lynchburg, Va. Two weeks ago, I was in San Francisco. I got on the elevator at my hotel with another man who asked if I knew where the pool was. I told him to follow me since it was near my room. He shared that he was a musician and was at the hotel for three musical engagements. I told him my father was a musician and that he played trumpet and mellophone. As we walked to the pool, he asked what kind of work I did. I told him I was a retired Presbyterian minister. He said, “I’m Jewish, and I have had three crises in my life, and it was a Presbyterian minister who helped me get through them.” Now that’s a keeper. We Presbyterians can be a cranky lot — arguing fine points of theology and polity with an intensity that discloses our Highlander and Scots-Irish roots. We are a downtrodden bunch — our guilt and shame getting tweaked every time we hear reports of decreasing membership. And we are a sinful group — our self-deprecating humor showcasing our failings like trophies. But one thing we do well. We pastor. Whether full-timer or tentmaker, whether doctorally degreed or paraprofessionally trained, whether dubbed “teaching elder” or “ruling elder,” or Stephen Minister or regular member — we can pastor. It’s no small thing to pastor. It’s a big thing to pastor well. Effective pastoring requires the heart of a counselor. Like Ruth the loyal daughter-in-law and keeper of the family traditions, a pastor is at once grounded in the faith learned of old and at the same time studiously attentive to the cares of those in the family of that faith. Its loyalty to the tradition is matched by its love for its charges — as a shepherd with one’s flock. Effective pastoring requires the mind of a scholar. Like Paul, the pastor not only spends years sitting at the feet of the leading scholars to prepare for ministry. The pastor retains the vocational title “student” throughout one’s years of ministry — constantly learning from professional scholars, from colleagues, from theologians, scientists and poets, and most especially from one’s own congregation members. Effective pastoring requires the finesse of a politician. Like Solomon in his ascendant years, the pastor learns the way of wisdom — wise as the serpent while innocent as the dove – exercising discretion in speaking the truth in love, learning to read human behavioral patterns, becoming resident expert in matters of the church regional, denominational, ecumenical, catholic, and exercising influence for the extension of the Kingdom of God. Effective pastoring requires the vision of a prophet. Like outspoken Isaiah and understated Anna, the pastor sees what other miss and, as John Kennedy said, sees things that are not and asks “Why not?” Not a few prophet-pastors have endured the contempt of the many for challenging the status quo — a high price exacted for their boldness — but the prophetic vision opens the eyes of the blind. Effective pastoring requires the courage of a Navy SEAL. Like Queen Esther, who risked her very existence, trusting that she had come into that kingdom “for such a time as this,” the pastor believes so confidently in the calling to proclaim the kerygma — the “teaching” of God’s Word — that “Here I stand; I can do no other” becomes a life motto. The Presbyterian Church has treasured and taught those gift-skills throughout its history. Its traditions and institutions, its councils and its covenant groups have fostered the ministry of the pastor as a force for faithful teaching, compassionate caregiving and community leading. And many students of the church have internalized those gift-skills and exercised their energy, intelligence, imagination and love — to the benefit of so many of us. And so, in recognition of those among us who possess such a heart, mind, finesse, vision and courage … in recognition of the huge price paid in work hours, in emotional exhaustion and in the absorption of criticism, … to those who helped the rest of us to get through the crises in our lives, we say, “Thank you.” —JHH Your Responses (3)
Chaplain Richard Hoffman
said:
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Saratoga Springs, New York Mr. Wood wrote, "You want your congregation to follow you as leader? Then, be there any time there is a change of any sort in their lives ... deaths, births, weddings, child having school problems, job change, financial difficulties, marriage conflicts, divorce, graduations, empty nests, illnesses, hospitalizations, retirements, etc., etc." It is this kind of expectation, and the external and internal pressures to meet the unrealistic expectations that lead to clergy burnout, depression, COM involvement, administrative commissions, and termination of calls. Healthier expectations for church leaders (including elders and deacons)could be modeled on Ephesians 4:11-13: "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.". Church leaders should be called and expected to equip congregation members to be the REAL ministers, the REAL pastoral care givers (as in Stephen's Ministry), the REAL evangelists, etc., etc. |
Lawrence Wood
said:
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Livingston One complaint I often hear from parishioners is that "my pastor wasn't there when I needed him." Then,"He/she is a good preacher but...." My observation: People respect a good preacher; they love a great pastor." You want your congregation to follow you as leader? Then, be there any time there is a change of any sort in their lives ... deaths, births, weddings, child having school problems, job change, financial difficulties, marriage conflicts, divorce, graduations, empty nests, illnesses, hospitalizations, retirements, etc., etc. You would think pastors don't have to be told these things, but many are not present when these things occur. |
p.w. gregory
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lambertville, nj All true from a historical, paradigm persepctive. Yes, Protestant clergy by and large have the ethos of being all things to all people, at all times. To be "on" at all times. But there is a price for that. The matters of clergy glut, depressed earnings, and over-all cultural change have been well documented in other postings. What is not discussed, but what has been known by places like the Alban Institute and Board of Pensions is that PCUSA clergy, as like their soul mates in the UM, ELCA, and EP suffer fron far higher rates of depression, stress related matters of obesity/heart issues, will suffer from a host of DSM-V related OCDs and boarderline issues than those in the allied "helping" professions of nursing, social work, or public school teaching. Their drop-out rates in the profession far exceeds normal turn over in almost every profession, law and medicine. And are more prone to seek SSDI and disability status. Why is this? Part is the personality types of those drawn to the clergy profession, high degreee of need for positive affirmation, seeing the profession as therapy by other means for their issues. But a large degree of the crises in the profession is driven by "congregations gone wild". Congegrations more than happy to stress the professional by unrealistic expectations, and the drive for metrics be it people or money. And some clergy are more than happy to play along, for a time. Combine that with the structural issues of professional isolation and the break down of the Presbytery from a place of professional support to more or less a regulatory agency all adds to the perfect storm of crises in the profession. Solution? Time, the system will correct itself it terms of churches and clergy glut in 5-7 years. A more informed clergy class in terms of work-life balance and more realistic expecations from congregations that remain after the great die-off of marginal congregations, and I hope we get to a better place in terms of who we are and what we represent. |
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