Bad Church Sign: “Our New Minister…”

I had to share a bad church sign with you that reads:

“OUR NEW MINISTER ASKED ME TO CHANGE THIS SIGN – SO I DID”

Hmmm…I wonder if the chairman of the marquee committee likes his new pastor or not?  While this makes me laugh at first glance, it also reveals a tragic mindset at second glance.  People are losing more and more respect for their pastors.

And you know why people are losing respect for their pastors?

  1. Some people were impacted by the moral failure of a pastor along the way and are now suspect of all ministers.
  2. Some people had a mean-spirited pastor and they now take vengeance out on the current one.
  3. Some people believe that if they tithe to the church, they can treat the employees of the church in any way possible.
  4. Some people are just mean-spirited people and since the pastor is supposed to turn the other cheek, those people just use their pastor as a whipping boy.
  5. Some people are expecting their pastor to do what their pastor is not called to do (oftentimes, when home life is bad, many will expect pastor to fix what is lacking).

Whatever the reasoning or rationale is, I want to share biblical teaching with you that should challenge all of us:

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.  -Hebrews 13:7

You rarely hear a message on that verse, do you?  Why?  Because it feels as if the pastor is protecting himself if he preached it.  But have you ever thought about the responsibility that your pastor has?

Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment, – James 3:1

That’s right.  Pastors and spiritual leaders will receive a stricter judgment.  So, who would want to sign up for such a gig?  Someone who is called by God.  And if your pastor is called by God, and they are committed to teaching the Word of God, then if they tell you to live a certain way according to Scripture, you are called to obey and submit to them.  Why?  Because they are watching over your souls and will have to give an account to God for how they lead.  And what’s crazy about this verse is that it would be unprofitable if you caused grief in your pastor’s life rather than joy.

This week, thank you pastor for who he is and for fulfilling the call of God to the best he can.