Pastor or Doormat?

I love the church. I grew up in the church. I have very fond memories of different churches that my dad pastored over the years. I can still smell the musty basements. I remember the flannel-graph story boards. I remember the “birthday bank”. Did you ever have the birthday bank at your church? On your birthday, you would have to go up front, put money in the “church bank” and you got to pick a pencil or a kazoo out of the box. Then everybody would sing a “christianized” version of happy birthday. I never understood why they made you pay on your birthday? I guess to recoup the money for the pencils and the kazoos? Anyway…as many great memories as I have, I also have some not so good memories of the unhealthy expectations that some of the churches would place on the pastor.

Some churches expect their pastor to do everything. In fact, I just had a conversation with a pastor this week. His church expects him to cut the grass at the church, print the bulletins, clean the church, fold the bulletins, unlock the church doors, lock up after church is over, visit everyone in the hospital, and oh yeah…prepare a good sermon too. Not just on Sunday morning, but Sunday night and Wednesday night too! No wonder many churches are not growing! 

Ephesians 4:12 is my job description. My job is to prepare God’s people for works of service. Nothing more…Nothing less! In my opinion, this job description involves three things…

• Preaching God’s Word
• Equipping & Empowering people for ministry
• Casting Vision

There are many things that I like to do, that I shouldn’t do. That is…unless we don’t want to grow as a church. As a church planter there are many things that you might have to do in the beginning, that you need to work yourself out of as quickly as possible! Things like…set up/tear down, administrative duties, graphic design, planning events, etc…

I appreciate the people in my life that hold me accountable and often ask me…Mike, is that something that you need to do? Isn’t there someone else that can do that?  I’m thankful to serve alongside of people that “get it”!