As a pastor, it is funny to me to see some of the expectations that people have of the person that fulfills that role in their life. Some of those expectations are justified. Some are insane. I thought it might be helpful to pull aside the curtain and share some of the limitations we have as pastors so that people are not set up for disappointment in their spiritual leadership. So here goes...
Pastors Can't Be Perfect.This should be a no-brainer! Pastors are people, with all the fallibility that goes along with that. No matter how they might try, (and in some cases, pretend!) pastors are just as flawed as everyone else. You won't have to spend much time with me to see that this is true. I can be unorganized, forgetful, grumpy, argumentative, indecisive, mistaken, and foolish. Sometimes, I "gasp" even sin! In all honesty, I sin everyday. (double "gasp"!) That's because, like everyone else, pastors are a part of fallen humanity desperately in need of a merciful God. While my intentions are to be the best man I can be, I still screw up. This should be no surprise. But to some people, it is. I think this comes from some misconceptions.
First off, people get confused on why God calls individuals to ministry. They assume He must call the best and brightest. WRONG! A cursory look at the Bible shows that His selection pool tends to be filled with screw ups. Fishermen, thieves, terrorists, murderers, the homeless, drunks, and madmen have all made His final cut. Not necessarily what we would consider pastoral material. His standard is still the same today. Get a bunch of pastors in a room and you will discover they are strange people with strange ways. When the bible says, "God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful." (I Corinthians 1:27), pastors are definitely included in that statement! We need to readjust our viewpoint, then, and recognize that God is not calling perfect people to ministry. He is calling broken people who are desperate for Him and will allow His redemptive purpose to be displayed in their lives.
Secondly, pastors have to stop perpetuating the myth. In our desire to be obedient to everything the Lord asks, we tend to create a facade that we are. As much as I wish it were true that my life was an example of perfect obedience and relationship with Jesus, it is not so. Pretending that it is and spreading that fiction, leads to disillusionment by the people we are called to serve. It takes courage to admit to failure and it is embarrassing to confess to sin. But people respond to honesty much better than they handle the discovery of hypocrisy. We need to be honest in our struggles and in our wrestling with God's standards so as to effectively and relatably share the powerful truth of a Living God who moves in our lives.
So there you have it. I'm not perfect. Never was and never will be this side of eternity. But I love Jesus and I am willing to share with you how He works in a messed up guy like me so that you may have hope in what He can do for you. And if I can successfully pull that off, it might just be...dare I say it?...perfect!
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