When it comes to being a pastor there are many gray areas and oddities that if looked at with a microscope would make a pastor out to be a rule "breaker" if not "bender". Specifically speaking, a pastor does not receive the same opportunity on Sunday to corporately observe Sabbath. Obviously the Pastor is the one taking care of last minute preparations, making sure the ushers are on the same page, the sound is taken care of, all announcements are made and many other duties that all just happen to appear 5 minutes before service. So what is a pastor supposed to do when it comes down to observing a Sabbath day of rest.
I have a friend that is a bi-vocational pastor, technically tri-vocational, at a small independent church here in Indiana. We meet every other week to encourage each other and hopefully sharpen each other spiritually. When it comes down to it he is regularly tired and worn out frustrated because he can't spend more time for the church. So what is his Sabbath like, well he never truly has a day when he is not working. He balances his week between his three different obligations, while making time to study for a sermon, visit people, make necessary calls, and Saturday is usually (except in rare cases) when he writes his sermon, because there is no time during the week to do otherwise. Sunday than is like any other pastor of a small church you have known, he teaches Sunday School,Preaches and greets. So where is his Sabbath? What is a Pastor supposed to do?
In Mark 2 Jesus is seen walking with the disciples through a field, as they do so they casually reach down and pull the grain from the plants of the field. Of course the Pharisees are watching every move they make and approach in an accusatory tone and attempt to condemn the actions of Jesus and the disciples. These words sum up the thought of this passage, "Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." While the Pharisees were condemning Jesus because of the reaping that was being done by him and the disciples there is still something in this for us to think about. What is the Sabbath supposed to be for a pastor?
Personally I am greatly blessed when it comes to having a Sabbath time for me to rest. Unlike my friend above I am blessed with one day off each week to replace time in my week for the time that I do not receive on Sundays as those that I minister to receive. So when it comes to that day I turn down any church ministry that I would normally be involved in with my position/responsibilities. I do this so drastically to set a precedent for those that know me and that I minister to, so they know when I am off, and also the example I hope to set for taking a Sabbath. As a pastor it is hard for me to say for someone not to work on Sunday or anything of that sort if I myself do not take that day off, for I then would be the guilty one.
I write these things just as thoughts, mainly because yesterday was my day off and it was glorious. Also as a pastor it is hard to change my habitual thoughts that only Sunday is the Sabbath for me, if that were true than I am knowingly committing sin every time I'm in the pulpit/or in the church on Sunday. To you that are lay people in the church, make sure that your pastor has a day off and that you support him taking this time for his spirit and health. If your church doesn't offer that for your pastor then there is something that should be changed.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Fun in the Midst
Even though I have been busy I haven't failed to enjoy life and every day that the Lord blesses me with. like fishing at 3am for 20lb Salmon.
Culture
I know this is a long and age old argument, but something I read today brought it out in me again. For more on that go here
We as Christians especially evangelical Christians, which the majority of Southern Baptists will claim to be a part of, are called to go out into the world as we all know. This story that I linked above is an example of exactly the opposite and exactly what we can never do. I'm not trying to preach a Wesleyan objective or call Baptists evil, and I'm not saying that Private Schools are wrong, heck I went to one for my Bachelors. Do we actually realize what this separation does to our children, and the voice that we do have in the public schools because of our beliefs?
Christians get so enraged about the recent push that Muslims are making in America, logic would tell me that they are going to be starting in the educational institutions to make their impact. Think with me. If we pull our influence out of this world and get into our Holy Huddles and that is it, what happens to the world when we weren't there to hold ground in God's name.
If it was ok for God's only son to walk around in a Hellenistic world with rampant sex and murder and everything that goes against His teachings then it's ok for our children to be hardened in their faith by fire. If it was ok for Wesley to use bar songs and converse with the frequent singers of these songs to build a relationship with them that opened their hearts for the Gospel then it is ok for kids to be in the public schools. If it was ok and life changing for Jonathon Edwards to read every book about current culture and beliefs to better relate to the crowds he preached to it's ok for kids to be in the public schools.
Maybe the problem isn't the teachings of the schools and the subjects that are raised everyday in a child/teens life. The problem starts at home with the exposure that takes place there from conversations with parents, or lack there of, from the time in front of the TV watching "trash" and hearing words that feed the conversations everyday. Maybe it starts with what the parents aren't teaching their offspring about God, the power of His Word, and helping them think critically about life, and culture.
We as Christians especially evangelical Christians, which the majority of Southern Baptists will claim to be a part of, are called to go out into the world as we all know. This story that I linked above is an example of exactly the opposite and exactly what we can never do. I'm not trying to preach a Wesleyan objective or call Baptists evil, and I'm not saying that Private Schools are wrong, heck I went to one for my Bachelors. Do we actually realize what this separation does to our children, and the voice that we do have in the public schools because of our beliefs?
Christians get so enraged about the recent push that Muslims are making in America, logic would tell me that they are going to be starting in the educational institutions to make their impact. Think with me. If we pull our influence out of this world and get into our Holy Huddles and that is it, what happens to the world when we weren't there to hold ground in God's name.
If it was ok for God's only son to walk around in a Hellenistic world with rampant sex and murder and everything that goes against His teachings then it's ok for our children to be hardened in their faith by fire. If it was ok for Wesley to use bar songs and converse with the frequent singers of these songs to build a relationship with them that opened their hearts for the Gospel then it is ok for kids to be in the public schools. If it was ok and life changing for Jonathon Edwards to read every book about current culture and beliefs to better relate to the crowds he preached to it's ok for kids to be in the public schools.
Maybe the problem isn't the teachings of the schools and the subjects that are raised everyday in a child/teens life. The problem starts at home with the exposure that takes place there from conversations with parents, or lack there of, from the time in front of the TV watching "trash" and hearing words that feed the conversations everyday. Maybe it starts with what the parents aren't teaching their offspring about God, the power of His Word, and helping them think critically about life, and culture.
4 months
So it's been four months since that last post...sorry. I have been urged by others to post on something. Honestly I have been slacking on keeping up with the ever-changing culture of the world, and i'm a little lazy. Until now. So I will do my best to keep up on this and make it a point to either let you know what is going on or what I'm thinking. thanks for the nudge (you know who you are).
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