Checklist for selecting a Pastor

Below is a list of 10 things one should consider when selecting a Pastor.
(The author does not intend the pronouns "He" and "His" to be gender specific.)

•        The word “Authority” is not in his vocabulary.
•       He is a friend first and a Pastor second.
•        His words encourage rather than discourage.
•        He exalts Christ above himself.
•       He leads by example.
•     He is the first person you think of in times of crisis.
•       He prefers teaching over preaching.
•       He favors forgiveness over condemnation.
•     His counsel is seasoned with grace.
•    He is transparent. His motives are never veiled.

Servant Leadership

I have just finished reading a blog post about the Authoritarian nature of the leadership of many of the super mega churches. It is, to say the least, disappointing to think that a pastor of the gospel would elevate himself to such a position. I, personally, have always tried to live by the servant leadership model. I try to serve the Lord and the church with the ministry of gracious leadership as directed by the Holy Spirit. Christ is most clearly exalted when preachers get out of the way. What really troubles me is the ease with which so many people engage in  preacher worship. These mega-preachers routinely charge hefty fees for their conferences and publications which seem to be non ending. They brow beat their parishioners with multiple messages on tithing and giving. I wonder how long it will be before someone begins charging a fee just to attend a worship service. From what I have seen from some of these mega-churches the worship service is little more than a thinly veiled commercial for all the money making gimmicks that the Pastor is involved in such as trips to the Holy Land or sleeping on the rooftop of the church in order to promote his latest book. How much longer will God allow this kind of stuff to continue?

Not for the Thin Skinned

With my new screen identity in place, I set out to engage others in conversation by reading and responding to other blogs. I very quickly learned my first lesson in blogging. It is not for the thin skinned. I was amazed at how fast the negative comments and one liner insults began to appear. It appears that no one was willing to engage in intelligent dialogue. They were quick to rebuke my position without offering any valid reasons.

Behind the mask of anonymous there resides many angry people who have, in one way or another, been hurt by religion, or by people within the religious establishment. Truly, my heart aches for them. Bitterness and anger are the worst forms of cancer, they destroy the soul.

My First Post

The idiom, off the cuff, refers to someone who speaks without a lot of preparation and occasionally without thinking. I plead guilty on both counts. That can be dangerous for a Pastor because people tend to remember what a Pastor says. Occasionally it can come back to haunt him. My hope and prayer is that by posting to a blog it will force me to be a little more careful about what I say. I realize that anything posted on the internet lives forever. 

I love to interact and dialogue with people, especially people who possess a knowledge that is beyond my own. I enjoy being around people who are not afraid of a healthy exchange of ideas and information. 

I am not an angry, mean or vindictive person. It is probable that some will take offense to what I write but  that is certainly not my goal. My goal is to learn from others through conversation. If I should make a friend along the way that will be just an added bonus.