I wish I could be more like my guys. They can travel around Nairobi like they are in Shorewood Forest and haggle on the beaches of Mombassa like they are shopping at Southlake Mall. They can hang out with mom and dad at C. S. Lewis' favorite pub in Cambridge (that’s where you eat in England) like they are sitting in Burger King and one plane ride later they are hanging out at school with friends here in the U.S. like they never left. Don’t misunderstand me – the journey had quite an impact on them – but they just seem to adjust so well to any situation. Not me. I’m just not adjusted yet. Almost everyday I have to temper my frustrations with American culture. I have to be careful what I say when I preach, or counsel or lead meetings because there are so many things I want to say, that I probably shouldn’t. (Unfortunately pastors have to “be good” if they want to keep their jobs. Everybody knows it.) I’m bothered by the greed. I’m bothered by complaining. I’m bothered by the waste. I’m bothered by casual Christians who show up at church once a month and think they have done God a favor. (Why don’t we just have church once a month!?) I’m bothered by newspapers filled with inane headlines. I’m bothered by American ignorance. (Africa is not a country, it is a continent, and yes people really are dying there every day!) I’m bothered by people who fight over stupid things. I’m bothered by our prayerlessness. And on top of it all I’m bothered by our arrogance! (Ok, ok, that’s enough venting Lionel.)
To add to my frustration, I’m trying to make the change from being a professor to being a pastor again. Professors get paid to push people out of their comfort zones. They are supposed to “push the envelope” – make people think, and even stir up some debate. If they can do that – they are good professors. Pastors get paid only if they make people feel comfortable. They are supposed to be nice, safe, and affirm people in what they already believe. The moment someone is uncomfortable they go church shopping. If pastors are nice – they are good pastors. Somebody help me.
Yet, I love America. I love the church - and especially our church. I love our community. I’m just not adjusted yet. But maybe it would be good if I didn’t fully adjust. Maybe that’s not what people need. Maybe I should keep the edge and find a nice way to say what I’m really thinking. What do you think? I’m open to any advice you might have . . .
3 comments:
I don't need a "nice" pastor. I desire the debate and the edge. We were excited to join the body at Calvary because we want to be challenged! We didn't keep coming because you're nice. Let us know what you're thinking. You have gained a perspective that most of us have not had (and will not have) the opportunity to see for ourselves, so we need you to show us what you are learning. The US is a great country and I'm so thankful to live here, but it is totally out of touch with much of the world. Please don't let us continue to live blindly. You have had the chance to have your eyes opened -- lead us.
At the risk of saying "me too"...
I think you're wrong when you say pastors get paid only if they make people comfortable. Doesn't the word Pastor really translate as something between "Shepherd" and "Teacher"? You can't shepherd without redirecting sheep, and you aren't teaching if you're telling us stuff we're already doing right.
The week the Oxendales were sent out, a quote from Josie was read and shown on the screen. I liked it so much, I wrote it down and blogged about it. Josie said, "There is more peace in a God-led life upheaval than in all the 'comforts' the world has to offer."
I'm not drawn to Calvary because the teaching makes me comfortable, but because it doesn't. I'm no sadist, and I'm not looking for a heavy guilt trip every week, but I know my walk with the Lord isn't everything it should be. If my church isn't regularly reminding me where I'm falling short, then I might as well not be going.
If you succeed in going from professor back to this flawed image of pastor, your trip will have been a waste. If you want to make us truly "comfortable", help us to find those God-led life upheavals.
I know I'm a bit delayed in this response, but I thought I'd add my support to the previous responses. I'll admit, it's a little bit scary for me to hear a pastor say that he feels like he needs to be "nice" in order to be well-received by his congregation. My husband and I have only been attending the church for two months or so, after "church shopping" for four months. It was an unpleasant experience all around. We hopped around quite a bit, but only because the majority of the churches we attended seemed to be dying, self-involved... lifeless. We are now commuting an hour each way to come to Calvary and we find that it's well worth it. We've found a church that seems alive and concerned about the world and spreading the love of Christ, and growing into the kind of people God wants us to be. I think what turned us away from most of those other churches was an overwhelming sense of stagnancy. Probably one of the biggest problems in the Christian culture today. No desire to grow, or discern truth, or challenge what we've come to believe as truth. And it seems to me that stagnancy's primary cause is "nice". Please challenge us, please teach us, please help us to grow. In the end, we can only seek to imitate our Savior... a man who cannot be described as "nice." Loving, caring--yes--but also a man who rebuked the Pharisees.
-jessie
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