Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

/ 1 0 1

F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

A Non-pastoral Pastor

It has now become fashionable in the culture of the mega-church for many senior pastors to delegate the responsibility for pastoral care to “staff” who do the menial work of counseling the depressed and bereaved, visiting the sick, and nurturing the individuals and families which make up the membership of the church. The role of the senior pastor is to be the “up front” person, the “public face” of the church, the one who teaches in the prime time of the congregation’s public ministry, whether on television, radio, or the internet. This kind of phenomena has created the reality of the “non-pastoral Pastor,” a person who is called the “pastor” of the church, but in fact, does virtually no pastoral ministry with actual families or individuals. What do you think of these kinds of trends in the church? Is the nature of the pastoral call to ministry to specific individuals and families or can you in fact pastor a congregation of 3,000, 5,000, or even 10,000 members? It is legitimate to delegate virtually all pastoral responsibility to others, while retaining the title of “pastor”? In a corresponding way, many now associate their spiritual authority and pastoral oversight to presenters on various religious broadcasts on television or radio. It is not uncommon today to meet believers who claim that their primary spiritual input and authority comes from this, that, or the other television preacher. They purchase their materials, religiously “attend” their presentations on the radio and television, and identify with their emphases, perspectives, and initiatives. They give to their ministries, and associate with their fellow followers. Is it possible or desirable to claim that a person who teaches on radio, television, or on the web is your spiritual authority, and to see that person as your pastor ? Brother X on Television Is My Pastor

3

A Lost Art

An entire generation of urban pastors who were mentored in the art of offering care for the poor and the oppressed is about to be lost. We are speaking here of those faithful shepherds who have given themselves selflessly on behalf of little, anonymous congregations who needed the faithful guidance of a spiritually mature servant who was willing to pour out their lives for the sake of Christ’s little ones in the city. Many of these dear pastors never received any formal theological training, yet served small urban congregations for little or no remuneration, and usually were