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“How 'bout a Good Word for the Preacher”
I love and admire pastors. Lord knows we preachers are not perfect people. But most of us are honest, earnest, hard-working men and women. And at our best, we're pretty good folk who do our best to serve our congregations in the name of God. Still we have our trials and tribulations. My friend, Pastor Tommy Conder, passed along some little tales going around that provide windows on ministerial life these days.
Story 1: The pastor put sanitary, hot-air hand dryers in the church restrooms and after two weeks took them out. When asked why he removed them, he confessed that they worked fine. However, someone had stuck a sign on the wall that said, “For a sample of this week's sermon, push this button.” Ah well, we've all heard a sermon or two that have moved us to the philosophical shrug and the thought: “Better hot air than no air at all!”
Story 2: A new preacher in an aging congregation announced he would be serving them prune juice in Holy Communion. When asked why, he explained, “If the Holy Spirit won't move you, the prune juice will.” Now, as a senior citizen myself, I wouldn't tell that story. However, I understand the point the youngster was getting at. When I was younger, I was a perpetual motion machine of a minister trying to mobilize my parishioners. I'm older and wiser now. I have learned that they also serve who now are able to mostly sit and pray.
Story 3: An interim pastor had been serving a congregation while they were searching for a permanent minister. In time a new preacher was called to the church. The interim's work was finished and as he prepared to leave, his hat was passed around to collect a “Thank You” gift. When it came back to him it was empty. He lifted his hat to Heaven and said, “I thank you, Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation.” I suspect an interim preacher who earns no thanks is a great motivator for the congregation to get their new pastor in place as quickly as possible.
Story 4: A preacher went to a pet store. “I need at least 50 mice, 2,000 ants and all of those little silverfish you've got.” The clerk asked why the unusual order? The minister replied, “I have accepted a call to go and serve another church. The Pastor's Council here has told me to leave the parsonage the way I found it!” I think you could say that minister is a communication literalist.
Pastors have big challenges but also blessed lives. Successful pastors are greatly loved. However, no minister is universally loved. Every preacher has his or her critics. That, however, is okay. When you are a pastor challenging sin, you are bound to stir up some resistance from time to time. The best thing is for preachers to have critics who are also his or her friends. Then everyone can benefit from the creative conflict. Mutual love and respect makes life in the church wonderful. And, if we are also able to like and enjoy each other--well it doesn't get much better than that!
These hot, miserable days of summer are a good time to tell your preacher you appreciate her or him. It will lighten the burden of diminished attendance and insufficient offerings in the plates as the congregation goes through the ups and downs of summer. That, you know, is when loads of folk are either up in the mountains or down at the beach on weekends. Show some love to the one who keeps the word coming about God's love for you!
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