by Thomas Johnston
As the culture in the West continues its dramatic shift away from any connection with a Christian world-view, we are challenged to continually readdress and redefine the role of the “pastor.” Historically, this has been a vocation in the sense of a compensated role, paid for by a self-supporting local church or a denominational group, and may have been either full time or part-time in those churches too small to support a pastor. While pastoral ministry continues to be a multifaceted reality in the sense of various aspects of the role, one thing has become clear: the 21st Century pastor in America must think and function like a missionary.
Gone are the days where the church was the center pole of community life and activity, where the pastor cared for and nurtured the flock which obediently attended the weekly services and activities that were normative of a neighborhood or town. We are the inheritors of a declining church, one with a lackluster witness to a powerful Christ. The generational decline in church participation will seemingly reach its lowest point in American history, beginning to parallel the decline a generation earlier in Europe. The Church in the West is in trouble. However, the church of Jesus Christ as portrayed in the Scripture is not.
So, we face a post-modern, post-Christian, pagan culture. Good, now that we’ve got that figured out, let’s get to work. We face nothing that has not been seen before by the Church throughout the ages. The shift we have to make in our thinking is that pastoral ministry is no longer providing chaplaincy services and care for a group who willing comes to our sacred edifices multiple times each week. Such a passive ministry died with Ozzie & Harriet and Lawrence Welk. (The times, they are ‘a changing.) No, now pastoral leadership must be what it has always been on the mission field – active and catalytic with a goal of making more and better disciples of Jesus Christ everywhere. It is a 24/7/365 activity engaged in by all Christians who have been prepared by their leaders (read: pastors) for such mission, one which is lived as a way of life. 21st Century pastors are missional leaders who train missionaries (Ephesians 4:11-12) – the people of the body, maturing them in Christ, equipping them for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17). These people become then The Ubiquitous Church – the church which is not a building, but a people who, as they engage in life, make disciples for Jesus Christ, everywhere they go, every minute of the day. Life becomes both the curriculum and means for discipleship, “as you go, make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Such missionary pastors should not see this as a financially lucrative career path. Ministry has never historically “paid well”, but it has likewise been understood that being a (foreign) missionary “paid” even less. But if we are to reach the West again for Christ we must adopt the mindset of a missionary and be willing to NOT be paid for the ministry we do! We can expect God to provide, but it may or may not come through the offering plate. Are you up to the task?
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6 comments:
I totally agree and being one who is not being paid at all, I can relate. I think the challenge is what do the minutia details of "making disciples as you go" look like for us. Still figuring that one out....
As a church planter I am currently working with a core group of about a dozen people, all of whom have a church background. I agree with you completely but find my biggest challenge is getting the core group to understand the concept of engaging with people outside of the walls of the building which we don't even have.
Catch that, even though we don't have a building their mindset is still, get a building and get them in here. When I challenged them that we ought to be thinking about growing through house churches the idea was foreign. They insisted that here in New England people only think of church as a building. My response was that since we as believers know better, or at least say that we believe the church is people not a building, we ought to be prepared to show this to the world. I further responded that even though people in our area might think of church as a building, they aren't compelled to enter them.
I'm glad to say that God led us through a month of soul serching in which many came to terms with the disconnect between their theology and their preferred practice. We're slowly moving forward.
Financial stewardship is part of the missional enterprise. Domestic missionary pastors need to be financially supported as such, then. By existing churches, donominational funding, and even private donation. I don't believe that bivocational ministry is the only option left for domestic missionary pastors in the 21st century post-Christian west. I do believe that missional churches ought to support new mission development more seriously and substantially. If we beleive that God is calling people to western missionary work, then we also must believe that God will raise up the necessary resources for such ministry to occur. I believe some of us are called to the vocation of missionary leadership. I am thanksful that my wife is also professional whose vocation can help to support our household economy. Are there resources being considered with respect to missional stewardship?
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Eph 4:11-12 (NKJV)
Why does it seem we put the equipping of the saints on the backs of only pastors. How did we evolve to this place? Pastors have an anointing to shepherd lambs and sheep and everyone inbetween oh and I forgot win the lost, disciple the nations. don't forget get a job to support the family. LOL Many parts in the ministry have been missing for a long time. What we think is the normal Christian Church is not normal. Many times a full-time paid staff relieves others from doing their work of the ministry. Come Holy Spirit and restore this 21st Century Pastoral Ministry to what You did in Acts.In Jesus name I pray. To many pastors are burning out trying to cover all the bases. The 'some' has become 'none' of Eph.4. Pray for the apostles, prophets,evangelists to be restored locally/regionally to help equiping the saints. The Denominations are in the way, may be the problem, a problem. They could be used if they have the courage to change. Are we brave enough to try Acts again? unpayed elders and deacons. those who ministered in the Word, who labor among them were payed their worth. Maybe the 1st century had it right. Lets go back to the upper room and wait on the Lord.It work once.
You guys are bringing up some good issues and have some good insights. AS you know, many missionaries overseas are needing to engage in vocational work in order to gain access to the culture. We are now entering a pahse in the West where we must do the same. While I think there is room for fully supported pastors, even as missionaries, I think what we are saying here is that the shift of the culture and the passing of those generations of Christians who have historically funded mission work are factors which are going to combine to force us to think differently and more creatively. Yes, we need to learn how to make disciples as we go, yes it is hard work and takes longer to build a church community - but it is all conversion growth when it does happen. Yes, people still think of "church" as a building or services - the bigbox store of spirituality, but as Brendon said, it is changing. Yes, we do need to see the fuller expression of equipping ministries released in the Chruch - and I think we are beginning to see it happen.
BUT - will we be missionaries, no matter what the cost. My wife, Cathy, who says she "works full time to support Tom's church planting habit," says if you aren't willing to plant or pastor without a paycheck, you shouldn't be doing it. Now, she's all for paychecks, but what she is getting at is the HEART - the motive as well as the willingness to sacrifice.
May we all get paychecks! But would we still do it if we didn't? The answer for me is, yes, and I have lived that reality more than once in the past 18 years of pastoring and chruch planting. But the issue of paychecks aside, we still need to function as missionaries as opposed to the classic Western historical model of a pastor.
Thanks for all the comments! Good stuff!
Being bi-vocational can be a wonderful thing for a pastor or leader in the church. It opens so many doors for natural relationships to take place in a natural environment. We don't have to plan huge events to try and attract nonbelievers to come to; all we have to do is live out Jesus' love out loud and intentionally and people start asking questions and are drawn to the Lord by the love that we express.
Tom said if you're not willing to pastor or plant a church without a pay check then you shouldn't be doing it. This is definitely very true, as it is a measure of where our heart really is. We're better off in a church plant not getting paid anyways. This creates the need for a second job which is a great place to start fishing for people to bring to the Lord, and we don't even need to stand out on the street and hand out tracts!
I'm certainly not saying that pastors shouldn't get paid or compensated, because they absolutely should be; however, for those who are not: being bi-vocational can be counted as blessing and opportunity for ministry not a stumbling block or a decrease in 'ministry' productivity.
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