Managers Needed

Kevin McGill posts this quote from Eugene Peterson:
They want managers of their religious company. They want a pastor they can follow so they won't have to bother with following Jesus anymore.
Eugene Peterson, The Unneccessary Pastor
There's a tension here. As pastors we need to lead, so that others will follow. But we need to lead in such a way that people follow Jesus rather than ourselves.

Comments

michael lewis said…
This is not a new idea. I have a book printed in 1903 by a theology professor at Queens who wrote this very same thing:

"We don't want to think for ourselves; we want a pastor or leader or cleric to tell us what to think, to tell us what is right and wrong, to define law. But Jesus never intended for this, he came and granted us the freedom to think for ourselves and gave us the responsibility to do it."

Ok, those are my words, but the idea is there.

(When I finally dig that book out of my storage, I will provide correct details.)

For the most part, Christians don't know what they believe, or why they believe what they believe, and couldn't logically defend their beliefs when challanged.

I'd be richer than the pope if I had a loonie for every time I heard this final argument (meant to end all other arguments):

But it's in the Bible!
7:50 PM
Anonymous said…
I must be a lone individual in the church. It had never occured to me to even consider following a pastor instead of Jesus. Pastors should get over themselves. If they fully follow Jesus then "they" can follow the pastor - following Jesus. God didn't scold the children of Israel for following Moses. But Moses was following God. They could have been just as faulted. "oh they are following Moses, they shouldn't follow Moses, they should seek God for themselves and see what he is saying to them personally. Whatever. I would probably be rich if I had a nickel for everytime a Christian put down other Christians for no knowing as much as they do. I think we are supposed to be able to "defend" our faith. The bible says to "reason", not get into mindless, thought provoking, who knows the most arguments. I get tired of people throwing an "idea" out there, not defending it, and then saying "just a thought". If you are so bored, there are homeless to feed, prisoners to visit, weak minded Christians to be taught.
10:09 AM
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