I didn’t go to pastor’s meetings. That’s right. I was a pastor, but I didn’t go to pastor’s meetings. I used to make excuses. I used to say that I was too busy to go. True enough, but not the real reason. Eventually, I gave up on the right sounding answer. Instead, I waved the white towel of truth: The reason I didn’t go to pastors meetings is that I didn’t like them. Nothing holy. Nothing spiritual. I simply didn’t like them.
If you’re not a pastor, you probably don’t care. But the pastors in my local Baptist affiliation cared very much. I didn’t hear from all of them. But I caught enough riff raff through the grapevine to guess that my lack of attendance at the monthly breakfast was interpreted as disinterest in the denomination at the very least, and an unwillingness for accountability, at the very most.
Wrong on both counts. I do need accountability and I liked the Conservative Baptist movement at least enough to represent them as a national evangelist, visiting and ministering to Baptist churches from coast to coast (something I did for many years).
Why then, do I not like the Pastor’s Fellowship? Because it’s not fellowship. It’s a time to sit and listen to yet another lecture.
When I first became a Christian, I thought I’d committed myself to a lifetime of adventure; an adventure known as the refinement of the soul. In no time at all, I realized that being a Christian actually meant commitment to something else, something seldom discussed and seldom confessed; boredom. I’m sorry you had to hear this from a pastor of all people, but somebody had to say it. Uh huh. Boredom; that time when our mind says “I’ll be back to stimulate you in a moment. Can I put you on pause?” Between hour long sermons, seminars, church business meetings, 6 session retreats and pastors’ fellowships, I had made an informal, un-worded pledge to sit and listen to people talk for the rest of my life. Depressing, isn’t it?
Now, I wouldn’t mind, if people honestly had an endless supply of fascinating conversation, but how many times in 12 years can we hear messages from John 16 and Romans 3? How many times in one week can we hear about the importance of a quiet time? Quiet time. Gee, that has a nice ring…
Don’t misunderstand me. Nothing is more important than the gospel. But it seems that in the New Testament, Christian lifestyle consisted of actions, where as today our lifestyle consists of lectures, which talk about actions.
Life is awfully short. We spend 8 hours a day sleeping. That’s one third of the day; which comes out to one third of our life. I suspect that if we added up the sermons and discussions we would come up with another third. Frightening, a third of our life, sleeping, a third of our life feeling like sleeping. Not that I mind preaching, myself. That’s different. That’s fun. Why? Because when I preach myself, I don’t have to listen to any one else. When I speak, I’m doing something but alas, my activity is made possible only by turning others numb and docile. Of course, there are exceptions and wonderful speakers. I’m sharing in generalities right now.
CONCLUSION: Sermons and lectures may be a part of the Christian pilgrimage but I’m convinced they were never meant to be the largest part. On the other hand, genuine accountability and fellowship are exciting, especially when they take place in the midst of family type community. This is the authentic experience of Christ’s kingdom, a sanctuary, where masks are dropped, sins are confessed, and unconditional acceptance is offered. Such community is active, not passive. Such community reaches out and demonstrates the love of Jesus. I do experience this community to a substantial degree in my church. Our church, like most, I suppose, constantly battles to remain a family and not a social club. Perhaps the day will come when Pastor’s Fellowships do the same thing but I have my doubts. Many pastors feel they can’t justify activities unless they include spiritual agendas. And somehow, today’s generation has bought the idea that spirituality can’t take place without lectures and business meetings. But I have hope that things will change. On that day, I’ll return to enjoy the Pastor’s Breakfast and hope they have bacon and eggs to go with the pancakes they had last time.
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