The Power to Make or Break...
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
There is a trend I’ve noticed in the church. It’s a trend of pastors. In the world of pastors, it is often common to focus on preaching, public leading of services and finding ways to get new people plugged in to their church service. Most often, I see pastors engaging with the members and attendees of a service is in response to the church member’s serving in the church.
I’ve served in many churches throughout my years as a follower of Christ. One common thing I’ve noticed, is that pastors forget that they have the power to make or break their people. God has given them a congregation to shepherd. It may be 10, 20, 100 or 2,000. Often times pastors always want a larger church. They are seeking to “make an impact” by getting more people in the doors, having more butts in seats and thus, providing more income and volunteers to “help bring in more.” It’s a never-ending machine of the modern church in America, and it runs like business.
The problem is that the Church is NOT a business and pastors are NOT bosses. Pastors are shepherds and churches are hospitals where sick people come to meet Jesus. Just because someone is saved, doesn’t mean they aren’t sick. I’ve watched person after person get hurt, injured and burned out from the burdens and responsibilities that the modern church places on it’s members.
Pastor, consider the person sitting in your congregation; the person that is serving in your children’s ministry. Yes, even the person that’s waking up early every week to set up your church and make sure it runs flawlessly. They are hurt, they are hurting and they are broken. Maybe, if instead of trying to use members to impress the culture around us by putting on a show, we loved and shepherded the people that God has given us, then we would find that our neighbors and friends would be blown away by the care and compassion demonstrated throughout God’s Church and they would be drawn to Jesus.
In Hebrews 13:17, it says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (ESV). The author of Hebrews is explaining that one reason that church members should obey their leaders is because ultimately, Pastors have to give an account to God about the decisions they have made in the leadership of their people. Do you really want to give an account concerning hundreds or thousands of people’s souls that you have had the opportunity to make or break by every action of your leadership?
Pastor, I beg you, to think of the tired, burned out soul that is walking into your church every Sunday. It is this person, your church member, that needs your love, care and support to learn how to be more like Jesus. It is vitally important for you to evangelize you rcommunity and equip your people to do the same. However, when you are about to lose your patience or are frustrated that your people aren’t making your church feel or look the way you want, just remember, the church members are your flock…not the person walking by on the sidewalk outside.