THE FINAL WORD of the long distance call was an assuring one, "As you may know, the pastor will accompany her in the ambulance to the hospital."
Of course, I might have known. In that delightful town in the heart of the Blue Ridge, professionalism in medicine and ministry has not reached the stage of modern-day insensitiveness. Her pas tor would ride with the patient to the hospital, and the physician would meet her at the receiving door.
We can understand, I suppose, why specialization has become quite inevitable in medicine, but to what extent is it required or acceptable in pastoral ministry—in the realm of life's deeper needs and sufferings?
The trend of professionalism, and its obvious relationships to life, is turning the profession of pastoral concern upside down. It is reaching out insidiously into many areas of pastoral conduct and concern. And since it has, some anguishing blind spots are becoming noticeable. The deepest human needs are not being served well because of this trend to depersonalization. This modern-day approach is taking too much from the ministry, and pastors are being isolated from their parishioners. People are concerned and even complaining. True, many pastors do concentrate on meeting personal concerns and needs, yet there is a growing sense of "Who is now minding the store?" Is it true, as many have contended, that this is one reason why people are forsaking the church?
The man of God can never be insensitive to suffering and sorrow. Teachers of pastoral theology drill into their students this one fact: when there is suffering and sorrow be there! One of the quickest ways for a pastor to lose influence is to be so engrossed in other activities as to lose sight of those who are suffering and sorrowing. Unfortunately, this is one of the major criticisms we hear against ministers today. They simply pay little heed to members of their flock in dire need. If there is one bit of advice a younger minister should heed it is to drop everything when there is deep suffering and sorrow, and go!
The mood today is professionalism. And when demands are made upon the minister's time and energy, he may, and often does, neglect the individual. There are, of course, those teeming social needs that press for his undivided thought. But his Lord and Example went out of the way to attend to the needs of the individual. He heard the cry of the one individual when even the disciples were impatient with him to get on with it. When the pastor makes a habit of going out of his way to lend a hand, his services will always be known and appreciated.
Another modern trend in the ministry is to draw away from the people and to isolate the parsonage. The pastor who realizes that his home may be one of his greatest pastoral assets is always a loved person. The wise minister makes his welcome always felt. He makes occasion for groups, especially young people, to come to the parsonage. If the minister is bored with visitors, if his family inwardly rejects callers, their place and opportunity for service is limited. The welcome mat should always be out. If it is not, in this day when homes are mere incidentals, the ministry of the parson age is weakened.
Many an adult today recalls sitting before a blazing fire in the warmth and good fellowship of the parsonage. Afterward these individuals have consciously sought to pattern their own homes after the model they came to appreciate. The minister's house is not intended to be merely a social center. It is instead a warm, friendly model home. Isolate the people from the parsonage and one more great opportunity for rich influence is lost.
Identifying oneself with the off-beat, rebellious segments of society in order to “win them" is a doubtful procedure. Yet, this has been the sought-out image of many ministers in recent times. They adopt the language, customs, dress, and even the life-style of the "way out" with defiant pride. The reason? "Someone must win these also." Often these pastors even drag programs that are cheap and highly questionable into the worship of the church and are annoyed if the congregation does not seem to approve. Many a minister has in this way lost consideration for an advancement because committees are doubtful of his common sense. Just one more lost horizon.
Every generation has known perilous times. Today there are many areas of life that might call for alarm. However, the minister who constantly harps on headlines and sanctions scare tactics, manipulating prophecy, may get larger numbers in his pews, but people will soon turn from him and his church. The gospel message is good news. The minister must be a messenger who brings hope. Those who assume exclusively the role of the prophet of doom find themselves eventually doomed. Ours must be a balanced role between the call to be a prophet and the commission to "comfort my people."
A minister who is slovenly in dress and sermon preparation, with careless and distressing habits and manners, also "turns people off." It is better to be constructive and correct in one's speech and deportment. The preacher who takes a casual “What’s the use?" attitude can damage the image of his church. Such a mood of discouragement may be contagious. Soon the congregation follows its leader.
Who's Tending the Store?
Today the appeals for a minister’s attention and energies are impelling. He may be nattered to be placed on this committee or on that board. Soon he is promoting this cause and that effort. He may also find himself a sought-after speechmaker. After a while he may find himself taking care of everyone’s business but his own. Right on this point so many congregations have suffered because "our minister is such a busy man."
The minister may also be a "sucker for fads"—fads in emphasis and objectives. Today cooperatives may be the "thing." Tomorrow, outreach projection may be big. Especially those who have lost confidence in the gospel message and mission are most frequent "suckers for fads." These may seem relevant and church related, but, many of them are only of secondary importance. In a minister’s lifetime, any number of impelling causes are promoted that can captivate his time and attention. When he has “bored to death" his congregation, there is always a fresh "challenge" waiting to command his attention. These side lines have done much, through the centuries, to divert the church and to alienate its people.
The Tragedy of "Lost Horizons"
What a tragedy it is to have the shepherd of a flock say something like, "Oh yes, the old-fashioned standards are all right, but, you see, we live in the here and now." And, of course, we do. But the church has to do with those values that endure. Our message should transcend all else.
Priests, preachers, and rabbis have unwittingly been attempting to destroy the primitive godliness that characterized the first church for the past nine teen hundred years, but they have not succeeded. However, too often they have, in individual cases and sometimes even denominationally, succeeded in watering down the message and the mission of the kingdom of God. Paul wouldn't stand for it. He put it this way, "This one thing I do."
If trumpets have been giving uncertain sounds it may be that the trumpeters have forgotten the note. Is it any wonder that hosts of laymen today are crying out, "Hey, preacher, it's over here." Forget the fads, the siren song of "professionalism," and the many other distractions that tend to make us less than what is to be expected of the family pastor. With Paul we must respond to the many voices beckoning us in other directions, "This one thing I do."
