"I have been a pastor for a long time, but have not had a close pastor since college." ~ Mark Driscoll
I haven't listened to a message from Mark Driscoll in a long time because he was becoming a very condemning and legalistic preacher. However, he's recently written a letter of apology to his church. His quote above, I think, reveals a big piece as to why he was heading down an unhealthy path.
When church leaders talk about "submitting to leadership", honestly, it's more often about obeying someone else's plans for your life than it is something that brings a healthy relationship into your life. As Rob Rufus would say, "I believe in liberating leadership." In Mark's quote, we see that he (and as statistics reveal, most pastors) lack healthy relationships in their ministries. Traditional Christianity has elevated the pastor/priest to an unhealthy role in which they are expected to do everything and be everything that the flock needs. The church was never meant to exist in that way. Christ is our Head, but we serve one another. The season of "the man of the hour" has come to an end as healthy congregations empower each member to contribute equally to the health of every member and every visitor.
In Mark's quote, I sense a returning to the love and care of a father which we all need; to have someone who is involved, who promotes wisdom and good judgement, and more than anything, has a sacrificial heart which desires that a son would reach his own potential rather than to be a cog in a machine the father figure is building to realize his own dreams and aspirations.
It's time that pastors stop becoming and remaining a person's mediator with God and instead quickly release them to grow in their own relationship and destiny with their heavenly Father. A pastor's role should be limited to essentially this: demonstrate the love of a father and an involved supporter; point the person to Father God has the ultimate reality of that fatherly relationship; share wisdom and experiences when needed; and finally, be an equal to the person and just enjoy life together, loving them as Holy Spirit enables.
Where Mark Driscoll is going with this turn, I can't say. But I certainly understand how he feels about his years of lack of healthy relationships and support. Let's hope that this is a turn toward a grace-based ministry.
Grace=Peace,
Jeremy
No comments:
Post a Comment