Two complementary articles from News.sbts.edu, the official news portal of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
My only quibble with these articles is that they may seem to be focussing on younger pastors. Older pastors are just as capable of perpetuating these mistakes. I think the authors think a few of us have learned from the past, though.
Seven sure-fire ways to blow up a church
Here’s one of the seven:
3. Expect to fix everything overnight. We who have grown up in a microwave world assume that everything can be changed quickly — but that is not the case. Most of the church problems that we inherit are long-term issues with roots that run deep in the church. Emotions surround these issues, and we should not expect that such problems will be rooted out and changed quickly.
Speaking the truth in love: the key to pastoral ministry
As pastors we are called upon to love our flock and understand them.
Love recognizes that people are not changed in a day. Love takes people where they are and moves them slowly toward a deeper appreciation of truth. Love does not relish controversy, but longs to shepherd the flock so that it becomes more like Christ. Love never compromises the truth, but it does not burst onto the scene by teaching controversial doctrines. Love communicates that you want to be a pastor and a shepherd and healer and not just a teacher. Love never compels or constrains others to share your beliefs; it patiently teaches, remembering that truth dawned upon our hearts slowly and that our knowledge is still imperfect. Love does not tolerate error, but it stoops low to understand the person who is mistaken, for the one who understands why one believes a falsehood will be able to explain more deeply and sympathetically why such a view is wrong.
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