Many churches have numerous associate ministers these days. In this season of silence as I have visited numerous churches even the smallest church has had 2 to 3 associate ministers.There are literally preachers everywhere...both licensed and unlicensed.
When a church pulpit is vacant these days the pulpit is almost immediately filled by a legacy (by blood or work) or a family member of staunch supporters of the church, or a political, fraternal, connection to power brokers in the church. The reasoning is to continue the legacy of the pastor that has retired or passed. On the surface this seems to be the most logical way to continue to flow of ministry at that location. Yet one of the chilling side effects is we often cancel God out of the process.
In effect what we have done is told God that the bride of Christ is in our hands not His. We know what is best based on our plans and visions and we only need God to cosign on what we have authorized.
If it is truly an open pulpit searching for a pastor, some of the craziness that goes on can be anything but scriptural or godlike.This has also been a cause of more legacy or immediate appointments. Bartering, deals on if "I become the pastor you will become my right hand man or woman",campaigning, playing dirty pool digging up dirt on other prospective candidates because "you don't want the church to make a mistake" using scriptural qualifications to qualify or disqualify people for the position, I have seen preachers tear each other down like dogs just so they can one day be called "pastor."
Yes there are those that are committed to do right both in the pulpit and in the pew. Those that are willing to faithfully wait till placed knowing they may never ever get placed, or wait till the Lord sends even if it means waiting longer than expected. I praise God daily for those types that in their patience possess their souls. But that does not change the fact that there is a lot of foolishness and abuses that goes on. And there are both churches and preachers that have shared in that corrosive conditions willingly.
This effectively makes it almost impossible for many associate ministers that believe they have been called to pastor to even get a fair consideration at a majority of churches. They are disqualified before they ever see a face or get a hearing. This then leaves starting your own church or ministry as the most viable option to become a pastor which is part of the reason we see so many more of them in these days in order to finally get an opportunity to pastor, While only God knows the heart, this proliferation is not in any ways accidental.The old axiom in ministry is still in effect that it is better to be a pastor of a few folks than a minister with none.
My point is this. If the church belongs to God, and we belong to God, cant we just let God do His thing His way and stop with all the foolishness on all sides?
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