3 Mistakes Pastors Make
A couple of weeks ago, I had the wonderful privilege of having lunch with Bishop Jerry Knoche, who provides leadership for Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Lutheran Church (E.L.C.A.)
Before his bishop days, Jerry pastored New Hope Lutheran Church, which grew from 250 people to over 1100 under his leadership. He's also the author of a couple of books.
Jerry was vacationing in Hayward -- and I thought it was, indeed, kind of him to spend a couple of hours with an unknown preacher.
That's what Bishops do all the time -- meet with pastors -- and here he was on vacation, meeting with another one! It's kind of like being a mailman and taking a run from dogs on your day off.
What a wonderful guy! We had a fabulous conversation. I walked away inspired.
(Thanks, Fred Scheer for setting this up!)
I asked the good bishop this question: From your travels and observations, what are the three most common mistakes you see pastors make?
His answer:
1. Not bringing people along with you in the vision.
2. Not visiting people and prospects
3. Neglecting the sick, shut-ins, and the elderly.
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN TO THE BISHOP'S ANSWER.
ReplyDeleteIs it in the training maybe?
ReplyDeleteI was taught to care for the sick since birth -- because dad did a really good job of it.
As the church has grown larger, we've had to disribute the pastoral care to others -- but it is very, very important to us to connect with those who are hurting.
There are lots of resources and conferences for pastors on leading a church -- but hardly anything on taking care of suffering people in the way the bishop describes.
That's sad -- and those who are training ministers need to take heed and start hammering it into the heads of ministerial students.