Max Sticks Like Glue
Max Lucado, the prolific Christian writer, is stepping down as Senior Pastor of Oak Hills Church due to health concerns. He's still planning to stick around and preach regularly, however.
"I compare what is happening to going from being president of a college to joining the faculty" he said.
Now, that's a noble gesture -- particularly since he's America's Best Preacher (according to Reader's Digest), and the congregation will certainly appreciate it.
However, I do hope the new senior pastor has an extra measure of grace and patience. He's sure going to need it. This kind of arrangement doesn't usually work out very well.
Max will have to bend over backwards to support the new guy 100% -- even when he starts making dumb decisions. (and he definitely WILL! Every senior pastor makes dumb decisions from time to time.)
A former senior pastor in the congregation casts a long shadow.
"I compare what is happening to going from being president of a college to joining the faculty" he said.
Now, that's a noble gesture -- particularly since he's America's Best Preacher (according to Reader's Digest), and the congregation will certainly appreciate it.
However, I do hope the new senior pastor has an extra measure of grace and patience. He's sure going to need it. This kind of arrangement doesn't usually work out very well.
Max will have to bend over backwards to support the new guy 100% -- even when he starts making dumb decisions. (and he definitely WILL! Every senior pastor makes dumb decisions from time to time.)
A former senior pastor in the congregation casts a long shadow.
Yes Mark,
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember when Dad moved to Richmond to give the new pastor at Fargo a chance.
But the shadow was long enough to reach from Richmond to Fargo. In fact, the shadow is very prevalent still today.
Love, Sam
The true greatness of Max and the new senior pastor will be revealed by the way each handles this difficult situation.
ReplyDeleteBoth Max and the new senior pastor needs everyone's prayers and patience.
Yeah, it's difficult to pastor under a shadow like that. One problem is that people often remember the good stuff, and forget the foibles. So, the new pastor ends up competing with selective memory of a "mythic legend" that's better than life.
ReplyDeleteIn His book, "What's so Amazing About Grace" Max states, "There is nothing you can do that God will love you more, and nothing you can do that God will love you less." When you get a handle on that statement you will have a better understanding of God's love for you. It's all about what He has done, not what you do, but really it is all about us because it was for sinfull humans like you and me that Jesus had to die.
ReplyDeleteGREAT Pastors do not do anything on their own. They just let God use them to show HIS LOVE for ALL of us. The problem occurs when a pastor thinks he is accomplishing great things on his own.
ReplyDelete