The Pastor as Lightning Rod
Ben Patterson
In some ways pastors are called to a ministry style that invites confrontation and criticism. It's the nature of ministry.
— Ben Patterson There she sat, nervously but methodically making her way through two pages of typewritten, single-spaced criticisms of our church office operation. To her credit, she met with me face to face, which is more than many critics are willing to do. As she rehearsed the failures of the staff (and seemingly, everyone else born after the Spanish-American War) I felt increasingly melancholy. From improper procedures in answering the phone, to conflicting announcements in the bulletin, to secretaries breaching confidences, she had meticulously kept track of every offense. She had no less than fifty indictments. When she was through, I did what pastors are supposed to do. I thanked her and affirmed her concern. After she left, I seriously considered conducting tours of the Holy Land for the rest of my career. Why is it pastors so often serve as the lightning rod for the highly charged complaints and grievances of church members? Why do we attract criticisms that pulsate with gigawatts of negative energy? How do we protect ourselves from ecclesiastical electrocution? Can we transform these painful experiences from lethal discharges into spiritual energy and light? High Pressure Systems
Upper air turbulence and the clash of competing weather fronts often produce violent and dangerous storms. In much the same way, unstable patterns and changing seasons in the church can produce high-voltage criticism. Some conditions in church life predictably produce more lightning. • Transitions. When I began my ministry in a church that had been two years without a pastor, I noticed immediately how uncertain people seemed. ...
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