By Aaron JayneThe 2004 cartoon movie, The Incredibles, begins with flashbacks showing superheroes ("supers") helping citizens, but also accidently creating bigger messes in the process. The supers are sued, banished and end up in a type of superhero protection program wherein they must live ordinary lives among ordinary people. A narrator says, "Where are they now? They are living among us, average citizens, average heroes, quietly and anonymously continuing to make the world a better place."
I am 35 years old, and at this time among my ministry colleagues, I am the youngest ordained minister in my district. Most of the ministers are in their mid-to-late-fifties or much older. An entire generation of ministers is MISSING! I remember seeing young guys in ministry when I was a teen, but now I wonder, "Where are they now?" I have sat on our district board as a sectional presbyter and wondered, "Where is everyone? What has happened to all the young guys?"
They still walk among us, but... Some have pursued other avenues of ministry. Some have joined with other organizations who have accepted them. Some gave up because they were not properly prepared for ministry. Others were banished because of mistakes. Some live in defeat wondering what life could've been like if they had only been given an opportunity.
I am thankful that I had both proper training and a pastor who had the patience to overlook or work with me when I made bonehead mistakes. When I first started preaching, I made plenty. One Sunday, I was filling in at a church that was pastorless. As I introduced myself to the congregation, something horrible happened. I was trying to say that I was not the type of preacher who spits and shouts, but my tongue crossed the "sp" and the "sh", and I said, "I am not the type of preacher who s**ts and spouts!" (When you pick yourself up off the floor from laughing, let me continue.) That was something for which some young preachers would have been crucified or had their credentials yanked.
I wonder how many minister "supers" have been banished and put into a "minister protection program." How many ministers who once showed great potential now live ordinary lives because some couldn't overlook errors or mistakes?
In Nehemiah 4:2, Sanballat and Tobiah stalked and mocked Nehemiah as they were trying to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. They said, "Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred stones at that?" Nehemiah and his crew were re-using old stones that had once made the wall a great fortress. They included has-beens in the midst of new stones.
God put it in my spirit that there are some who used to be in ministry and need to be restored – some who were run off because their antics weren't appreciated or their immaturity couldn't be tolerated. If old ones aren't restored and new ones aren't brought in, where will we be when I am one of the old guys?
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Great thoughts and story. We have all made these types mistakes but don't want to admit it. The question haunts use as an organization. Where are they is a question that must continue to be examined. Great word
ReplyDeleteLove this post. This should be required reading for every district leader. As a district eader I look at our active ministers and see the same gap. Hopefully we can turn the tide. Good job, Aaron.
ReplyDeleteGreat words & thoughts. I look at our district and if things don't change soon, I wonder if we will have enough ministers to take some of the churches that will be coming open soon.
ReplyDeleteI too have slipped and made huge mistakes (thanks for your openess, very funny) I look back (I am 37 by the way) and know how merciful leaders had to be to listen to me fumble my way through preaching not to mention all the false doctrine..lol
Good post!
I'm glad there are those who see this, because there are many that don't, & that's one of the problems: it's not a part of their 'vision'.
ReplyDeleteI once heard in a district meeting years ago a superintendant (PCG) said that his young ministers needed to grow up, take initiative in their ministry, & get involved. Funny thing was that at the time this same bishop was almost a year behind in giving me my ordination license that was sitting on his desk at home! We are a small district, & our bishop was full time.
While I grew up in the organization (34 yrs) there was few ministers given opportunities to do anything, unless they had a special "talent" the district or pastors could "use". In other words, if you had nothing they deemed "useable" they didn't want you.
I was that way myself until word got out that I was teaching Adult Sunday School when I was 20. Then, out of nowhere a pastor asked me to come to his church & he would use me in ministry. I thought I finally got my big break!
I was teaching his adult class, taking care of all services when he was sick or away, and, believe it or not, never on the carpet for discipline. It wasn't because I didn't need it..... I knew I did. He never took time to prepare me. Before I left his church I was sectional presbyter & my pastor was bishop. Even there he "used" me, sending me to do 'unpopular' district business in his place at churches when he didn't want to leave his church.
After there a few years, I asked him for a letter of reccommendation to evangelize in our state, knowing his reputation would help. He refused without telling me why.
When his daughter & son-in-law (minister) came to work in the church, I was immediately set aside, never to preach in the church but one time in two years.
When ministers get "used" & not treated as christian family, they get tired of being treated like the red-headed stepchild.