Pastoral Tension

There is a tension within the church over the function of a pastor. Is the pastor the primary dispenser of what has come to be called pastoral care? Does he tend directly to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals? Some have called this chaplaincy… visiting, soothing, engaging the life crisis of those under their care.

Or is the pastor the key leader, the CEO of an organized group of Christians, the chief of a tribe? There is no doubt that God has called Christians together and that were there is a gathering of people there is need for structure and leadership. In this role the pastor is the voice of the community, he is the echoer of the vision, he tends to the whole more than the specific pieces. As leader he directs, manages, monitors, establishes standards, and strategies the course.

Yet there is call to the pastor. He is the one that is to devote himself to prayer and the word. Although this is often quoted as what is wanted of the pastor what do people really consider as it meaning to be devoted to prayer and the Word? It would seem logical that to be devoted to prayer means simply that – one that prayers and prayers a lot. Much time is spent before the LORD. The apostles delegated the ministry to the widows to others so that they could be devoted to prayer? What did they actually do then? I think they spent time interceding but more importantly seeking the present word of the LORD for the work of the kingdom. The people of God were given a task of continuing the work of Jesus. That required time listening, discerning, and sharing: What I have come to understand as the prophetic ministry. Attention to the word would be the preaching and propagation of spiritual truth.