10 Random Things to Know About Pastors

Great blog post from my cousin, Ron Edmondson. Check him out at ronedmondson.com. Pretty much every one of these apply to me as well. 

I’ve learned pastors are often misunderstood. Especially by people who haven’t known a pastor personally, but we can really be misunderstood by many people. It’s surely a unique vocation. I can’t speak for all pastors. And, certainly – maybe since I was in secular work longer than I’ve been a pastor – I’m not typical.

But, I suspect I’m not completely abnormal either.

Here are 10 random things to know about pastors.

These are true for me, but I suspect they may be for your pastor too.

The temptations you face – I face. I’m not immune from temptation. I’m human. You shouldn’t be surprised when I make mistakes. I need lots of grace. I should be held accountable, but ultimately I’m accountable to God – just as you are.

The larger the church gets – the less I know about anything. But, this can be true of any church size where other people are empowered to lead. Ask me anything. I may or may not have an answer. Sometimes, however, you save both of us time if you email the staff or volunteer leader more likely to know – but I can always forward an email.

The better the message – the longer it takes me to prepare it. There are rare exceptions to this for me. If I am going to have a descent message I will have to take time away from other responsibilities to prepare. This could mean I’m not everywhere you hoped I would be.

Even though I’m teaching it – I may not yet have mastered it. Hopefully I’m working on it, but I teach the whole counsel of God – the Bible – and I’m still a work in progress in many areas of it.

I get nervous every time I start to preach – sometimes sick to my stomach nervous. If you didn’t notice – well, glad I’m getting better at covering. But, you do me a tremendous blessing if you whisper a prayer as I step up to preach.

Sunday is not the only day I work. Honestly! And, preaching is not all I do. I actually work 6 long days a week and even when I’m off or out of town, I’m often working. But, Sunday does come around quickly.

Your story probably won’t surprise me. I am never callous towards it, but I’ve probably heard similar or worse. And, I’m still going to love you.

To my family I’m usually not a pastor – just a husband and dad. And, I like that. I even like to be “just a friend” sometimes.

If you tell me something on Sunday morning – you probably should back it up with an email to remind me. My mind is distracted and I will forget. And, if it can wait until Monday – even better.

I can relate to you better than you think. I like to have a good time. Some would say I’m funny. I even know how to laugh. I don’t even have to be quoting Scripture to do so. We have struggles in our life too. Lots of them. And, the more you see me as a regular person, the more I can relate to the struggles you face and your friends who are afraid to come to church – partly because they think I’m not.

Should A Woman Be Allowed To Preach?

This is a great post by Perry Noble, pastor at NewSpring Church in South Carolina. He has a great perspective on this hot topic, and I totally agree with him on this sunbelt. Check Perry out at PerryNoble.com.

Today at NewSpring we had the privilege of hearing from Stacey Tarrant.  

Every time a woman has preached over the course of our 15 years, there have been a very small minority of people who have asked why we would allow her to do so when they feel the Bible says a woman should not do so.    

Let me say before continuing this article that there are godly people on both sides of the debate as to whether or not women should be allowed to "preach!"  

The following is the stand I take on this issue.  

This is an article of clarification, not one for argumentation.  

I am simply, as the pastor, answering a sincere question we occasionally receive.  If, after reading, you do not have the same conclusion as me on this issue then I am perfectly fine with that, and hope you will be as well. 

As Augustine once said, ““In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

I do not have a problem with women preaching the Gospel because Jesus did not have a problem with them doing so.  

It was women that were the first commissioned by Jesus to preach that He was alive after His resurrection. 

When the Holy Spirit fell on the believers in Acts 2:1-4 Scripture clearly says He filled everyone in the room, and they all began to declare the Gospel.  

If your blood is beginning to boil and you are screaming, “what about what Paul said?” 

I would ask you the same thing. 

If we take the totality of everything Paul said in all of his letters, and then also look at the fact that he mentioned women and their actions/behavior in the church—we would find that he speaks about the issue five times (at the most, depending upon interpretation). 

One of the things I am learning when reading the Scriptures is, even though I believe every word of it is true and can be fully trusted, there are passages that had more relevancy at the time they were written than they do today.  

(For example – Deuteronomy 25:11-12 speaks to the issue of how to deal with women when it comes to an incredibly sensitive issue; however, that’s not a verse we quote or put on coffee mugs today!)

So while I acknowledge Paul addressed the issue on a limited basis, I really do believe to base our view of women on these few passages means we have to ignore an enormous portion of Scripture that validates the preaching, teaching and leadership of women.  

Deborah (Judges 4-5) was clearly called/used by God in a leadership and speaking capacity (her song made the Bible in Judges 5—if God allowed her words to speak to us, can we not allow women to speak as well?

Esther was clearly put in a position of leadership (and had a whole book named after her!) 

In Acts 21:8-9 we see that Phillip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

Paul clearly says in Romans 16:1 that Phoebe is a deacon (leadership position) in the church. 

Then there was the amazing husband and wife team of Priscilla and Aquila.  (If women were always supposed to be silent in every situation, then why does Paul mention her name specifically on three separate occasions in his writings?  If it was all about the men then why not just leave her name out altogether?   

I've often heard people call these ladies "exceptions" - but I see them as examples as I honestly do not believe women are forbidden to preach the Gospel. 

(And, just a side note, so many of the people who hold the anti-women preacher viewpoint grew up in church where the Sundayschool teachers were mostly…wait for it…WOMEN!  Good gosh, if it were not for women there might not even be a church!!!) 

Bottom line - there are over 7 BILLION people on the planet and over half of them do not know Jesus - I think our focus should be on the fact that someone is trying to reach them rather than tell them they can't because they do not have the proper body parts!