Please pardon my tongue in cheek approach to this, but my point is simple: ministers are human beings with human limitations, strengths and weaknesses, and personal lives. Each one dresses differently, preaches differently, has different perceptions of what is important in their ministry and what God is calling them to do and be. God has given every one of them but 24 hours each day in which to minister, be a spouse and parent, eat, sleep, pray, study, and hopefully occasionally relax. Just as none of us works 24/7 at our own jobs, we cannot realistically set the bar for our new minister (or Chet!) so high that it cannot be attained and maintained without burning them out.

As we draw ever closer to the moment when we will hire a new pastor, I ask this of each of you (and of myself): pray that God will bring the right pastor to our church, and trust in Him to do so. Allow Session and the new pastor to develop realistic expectations for the pastor, and then support them to the utmost in accomplishing their goals. Joyfully take up the slack in areas where the pastor can’t, pitching-in rather than expecting the pastor to do it for you and then being unhappy when they don’t. Accept that the pastor places importance on different things and does things differently than would a former pastor or you, and trust that God is working through their efforts in a new, exciting way! Pray for the pastor, buy them a cup of coffee and thank them for their ministry, their efforts, and their role in leading people to Christ. Take an interest in ensuring that they have time for their family and for themselves, and don’t ask more of them than you would reasonably ask of yourself. Seek to know them and their family on a personal level, and do all that you can to help them feel accepted, valued, and loved as part of our church family.

This is an exciting time in the life of our church! Our future is bright with the prospect of a new minister, their leadership, and their vital involvement in bringing people to know Christ. But the new pastor cannot begin to do it alone, nor should we expect them to. Support them, love them, accept them, appreciate them, encourage them, and help them! And do so to the glory of God!

Respectfully,

John Elting
Member
Pastor Nominating Committee