Ridgell's Originals

 This is the way it works in most churches.  The preacher is the one up front sharing a message from God's Word.  You may have an elder give a wrap-up where they make a couple of announcements, endorse the message, and lead a prayer.  Larger congregations often have the full-time minsitry staff do all the public speaking. 

So when someone has a problem or needs spiritual help, the first person they thing of is the preacher.  Especially if he is called the pastor.  Sheep go to the shepherd.  

And the senior minister, or the youth minister, or the children's minister get exhausted.  They have their regular ministry responsibilities and then they have to deal with the spiritual problems and crisis that arise.

Until they realize they cannot do it all.  Frustrated and burnt out, they cannot do it.  Even worse, they find out that some members in crisis will not come to them.  Everyone does not respond to one person.  Don't like your style (even if 9 out of 10 do).  Or your personality does not fit everyone.  

But what about elders?  Aren't they supposed to be the pastors?

And here is where the problem begins.

Many elders are frustrated because all they do is act as a Board of Directors.  Not in the lives of their flock.  Not helping.  Spending time in meeting after meeting. Deciding building issues.  Budgets.  Admin issues.  Approving staff initiatives.  Personnel decisions.  

That is not really what many elders signed up for and it is not really how it looks in the Bible.

But people won'd go to the elders.  

That is fixable.  Start by having the elders recognized more.  Identify your elders and their wives.  Encourage people to go to them.  Have an elder give the invitation.  Let the church hear them say "come to us."  When members do approach the preacher for spiritual counseling, take them to the elders.

If you really think the elders are shepherds.  Multiple elders give a better chance that your members will know and connect to at least one of them.  

But preachers have to believe it themselves.  You have to relinquish the power.  You may not know everything.  You certainly will not be in control of everything.  

And you have to trust the elders to do it.

I do know that some elders talk about wanting to be shepherds, but not really.  They like leading from the rear.  Or passing down decisions.  They want to serve as a Board.  Shepherding means late nights and inconvenient phone calls.  Elders may have to change their job description.

Preachers may even think that the elders will not do a good job if not led by you.  Let it go.  

And it is easy to let the full-time worker handle everything, not the volunteers.  Which may be why in the New Testament there is very little about full-time ministers and more about paid elders.

But you have to decide who the shepherds are.  

And then live by it.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM