A pause in preaching provides perspective

Tomorrow will be the first time I’ve preached at Northstar in four weeks. I’ve not been gone – just thrilled that we have so many qualified teachers/preachers in our congregation that we can raise up a “teaching team.”

Being able to be there and be fed is important for a pastor who really believes that we are to be the church. I am not indispensable. No pastor is. We are vessels. Servants. Stewards. The pastor who will not give up or share his “pulpit” with others demonstrates one of the following:

• Ego
• Leadership development problems
• A church with a wrong conception of the pastor’s role

A church who feels like they “hired” the pastor to preach to them has its own issues. It enslaves a pastor to the pulpit, and so he preaches week-in and week-out, in fear of other’s opinions of him should he not be in the pulpit. The attitude is “what do we pay him for. after all?”

Nancy Jernigan recently tweeted:

Pastors making a decision to not take a break & allow someone else to fill in for them is heartbreaking to watch!

I go back to the title of this post: a pause in preaching provides perspective.

The last three weeks, I was able to observe our church being the church – welcoming guests, smiling, sharing, encouraging. I was also able to see some things that need to be improved but that I would never notice on a typical, hectic Sunday. Finally, I was able to worship and be ministered to by other capable and gifted servants of God.

Pastors, take a break. You need it more than you realize. It’s not just a break. It’s an opportunity. For you. For other leaders.

You may be surprised how much your people thank you for it.

On this day...

• March Mission - 2009
• Creative "writing" - 2007
• A church on the move - 2007
• Amazing Sidewalk Art... - 2006