So all of this began my thoughts on a pastor’s role in/on
mission.
Leaders are what pastors are, the ones who are to be in
front of the rest of the people both showing them how to do things and how to
not do things. Teaching doctrine and discipleship while living a life on
mission.
So it should follow that a pastor should be leading the
charge in the mess of mission, right? That these men shouldn’t be the
archetypal clean man, but rather the one in the fray, learning and leading with
cuts on his knuckles and blood in his eyes.
Yet, often times the one who’s the cleanest is the one in
leadership. (This is what my past has shown me at least.) Ironic, if you ask
me.
This isn’t flattering to pastors. This isn’t flattering to
myself. This isn’t flattering to any Christian. It ought to be hurtful, to all
of us. The ones leading us aren’t the Braveheart type of leadership; rather
they’re the one’s standing in the back, “’Cause they’re too important to lose.”
Our leaders (me) aren’t showing us mission well, because
rather than disciple-ing (teaching while going about life) they sit behind
their desk (or coffee mug) and tell others how they ought to do mission.
So the change should be, what? That a pastor should lead his
people in the charge of mission? Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. It ought
to be the pastor’s primary aim, mission.
Indeed, preaching and administrating are affective tools in
mission, but they are not mission itself; they are not the aim. Rather
discipleship is the focus of mission and therein the pastor should strive to
thrive.
Discipleship is the focus of mission because the gospel is
the focus of discipleship, and the gospel is the focus of discipleship because
the gospel reveals to us the glory of God, and to that end the leader must
lead, or he is no pastor.
At least this is my understanding of the pastor’s role.
