By Rev. Michael G. Hurd Delivered November 18, 2001 Sardis Baptist Church – Charlotte, NC

Sermon Text – 1 Timothy 3: 1-7

Title Idea – MOVIE – from http://us.imdb.com

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

Starring: James Garner as Sheriff Jason McCullough Plot Outline: In the old west, a man becomes a sheriff just for the pay, figuring he can decamp if things get tough. In the end, he uses ingenuity instead. Plot Summary for Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

McCullough is “passing through on my way to Australia” when he takes a job in a gold rush town. After a startling display of marksmanship he immediately arrests the youngest son of the evil landowner (Danby). A battle of hired guns begins as McCullough continues to tame the town and defeat the gunslingers with a combination of skill and wit.

Summary written by John Vogel

Introductory Story

I entered the ministry in the summer of 1992. I acknowledged my “call” in a small church that was pastored by my Uncle Eckel Herron. It was an emotional night. I’d never felt more alive.

I was ordained in September of 1992 by my local church (Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church). The Ordination Board was made up of five clergy : Rev. White, Rev. Cooper, Rev. Newland, Rev. Sallings, and Rev. Martin. I was nervous but resolved. I had received the “call.” “This was just a formality.” The service lasted a little over an hour as I remember. There was preaching and reading of the Charge to Timothy by Paul. I can almost quote it in it’s entirety: I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Tim 4:1-4

There were questions concerning my faith, my views on certain doctrines of our church, etc. This was the culmination of a 3 month “watchcare” where I was to be under the scrutiny of the church for how I lived my life. After the questions, the examiners retreated to the back Sunday School rooms to determine my fate. As the saying goes, could I “cut the mustard?”

They returned with their verdict – “Yes, he is worthy of ordination”. This was not the end of the process though. In the great Baptist tradition, the congregation must vote to approve the findings of the examiners. The vote, thankfully, was unanimous.

So, I stand before you now to proclaim the “good news” and to illuminate you on the life of the ministry.

What are we going to discuss? This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time to reflect on our blessings. To enjoy the company of friends and family. To let others know how much they mean to us.

With that in mind, today’s Pastor Appreciation Sunday fits right in with the theme of Thanksgiving. Today’s service is in honor of Tim and Tillie. It is to thank them for their dedication to our congregation. It is to give them encouragement. It is to let them know that we care.

We come in thanksgiving to God for allowing them to worship Him with us. And in recognition of their blessing to us, we have assembled a small token of gratitude. If Tim and Tillie would please come forward.

[ PRESENT SCRAPBOOKS ]

What does being “thankful” mean? So, what does being thankful for their service mean? In many ways, we usually measure our level of thankfulness by how much we would miss something if it were not there. So, what if Tim and Tillie were not here:

? Who would TEACH the youth and young adults? ? Who would make the ANNOUNCEMENTS? ? Who would LEAD us in our Morning PRAYER? ? Who would VISIT the sick? ? Who would LISTEN to our concerns? ? Who would HELP us to understand God’s Word? ? Who would WRITE the Signposts? ? Who would WRITE “In God’s Household.”? ? Who would BE HERE to open the doors for services? ? Who would COMFORT grieving families? ? Who would SAY A FEW KIND WORDS? ? Who would PERFORM the weddings of our children? ? Who would be the DELIVERER of God’s WORD???????

Let me tell you, after the deacons (with the help of Sonia Plyler and Mary Holbrook) put together the Signposts, after we put together the Order of Worship (with Pam’s musical guidance), after we worked up the courage to stand before you and lead todays’ worship: WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR TILLIE AND TIM!!!

You know, they could be gone “But Mike”, you say. “Why would they ever leave?”

Good question. Why would any pastor want to leave such a wonderful group of parishioners? That question is one that many churches have to face in a very immediate way each year. – According to Brooks Faulkner, a LeaderCare counselor, estimates that nearly 100 Southern Baptist Convention pastors leave their ministry every month. – According to the Alban Institute in Washington, D.C., at least 17 percent of clergy suffer from stress or burnout. – About 1400 ministers a year call the toll-free hotline of the SBC

But why do they leave? Don’t church congregations do enough to help? I’m afraid the answer is no. According to an article by Eric Tiansay, “experts say pastors leave their pastorate for a variety of reasons, including family pressure, needing more income, burnout, disillusionment, being forced out, discouragement and feelings of unfulfillment.”

Michael Ross, a former Nazarene pastor, said that “expectations on the pastor by today’s churchgoer are much different than a generation ago.” In a interview with “The Tennessean” newspaper, Ross said that “. Churches are doing more marketing now, there’s more pressure to perform and entertain and succeed. Ministers can’t be entertaining enough, so they drop out.”

Pretty strong words. Now, let me pause to say that I don’t believe that Tim or Tillie are in this state of mind. We need to ensure that we provide the support to assist them in avoiding the pitfalls that so many of their fellow pastors find themselves in each and every day. I want us all to understand the pressures that are involved with being “called” and “serving God’s church.”

Called??? Yes, I did say “called.” I think we sometimes overuse the word or even sometimes misuse it; however, I fully believe that we are ALL “called” to action. Some people, like Tim and Tillie are called to be pastors. And what a calling! Look at what is required from our scripture passage: – Above reproach – Model of a good spouse – Self-controlled – Respectable – Hospitable – A teacher – Not “given to drunkenness” – I always chuckle a little at that one, what exactly is “given to” anyway? – Gentle – Not quarrelsome – Not a lover of money – which is a good thing considering that the average salary of a Baptist pastor in the southeast is $36,046 (according to a study in 1998). The national average of that study was $67,057. – Manage his/her family well (including having obedient children)

– Be mature in faith – Have a good reputation

Pretty tall order for anyone. But he or she is “called” right??? That must mean that they can handle all this. However, we must remember that the “calling” is to spread the good word and to provide comfort to the congregation. No special “super powers” are bestowed to accomplish these requirements. Some radioactive spider bite, utility belt, or bionic limbs are not provided to give them powers beyond those of mortal men. They are human, just like all of us, and are subject to the same fallibilities, foibles, and faults as we are.

>From an article entitled “Do Yourself A Favour – Encourage Your Pastor!” by

Rowland Croucher: Pastors carry awesome emotional and spiritual burdens. Don’t add to them unnecessarily! There’s the constant challenge to stay fresh and relevant in preaching. Living a shop-window existence – being ‘everything to everybody’ – isn’t easy. They, too, struggle with their sins and self-worth. They are sometimes angry, but we Christians have no way to legitimize anger. They search for an authentic vulnerability, but often have to ‘play a role’ to keep up a serene facade. They are ‘wounded healers’, ‘broken potters’, sometimes even ‘lost shepherds’.

And from Dr.’s Minirth and Meier (as quoted on pastorcare.org) – “Who does a pastor confide in when he doesn’t feel like being a pastor, or when things at home are strained?”

I believe that we as Baptists, sometimes place extra burden on pastors. There is always that fine line that a Baptist pastor must walk between leading and following the will of the congregation and the “lay leadership.” Certainly, the priesthood of the believer dictates that we each have a responsibility to care for the church and to lead it together without undue hierarchy. However, the “called” pastor is supposed to show us God’s Word. He or she must be recognized as a legitimate leader in the church; otherwise, we ignore the power of God’s calling. Mr. Croucher continues his thoughts on the subject with this passage: The pastor is servant of the church (but the church is not his/her master), a leader of fellow-ministers (but the captain-coach is not the whole team!), and a shepherd (or, better, rancher, training fellow-shepherds to care for others). Dynamic churches let their leaders lead, and exhibit what Peter Wagner calls ‘the divine art of followership’. When your pastor phones with an invitation to serve, that’s a high honour! The Scripture is clear: ‘Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you’ (Hebrews 13:17). Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). One pastor’s induction sermon had three points: ‘As pastor, I am your servant-leader: don’t idolize me (I’m a fellow-struggler with you), don’t ostracise me (we need each other), don’t criticize me (I appreciate honest feedback, but remember I’m human – and sensitive!).

And what about their family? If you remember from the scripture, the pastor is not only held responsible for his or her self. The entire family is also brought under the microscope of the church.

We are very familiar with the stereotypical image of the pastor’s wife: pious, humble, involved, gracious, modest, supportive, loving mother and wife. A quote from Ruth White, “The Pastor’s wife is the only woman I know who is asked to work full time without pay on her husband’s job, in a role no one has yet defined.”

Likewise, the kids are labeled as “PKs”, Preacher’s Kids. We all know about them, right??? Generally good, but under such scrutiny that they may err from time to time. Being a DK (Deacon’s Kid) myself, it was always the PK’s who were the troublemakers. We DK’s were the “good kids.”

All of this puts tremendous strain on the family unit. One pastor’s wife put it like they “live in a fishbowl.” One PK has even written a book I HAVE TO BE PERFECT (AND OTHER HOLY HERESIES IN THE PARSONAGE)! by Tim Sanford. Some other PK thoughts: From http://www.chonda.org/pk.html – Preacher’s Kid’s International Web Site Here’s what other’s have to say about PKI:

“Finally a place to talk about my unique position in life with people who understand what it’s like to be introduced to faith through the back door!”

~Bryan Duncan Myrrh Records

“..very few PKs pass through the halls of the parsonage untouched by the strains of ministry. Most have happily ever after endings, but some do not. It is time to address some of the issues they have waited and waited to talk about. ” ~Allison Evans, Psychologist

“I have really wondered for a long time, why I am the way that I am. Finally, I have found a network of people that understand me best! The past has a brand new perspective.” -Toledo, OH

WE EXPECT IMMEDIATE PASTORAL CARE AT ALL COSTS Congregations have needs; however, sometimes we cross the line into being needy. Sometimes pastors cross the line into being too focused on the church versus focusing on the family unit. From a website for Pastors wives called “Priscilla’s Friends” – “For pastors, too, ‘ministry’ begins inside your front door to your spouse and family. Our 14-year-old son Paul said to me: ‘Dad, you love the church more than you love the family, don’t you?’ ‘Why do you say that?’ I asked lamely. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘if someone phones or comes to the front door with a problem we may not see you for the rest of the night – even on “family nights”. But if they’ve made an appointment to see you in your study, we can’t interrupt you. So the church can interrupt the family but the family can’t interrupt the church: so the church must be more important than the family!’ (In logic, that’s called a syllogism: this and this therefore that). Anyone out there got a smart response?” – FROM PRISCILLA’S FRIENDS – http://priscillasfriends.org/calltoministry.html

All of this can lead to a VERY stressful family life. In fact, divorce can even be a product of this extreme pressure. While well below the national average, according to a 1997 survey among 601 senior Protestant pastors, 95% are married and 13% have ever gone through a divorce. While only around half the national average at the time, it still is striking considering our idealist view of the pastorate and their family life.

So, what are we supposed to do? The best thing that we can do to help anyone is to care. Never is this more important than for supporting those who dedicate their lives in service to others. So for pastors, we can CARE for them:

– CONSIDER their feelings – When they do a good job with a sermon, give them praise beyond just a few words at the church exit. Drop them a note or an e-mail (calling on the phone only if necessary). When the sermon falls short of your expectations, cut them some slack. Wait until a private moment to discuss it with them if you disagree. Remember that the listeners of Paul, Peter, and the other early church leaders where often challenged beyond their comfort or their current beliefs. We call them saints now. I wonder what they were called then?

– ACCEPT that they are going to make mistakes. Don’t fall into the sin of making the pastor a substitute for God. Certainly, they are accountable for their actions; however, we should hold ourselves to the same accountability in our own lives. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, ye shall be judged.” – Matt 7: 1-2a Be sure that you ask how they are doing and really mean it.

– REQUEST God’s guidance and strength for their service. Never fail to include them in your daily prayer life.

– ENCOURAGE them in word and deed. Try bringing a guest. What better compliment to the pastors and the church than to bring a friend to church with you?

So, why bother if it’s so hard? — Conclusion I struggle with that question. I know that every minister comes to some point in his or her life where it is asked. The answer is “because God said to.” From John Chapter 21:15-17 – [READ FROM THE BIBLE]

When you are called, you must answer. Those who leave the ministry struggle with a feeling of failure. Not just any failure, failure to God. We have confidence in Tim and Tillie’s call and in their lives; however, that does not excuse us from showing our full depth of gratitude.

Perhaps, you have not needed them yet. Perhaps, God has blessed you so much, that you don’t really need any “shepherding,” any comfort in time of need. As sure as God made us from the dust of the ground, we will have times that are not so good. Not that I desire anyone to see misfortune, but I know that there is “a season for everything under the sun.” You may need to make a call in the dark of night (literal or figurative), needing someone to care. Tim and Tillie will be there, as they always are. Let’s be sure that we are there for them “in season, and out of season.” Let us all live our calling to be members of God’s church and support our pastors and each other.

Invitation

Benediction

[Reproduced with permission]