from Real Live Preacher a telling post about the hidden parts of a pastor. it reminded me of a conversation i had with my father years ago about something he and i never would have discussed had i not moved away from home.
i said, 'do you know how my adolescence would have been completely different for me if you told me this when i was 16?'
he said, 'you were too young to deal.'
i said, 'does the church know you think this?'
he said, 'if they did they'd freak. they wouldn't be able to deal with it. so i don't tell them. i'm only supposed to bring them the Word. not let them into my head.'
telling, huh?
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2 comments:
no, not telling. and let us all not agree or catagorize all preachers and congregations as "Real Live Preacher" has done. although the opinion is interesting and i'm sure possible, it would be not be agreeable to assume all feel this way.
i've known my share of preachers. *known*. not been acquainted with or listened to, but known them personally.
and i think there is a hidden part to pastors their congregations don't know about. it's hard to live the life of a pastor - it requires an almost super-human level of effacement, strength and restraint. congregations are stubborn, recalcitrant, indifferent, argumentative, contrary. i'd truly love to know of any body where this is not so. really. behind the seams, under the belly, so to speak.
and so for anyone in the vocation to come out and honestly admit there is this gap between what the congregation assumes and what the pastor projects - yeah, i think it's telling. it's significant.
not that EVERYONE is this way (paragon of pastorhood that you are), but it exists.
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