the Glocal Trekker Blog

I tell our interns often, "your qualification for being a pastor can be summed up in two words--imitate me." It’s what Paul and others said in the New Testament. It was the idea of living the Christ life--the kingdom life lived out in everyday life. Look at the New Testament qualifications for being a spiritual leader--most have to do with character. Last week, we talked about it. It doesn’t mean we’re perfect--Paul certainly wasn’t--but it does mean there is holiness and integrity, and, when failure occurs, we deal with it quickly and honestly and up front.

With the recent failures of Ted Haggard and two other pastor friends of mine, living it could not be more important. It is wrong for us to think that just preaching a great sermon qualifies us for spiritual leadership. It doesn’t.

This morning I spoke with a 73-year-old former pastor named Paul Powell. He likes to refer to himself as a country preacher. He "ain’t" no country preacher. He told me about this quote from a guy named Biggs. "Burn brightly but don’t burn out." Powell then gave a good "Baptist preacher" outline with 4 words with I:

1. I am not invincible. I can get sick, sin, weary.
2. I am not immortal. I am going to die.
3. I am not indispensable. The Kingdom keeps going without me.
4. I am not an island. I need friends around me.

Bob: Paul do you deal with this stuff?
Paul: I’ve been in the ministry over 50 years and always did.
Bob: Do you ever deal with it today?
Paul: You bet-- sometimes it’s so hard I fear I won’t go on.
Bob: How do you keep going and prevent burning out?
Paul: I’m more sensitive to it today than ever. I used to live in denial--not anymore.