Voices

Connect: ‘Average’ pastors

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Todd Fisher

Oklahoma Baptists’ Executive Director-Treasurer @eToddFisher

Recently I had a person I did not know, but obviously followed me on social media, come up to me and criticize me by asking, “Why do you spend so much time in small churches and with average pastors. You should focus on churches that can give the most money and pastors that are the most gifted.”

This person argued that the health and future of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and state conventions depended mainly on fostering relationships with large churches that had large budgets and the men who pastor such churches.

Well, I have, in fact, spent a lot of time preaching in small churches and visiting with “average” pastors (I’ve spent a lot of time with big churches and their pastors, too). I have already written about the importance of smaller in attendance churches and how they actually make up the strong majority of churches not just in our state convention, but in the whole SBC. That all of our churches partner together in giving through the Cooperative Program is what matters far more than the size of church and the amount it gives.

The beauty of the Cooperative Program is that it enables all churches, large or small, rural or urban, to partner together to fund missions and ministries in ways they could never do alone. All of our churches are important!

But in this article, I want to focus on this person’s comment about “average” pastors. Allow me to tell you a few things about “average” pastors. They will, in all likelihood, never pastor a big church, preach in front of a large crowd, speak at conferences, write a book or become famous.

Many are overworked, underpaid or hardly paid and hold more than one job. Many serve in difficult, isolated places where the fruit of their labors is often not readily seen. They will, however, pour all they can into Sunday’s sermon, preach funerals, show up at the hospital, answer the phone when someone is in need, talk to your child about salvation, give counsel to people facing incredibly difficult/complex things in life, endure the constant weight of people’s criticisms and expectations—and they will do all of this in obscurity with few accolades.

So, I think these “average” pastors are actually quite extraordinary and models of faithfulness to Christ. They do what they do, not for reward or recognition, but out of their love for God and people. They are deserving of encouragement and investment, not to mention they lead the vast majority of churches in our denomination.

Yes, churches of every size, including small churches, are critically important—and so are their pastors! If you are a church member with an “average” pastor, be thankful for his faithfulness and encourage him today! If you are an “average” pastor, please remember there is nothing average about you. Press on in your important ministry!

Sword & trowel: The end of vacation

Brian Hobbs

Editor of the Baptist Messenger @BrianGHobbs

Did you know your vacation photos could directly affect someone’s future summer plans? According to one news source, “roughly 40 percent of (young adults) pick vacation destinations based on how ‘Instagrammable’ the pics will be.”

In other words, people now make plans, not just on how scenic a place might be, but how it will look to others when they post their pictures on social media like Instagram and Facebook.

Given the growing number of people posting to social media and the growing influence of those posts, now at the end of summer is a good time to review just how we are using social media and what it says about our lives.

‘Look at me’

Sociologists have coined the term the “Look-AtMe Generation,” referring to adults—mostly young adults—who have come of age at the same time of social media’s appearance. As the term suggests, if you glance at this segment of the population’s daily social media, you are almost guaranteed to see someone talking about themselves.

“Look at my trip!” “Look at my exercise results!” “Look at my dinner plate.”

There is nothing inherently wrong with talking about what is going on in your life, and we can and should take an interest in what people are doing and thinking. Jesus Himself was alert to the habits, attitudes and circumstances of those around Him.

If we are not careful, though, we can fall victim to becoming a little too self-involved. Popular author and pastor John Piper, in 2009, said social media can “lure people away from Scripture and prayer, disembody relationships, feed the fires of narcissism, cater to the craving for attention, fill the world with drivel, shrink the soul’s capacity for greatness and make us second-handers who comment on life when we ought to be living it.”

‘Look at this’

Many social media posts scream, “Look at me,” while others seem to say, “Look at this!” People today share a lot of information and ideas about various issues. “Look at this political topic,” “Look at that sports news,” and so on. There is something inherently good about using this platform of social media to advance viewpoints and the Christian message.

John Piper went on to say we should “try to fill these media with as much provocative, reasonable, Bible-saturated, prayerful, relational, Christ-exalting, truth-driven, serious, creative pointers to true greatness as you can.”

Christians therefore must be more careful not to add offense to the cross with brash comments about politics, sports and culture. When you are trying to espouse opinions and articles that are interesting to you, be sure to consider how it would enhance or detract from your Christian witness.

‘Look at Him’

Whether we are typically talking about ourselves or the issues of the day on social media, Christians would do best to post on social media with Jesus in mind. Whether we are talking about ourselves and the daily happenings of life, or are posting an interesting photo, it should all come back to Him.

In the end, most social media posts will still say, “Look at me!” or “Look at this!” Yet only when our social media posting habits shout, “Look at Jesus,” will they have the lasting impact we want. Because we ultimately want to affect, not just someone’s future vacation plans, but their future eternity with the Lord.

FEEDING &LEADING

A PODCAST FEATURING TODD FISHER & ANDY TAYLOR

03: Pastors & Expository Preaching

In this episode, learn more about the expository preaching of God’s Word—what it is and why it matters for pastors in the pulpit.

Listen at www.oklahomabaptists.com/podcast or on...