When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had
compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he
began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34, ESV
Pastors often find themselves in positions to minister
to those who are in need of congregational and/or pastoral help, and yet have
good reasons not to offer it. While it is not
true that the soon-to-be-married, new parents, or those in crises find their
way back to church in the numbers they once did, an occasional Millennial or
Gen Xer still feel the tug back to church when such normalizing rites as
baptism and weddings are called for. And when they do, pastors are caught in
the crossfire between serving those who come to us at a time of need and the
real prospect of being taken for granted or, worse, performing a service for
what may turn out to be filthy lucre.
Here are some examples that probably every pastor has dealt
with more than once: the death of a church member’s sibling, cousin or friend,
who died with no church affiliation and perhaps no sign of faith; a young
couple seeking marriage, but already living together; a couple seeking marriage
wherein one or both parties are divorced; a couple seeking marriage where both
are not believers (the “unequally yoked” problem); a couple with a Roman
Catholic past but without an available Roman Catholic priest or parish due to
previous relationship divorce complications (the “you’re not Catholic but
you’re close enough” problem); baptizing the grandchild of a member, even
though that child’s parents will likely never attend church again; communing
those who are not Lutheran, but read the notice in the bulletin and came forward
anyway.
These are all situations the pastor faces on a regular
basis. Some, of course, are longstanding sources of disagreement and even
schism (open communion, for example). Some are points of disagreement even
within denominations, seeing that they are matters of pastoral discretion.
But what pastors face in each situation is the
prospect of administering the means of grace either too loosely (and not taking
into consideration proper boundaries and discipline) or too tightly (and acting
as the disciples did when they shielded Jesus from the Syrophenician woman or
the little children, not to mention the Pharisees who would have kept him from
the prostitutes and tax collectors.
So when these opportunities present themselves we want
to be neither the wonton liberal who treats God’s grace like “cheapjack’s
wares”, nor the Pharisee who protects God from himself by holding too fast to
our rites and sacraments. In some of these situations, it is obvious that the
pastor should not comply, for some folks are looking for religious cover for
outright sin. But in many situations, especially in 21st century
secular America, where fewer and fewer even have a church background to rebel
against, should we say “no” too quickly to those who make an effort to return
to the church, even under less-than ideal circumstances? And then, if we charge
for services rendered (say for a non-member wedding), at what point are we
basically whoring out the church in the faint hopes of restored lives?
At what point do we work with a couple to get married
who is already living together instead of refusing to dirty our hands? If it is
best that they get married, shouldn’t we facilitate it? At what point do we
marry the couple that is “unequally yoked”, warning of the pitfalls and
predictable arguments in their future, but hoping a heart can change? At what
point do we work with a Roman Catholic who is ready to be catholic without the
ritualistic legalism they’ve found in Rome? At what point do we baptize those
who agree to the promises in the baptismal rite, even if we are 51% sure they
will not keep those vows?
I don’t think there is a uniform “yes” or “no” to most
of these situations, but it strikes me that ministry in the 21st
century is ministering mostly to sheep without a shepherd. Of course,
Christianity has boundaries. But what I see in the next generation is not as
much willful disdain of Christ’s Church, but a genuine ignorance of what even
goes on inside of one. I recall working with a young man to get baptized as an
adult several years ago. He asked me during one of our meeting how church’s
“made money.” The language of offering, stewardship, and sacrifice meant
nothing to him. He was genuinely curious how bills got paid, and amazingly, he
had no clue that the brass offering plates were for collecting volunteered
funds to support Gospel ministry. If he is more and more the norm among his
generation, we should begin to presume that we are not ministering among those
who hate us, but among those who know nothing about us.
Therefore, perhaps moreso than in previous
generations, perhaps our “yes” should be said more often, even in compromised
situations. Because it may be that these rites are the only chance we will have
to introduce these sheep to their shepherd. I know that there are good reasons
to say “no” a lot, and it is usually a safer bet among our more conservative
peers. And sometimes, for the sake of Christ, a “no” must be said. But I have
decided to work with more and more people where they are, even as I hear my
more conservative brothers and sisters in my ear telling me I have sold out or
even encouraged sin. And yes, for my troubles, I have been burned and used more
than once. But in the best of cases, some sheep came home. And in the worst of
cases, I was used in the service of introducing sheep to their shepherd, and
I’m happy to be abused for such a service.
10 comments:
Love love blog of this http://www.bci.edu.bd/
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بالرياض
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بجدة
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بالطائف
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة
اسعار نقل العفش من الرياض الى الدمام
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة نقل عفش بالخبر
شركة نقل عفش بالقطيف
شركة نقل عفش بالاحساء
شركة نقل عفش بالاحساء
شركة نقل عفش بالخبر
شركة نقل عفش بالجبيل
شركة نقل عفش بالجبيل
شراء اثاث مستعمل بالخبر
شركة نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة رش مبيدات بالرياض
شركة رش دفان بالرياض
شركة مكافحة النمل الابيض بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الفئران بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الثعابين بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الصراصير بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الحمام بالرياض
شركة رش مبيدات بالخرج
شركة نقل اثاث بالخبر
شركة نقل اثاث بالبقيق
شركة نقل اثاث بالقطيف
شركة نقل اثاث براس تنورة
شركة نقل اثاث بالاحساء
شركة نقل اثاث بالجبيل
شراء اثاث مستعمل بالدمام
شركة نقل اثاث بالدمام
شركة نقل اثاث بالاحساء
Informative Post. It is very useful information for me. Thanks for sharing with us.
Verizon is a multinational telecommunication company in the whole world. If you are facing Common Verizon Email Problem, these numerous reasons can create an issue in your Verizon Email account such as an incorrect password or forgot password, incorrect email address. To resolve your issues, you connect with our Qwik Aid technical experts.
Ideal Information. Thanks for giving me this information. Keep sharing again.
Garden Care Homes is a premier senior-aided residential complex. At Castle Rock Assisted Living & Senior Care, we bring you the best of senior care at an affordable price. Senior citizens in Castle Rock enjoy everything with meaningful life experiences. Visit our website for more information.
real passport for sale
real passport for sale
Our website:https://www.buyrealpassport.com
Email: buyrealpassport3507@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +1 (941) - 278 -1417
شركة تنظيف مكيفات بالدمام
Post a Comment