My hubby and I have been incredibly blessed and, frankly, spoiled over the years by great pastors like Adrian Rogers and Ben Mandrell. It’s a little unnerving to be “shepherd-less”. Although the choice is not ours to make, in the spirit of Jane and Michael Banks, we thought it would be fun to write our own advertisement for our next pastor.
“If you want this choice position,
Have a cheery disposition…”
You will be devoted to the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate. You will teach us to make disciples and fulfill the mandate in Genesis 1- create culture and do it as God's stewards.
You will love music that glorifies God with every fiber of your being.
You like your coffee strong.
You view the church as the body of Christ and not a business. The most important thing isn’t for our church to get bigger, it’s for it to grow deeper even if it gets smaller.
You will encourage us to apply the idea of stewardship to our minds and intellect. Education is huge for you.
You’ll teach us to question well, follow ideas through logically not emotionally warning us to not assume our visceral reactions are proof of a Holy Spirit grieving, but possibly the flesh pushing back.
You will teach us to dialogue and debate with love instead of regurgitating out bumper-sticker slogans and verses out of context or avoiding the exchange of ideas all together.
You will have a super-natural ability to see where the politically correct culture has crept in and poisoned the church; you will relentlessly expose the lies from the pits of hell for what they are.
You will teach us biblical, church and national history through sermons and programming throughout the week. You respect the warnings God gives us throughout Scripture when we “forget” where we’ve come from and what he expects from us in each of those areas.
You will call us to dig aggressively into Scripture for its wisdom to address poverty, immigration, justice and the oppression here and abroad of our brethren and give these important issues the attention they deserve from the pulpit.
There is no IRS audit or threat of 501c3 status you fear above being obedient to preaching the whole counsel of God’s word. You boldly stand firm to not render under Caesar that which is God’s. You have a Black Robe Regiment heart.
You like to play with kids on the playground.
You do not take yourself so seriously. You rather make a mistake with a heart to be obedient than be paralyzed by the fear of failing.
You laugh hard and often.
You break bread with the little people.
You have the sincerity and passion of David for prayer and the Presence of God.
Because you will love us and you love God more, you will absolutely call us out. You will not snuff out the Spirit when it is calling you to get all “Jonathon Edwards” on us.
You will teach us that if we resign to sitting back comfy in our salvation while the world burns instead of engaging others to the point of sacrifice we have cheapened the grace we’ve been given.
“Hurry, Pastor!
Many Thanks…,
Sincerely…, “
Rachel & Martin Cleveland
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