Confessions of a BI-vo pastor

You are incorrect SLCB:

Liberals believe it is their job to MAKE YOU (and me) take care of everyone else;

Conservatives believe in taking responsibility for themselves and their families...

:thumbs:

 

Forgive me SCB -- The "L" was an inadvertant addition.

 

A third "pearl" that I have gained is a sense of freedom in the pulpit. Because I have "another" job, I do not feel restrained by unrealistic congregational expectations. I believe we are living in a Baptist epidemic for preachers. Preachers are being fired or forcibly removed by their churches at an unheard-of rate. Many of these preachers have no skills outside of ministry. To compound the pain, if the pastor's family lives in the pastorium, they are often left with no place to live. I believe the fear of being fired often cripples a preacher's courage and hamstrings his or her convictions. Sermons become benign packages of the collective congregational convictions or prejudices. This reality does not constitute anything wrong for the preacher. But it can take away his or her role as prophet, as an advocate for the poor, or as a "troubler of Israel." Preachers should be free to preach the gospel without fear of detrimental repercussions.

This reality does not constitute anything wrong for the preacher? How can a man of God make such a statement? If we fail to proclaim what God tells us to proclaim, we have sinned!