It's That Time of Year

It's that time of year.
Here we go for the marathon of appointment-making for ministry deployment for our United Methodist Churches for the upcoming conference year. Churches and ministers had a window of prayerful time to turn in a request to be considered in this year's appointment round.
This is the time of year that people start swamping me with their opinions. They tell me that their preacher HAS to stay. Their church just can't go on if their preacher has to move.
Other people want to make sure I know that their pastor HAS to leave. Their pastor has ruined their church and what they need is a new preacher.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Both of these oft-repeated positions show the shallow understanding too many United Methodists have of ministry.
In the first case, let me say that I am thrilled when people have good things to say about their pastor. If good growth is taking place, I love to hear about it. But if a ministry is solid, it is not dependent on the preacher. Every good United Methodist knows that their preacher doesn't HAVE to stay. We are, at the very core of who we are, a denomination of itinerant preachers. The ministry of our churches is not meant to be built around the personality of any one preacher. The United Methodist emphasis for ministry is exactly where it should be: the MINISTRY is always bigger than the MINISTER. The temptation to ego and personality-centered ministry is alleviated if not eliminated. And that's a gift to the clergy and to congregations.
And, in the case where people are telling me that the answer to their problems is a new preacher, I have exactly the same response: the MINISTRY is always bigger than the MINISTER. Congregations need to keep that in mind. I am a passionate advocate of strong clergy leadership. But I believe that the congregation is the determining factor of whether a church moves forward or not.
We have too many churches that think a new preacher is the solution. Plenty of times, congregations have just the leadership they need. But, instead of following their clergy leader, they resist. They complain and undermine and sabatoge their own growth because they don't want to do anything different. Comfort zones are the sacred cows. Sometimes, somebody got their feelings hurt and they willingly turn that into a war against the pastor. God help us. We end up with wounded pastors and discredited congregations. Everyone loses the "Blame the Pastor" game. We've got plenty of churches who want a pastoral change but they are not willing to change. And they're not growing -- not because of the PASTOR--but because of the way they treat each other. And no change of pastors is going to fix that fundamental deficiency.
I thank God for the churches that are growing in inspiring, fruitful ways. But they are mistaken if they think their success depends on keeping their pastor. The ministry of a church --if it is to last and be a faithful reflection of God--must not be built around the personality of any minister. For everyone in church -- clergy AND laity--we believe that everyone is important but no one is indispensable. That helps us not get sidetracked on ego issues.
I pray for the churches that are discouraged about their declines. I pray that we will send them strong clergy leaders but more: I pray that congregations will develop a deep, shared conviction that the ministry of their church is always bigger than the minister. The success of any congregation in new growth requires people who open their hearts and minds and doors to others. Not even the best preacher can make up for the absence of openness in the hearts of the congregation.
Yes, it's that time of year again.
Don't forget to pray for the Bishop and cabinet every day. Pray for our preachers. And pray for our congregations that, together, what we do will help us all keep our perspective: the ministry is always bigger than the ministers.