Jump Start # 3734

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Recently I was reading some articles from the 1929 Gospel Advocate. I ran across this little paragraph:

“When a church seeks a preacher, they often want the strength of an eagle, the grace of a swan, the gentleness of a dove, the friendliness of a sparrow, and the night hours of an owl; and when they catch that bird, they expect him to live on the food of a canary.”

  I laughed when I first read that and thought it sounds like they are wanting a birdbrain in the pulpit. It is amazing to hear what folks want in a preacher. Many congregations are looking right now. You’d think folks are looking at options on a car, rather than a man to teach God’s word.

Some want a young man, but not too young. They want him to be married and have children, but not too many children. They want him to have a college degree, but not too many degrees. And, the trying out process as we often call it really needs to be looked at long and hard. For years, the standard practice was to bring a preacher in for a meet and greet with the elders on a Saturday night. Then he is to teach the class and preach on Sunday morning. A pitch-in, or potluck, takes place in the afternoon for the church to see and talk to the preacher. He again preaches Sunday evening. Before he leaves town, the elders ask how much money he needs to move there. By Wednesday the preacher receives a phone call either with an offer to move there or a rejection. There’s a lot of pressure, tension and nervousness that fills that weekend. The thought of moving, finding a place to live, schools for the children, and a million other things races through the mind of the preacher’s wife.

Sometimes this works well. Sometimes it is a disaster. Could a better way of doing things be found?

Here are some thoughts:

First, the shepherds ought to have many phone conversations and even meet with the preacher many times before the thought of “trying out” takes place. What are the shepherds expecting out of the preacher? What is his work ethic? What our his goals? Why does he want to leave where he is currently at? Are the shepherds and the preacher on the same page doctrinally? Do they see passages the same? This may be as far as the relationship goes. Not seeing eye to eye or having an uncomfortable feeling about each other can be the beginning of a long nightmare.

With technology today, a lot of sermons can be listened to without ever bringing someone to your pulpit. Go through a variety of sermons.

Second, trying to get a preacher as cheap as you can, sets a bad message. If you find someone that you think will fit, then everything possible needs to be done to keep him. Things are expensive and raising a family is hard these days. Shepherds need to think beyond the paycheck. What about benefits? Insurance? Retirement? The food of an canary doesn’t appeal to anyone and you tend to get what you pay for.

Third, congregations need to realize that they are trying out as well as the preacher. If the grounds, the building look like a dump, that may be an indication of how those folks take care of God’s work. You want the preacher to bring his best, then you best, put on your best. Polish the place up. Get folks there early to meet the preacher. Be friendly.

It’s very similar to dating. The girl wants to find a great match. She’s looking for the best. She, needs to put something worthwhile on the plate as well. She needs to be her best.

When a preacher and congregation come to an agreement, I always advise, putting things in writing and having the shepherds and the preacher sign copies. Each needs to keep a copy of the signed papers. There is a business side to preaching and it keeps everyone from forgetting how many vacations did we agree to or how many meetings did we say you could hold. Then, every couple of years, those papers need to be looked at, adjustments made if necessary and resigned. There have been many horror stories of broken promises that could not be verified. This eliminates all of that.

One of the biggest stress levels for a congregation is finding a new preacher. Everyone has in mind what they want. Rarely is everyone in complete agreement. Don’t be looking for a bird. Birds tend to fly away. Look for a man of God who is dedicated, committed and faithful to the Lord.

Roger