Mountain Ministers

How do you feel when someone talks down to you – a boss, a spouse, or a colleague? In a pastor, it is especially grievous, as humility is a characteristic he is supposed to value. But sometimes a pastor or “religious person” can come off “holier than thou,” which is a real turn-off as well as not representative of the ultimate Spiritual Leader. It’s true that Jesus did not sin. But he did have troubles. I’d call an angry mob publicly killing you a real problem. He had haters and he still does. He was human with real emotions. He had empathy for hurting people, he suffered loss, and he wept. He didn’t belong to a country club, drive a fancy donkey, or own a big home. I never read about him vacationing in Tahiti. He talked to anyone and lived modestly.

Unlike him, we all fall short of perfection. I certainly do. Whether it’s a little thing like thinking mean thoughts about someone or a big thing like betraying a friend, my scorecard is lengthy. When I got divorced and it was largely my fault, I thought my days as a Christian musician were over forever. I had no business representing the Lord. I was blessed when a good friend said to me, “I don’t want a perfect minister. I want a minister who has been through stuff like I have.” I guess that means someone else who sinned. Um, like pretty much everyone.

I certainly don’t find fault with someone who has managed to avoid sinning better than I have. But those who have been through what I have can show me how to recover, because they have. I also think that once you’ve lost everything you’re less likely to rebound into your formerly arrogant self. You don’t have to choose humility anymore because it chose you. If it were easy to do the things we know are right, we would not need the teachings of Jesus, which include contrition, repentance, and forgiveness. Churches are not museums for saints: they are hospitals for sinners. Sin is like heartbreak: you’ve either just been through it, are going through it now, or you’re about to go through it. It’s ongoing.

I guess by choosing a pastor who has lost everything by his own transgressions and rebuilt his life from the ground up, I could be hedging my bets that he won’t go through it again for awhile. But mostly, I feel he understands imperfect me. And he has compassion, as do I, because of our painful experiences. He talks to his flock face to face. He’s not on the mountain. He’s on his knees. That’s the kind of minister I want.