There are some theological themes that a pastor needs to examine if s/he is going to live with integrity in a world of commercial religion. The first theme that comes to mind is what it means to affirm that God is sovereign. That includes whether we believe that God is in charge even when the church and our ministry seems to be constantly compromised. The second theme is the redemptive power experienced in our ability to confess our sins. The third is the truth of resurrection power in redemptive transformation of both individual lives and communities.
As a pastor, we constantly live with the compromises that plague any human community. That certainly includes the church — our church. While it is natural to yearn for a perfect church and a life that is never compromised, that is not the reality in which both we and God are at work. Whether it was a personal failing or simply the frustration of recalcitrant believers, it was natural for Paul to want the thorn removed from his side. But God’s response to Paul speaks to us as well. “My grace is sufficient for you. for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) A major step in responding to the challenge of the church in our time is whether we believe that God has called us to this ministry, knowing full well our weaknesses, and that God’s grace is sufficient to help us pull it off.
The second step is to honestly examine and confess our compromises and sins, with full confidence that having done so, God is willing and able to forgive and cleanse us. If the sinful response of the world to the love of Christ was the crucifixion, and God was not defeated by that sin but transformed it through the resurrection, then that same resurrection power is present in the sinful responses of our world.
Keep the faith. God is not done with us yet.
More next week.
