Does The Church Need Pastors Anymore?
Jamie Arpin-Ricci has some good words to say about this subject over @ A Living Alternative. It seems the consensus sways between an undiscriminating dependency on pastors on the one hand and on the other, a sort of anti-hierarchical sentiment. Do we need pastors today? Here were my thoughts:
I’ve tasted the sting of some of the anti pastoral / institutional polemic and hv found it not only unfair but quite elitist in tone. While I understand where this view’s adherants are coming from; it’s just too much.
Also, to look for textual evidence of the pastoral role is somewhat disingenuous; perhaps the pursuit should be for pastoral theology instead. And dare we ignore the centuries of rich heritage in pastoral history. To be fair, many of the best bishops in history got their start in these organic monastic movements; and they often accepted bishoprics only against their will.
But contrary to what some are saying I think there will always be a need for and relevance to the pastoral vocation.
Some might label me “traditional” or even worse “attractional” or “institutional”, both allegations I deny. I continue to find these designations disingenuous and extremist at worst. When used as epithets, these terms show that the users do not understand the pastoral vocation to begin with.
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There’s nothing wrong with being traditional. After all Paul was… “that which I received from the Lord, I passed on to you…”
I get what you’re saying though, and I agree that there is an elitist tone involved.
I think it makes more sense for the pastoral role in today’s culture. Remember that in the 1st century, most Jews were fairly well learned in the Law and the Prophets, and so Synagogue was a collection of highly educated folks teaching those who weren’t…but the balance was likely greater.
In today’s church, you have a relative handful of educated folks to do the teaching (the pastoral staff), and a large number of “uneducated” folks who wish to learn more.