Emotional Health
Just heard Pete Scazzero, author of The Emotionally Healthy Church.
Here are some thoughts and reflections:
Most people in most churches are living off someone else's spirituality. Think of it as vicarious spirituality. It's very similar to reality TV. We're spiritual voyeurs! And it's as old Moses. Read the story in Exodus. The Israelites didn't want to go up Mount Sinai. They wanted Moses to seek God for them!
Pete shared some of his personal journey. He talked about the way our unhealthy family patterns find their way into our churches. Fascinating to think about the way our genogram affects the way we pastor. A pastor's personal problems become church problems. A pastor's immaturities become church immaturies. That's tough to blog, but it is part of the burden we bear as pastors. And it is a reminder that the key to church growth is personal growth. I've always believed that NCC can't outgrow me as the undershepherd. And if it does outgrow me it's actually a very dangerous scenario!
The most convicting part of his session was his discussion about the 4th Commandment. Leaders have a hard time keeping the sabbath! We mistakenly think that everything revolves around us and depends on us. The sabbath is a reminder that the world doesn't fall apart when we take the day off. Part of what makes this one tough for me is that I love what I do! Add in a driven personality and multiple callings to pastor and write and I realize that doing ministry in a sustainable way is my greatest challenge right now! I don't have it figured out, but I'm so keenly aware of it.
By the way, Eugene Peterson said, "A day off is a bastard sabbath." A day off is a day off. A sabbath is for resting, delighting, contemplating, and stopping. Scazzero said, "I need a day off to have a Sabbath."
Here's a thought: the greatest disservice a pastor can do to the church is to put the church before their family! Way too many pastors have sacrificed their children on the altar of church! A powerful reminder: you made a vow to your wife not your church!
I loved some of the thoughts Pete Scazzero shared on preaching.
He talked about pre-mature sermons that haven't had time to gestate. Every pastor identifies with that. It is so hard to have a fresh word from God week in and week out. The key is preaching out of experience. I love what Scazzero said, "I've determined to start my sermons with prayer, not a clever illustration."
Here are some thoughts and reflections:
Most people in most churches are living off someone else's spirituality. Think of it as vicarious spirituality. It's very similar to reality TV. We're spiritual voyeurs! And it's as old Moses. Read the story in Exodus. The Israelites didn't want to go up Mount Sinai. They wanted Moses to seek God for them!
Pete shared some of his personal journey. He talked about the way our unhealthy family patterns find their way into our churches. Fascinating to think about the way our genogram affects the way we pastor. A pastor's personal problems become church problems. A pastor's immaturities become church immaturies. That's tough to blog, but it is part of the burden we bear as pastors. And it is a reminder that the key to church growth is personal growth. I've always believed that NCC can't outgrow me as the undershepherd. And if it does outgrow me it's actually a very dangerous scenario!
The most convicting part of his session was his discussion about the 4th Commandment. Leaders have a hard time keeping the sabbath! We mistakenly think that everything revolves around us and depends on us. The sabbath is a reminder that the world doesn't fall apart when we take the day off. Part of what makes this one tough for me is that I love what I do! Add in a driven personality and multiple callings to pastor and write and I realize that doing ministry in a sustainable way is my greatest challenge right now! I don't have it figured out, but I'm so keenly aware of it.
By the way, Eugene Peterson said, "A day off is a bastard sabbath." A day off is a day off. A sabbath is for resting, delighting, contemplating, and stopping. Scazzero said, "I need a day off to have a Sabbath."
Here's a thought: the greatest disservice a pastor can do to the church is to put the church before their family! Way too many pastors have sacrificed their children on the altar of church! A powerful reminder: you made a vow to your wife not your church!
I loved some of the thoughts Pete Scazzero shared on preaching.
He talked about pre-mature sermons that haven't had time to gestate. Every pastor identifies with that. It is so hard to have a fresh word from God week in and week out. The key is preaching out of experience. I love what Scazzero said, "I've determined to start my sermons with prayer, not a clever illustration."
9 Comments:
I really appreciate posts like this. It's like Beyond the Glory - Pastors. It's really interesting to hear about the concerns and struggles that you deal with as a pastor and it's great that you can share those inner-thoughts with us.
Just another example of why we all need to continue to pray for our church leaders.
btw, great comment on family vs. church.
I also like this post a lot. I think these issues need to be addressed more frequently. I can relate to the spiritual voyuerism you talk about, especially when one person is willing to be vulnerable or transparent, and the viewers support that but are unwilling to become transparent or vulnerable themselves.
I also like the point made on putting a church before the family and how so much suffers because of it. We have to keep in mind that, like it or not, people look to leaders in areas outside of the church. My husband and I recently spent the weekend with our pastor and his family. We noticed how he and his wife played with the kids, and how they parented, and how they treated each other. It was really eye-opening and we were both blessed to see the dynamics.
I love to see church leaders devote so much time and affection to their families.
I amen 100% of what your thinking. It is the constant challenge to speak things to your people from experiencing it with God, and not from just a study and prepare standpoint.
Great Thoughts.
Mark,
Thanks so much for posts like this...while they "kick" my backside...they are great God encouragements to me...THANK YOU for your stewardship...you've multipled your ministry--again!
Thanks for the post. A great reminder and encouragement.
"I've always believed that NCC can't outgrow me as the undershepherd. And if it does outgrow me it's actually a very dangerous scenario!"
What do you mean by this? Are you saying that is scares you to think that your flock may be "more spiritual" than you? Not getting it here.
John
Mark it was great bumping into you at the conference...thanks again for hooking all of us up with your new book! That was pretty coo!
John,
I'm just saying it's a dangerous scenario if church growth outpaces personal growth. Personal growth ought to be our top priority as pastors. If we're growing personally as pastors then church growth will take care of itself.
If we start worrying more about church growth than personal growth we're headed for trouble.
Hope that helps...
Mark
The text below reminds me of 1 Timothy 3:5 "(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)"
I've read that as God saying how we act manage our family is a microcosism of how we manage (or would manage) our church.
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Pete shared some of his personal journey. He talked about the way our unhealthy family patterns find their way into our churches. Fascinating to think about the way our genogram affects the way we pastor. A pastor's personal problems become church problems.
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