To those in ministry or wanting to be in ministry,
Let’s become increasingly unnecessary to the demands and the desires of the church that has been largely shaped by the world. Below is Eugene Peterson’s treatise on why and how we must pull away from our lust to become “necessary” to our congregation. It’s only then that we can calm our nerves long enough to hear God clearly and act accordingly.
I encourage every pastor to read “The Unnecessary Pastor” by Eugene Peterson.
Enjoy the excerpt I’ve pasted below and dig deeper with the book!
“The leading premise is that pastors are “unnecessary,” but unnecessary in a defined sense. I don’t mean worthless or irrelevant or shiftless. I mean unnecessary in three ways in which we often are assumed to be necessary:
We are unnecessary to what the culture presumes is important: as paragons of goodness and niceness.
We are also unnecessary to what we ourselves feel is essential: as the linchpin holding a congregation together.
And we are unnecessary to what congregations insist that we must do and be: as the experts who help them stay ahead of the competition.
(Many people) want a pastor they can follow so they won’t have to bother with following Jesus anymore.”
- Eugene Peterson
So what do we do? What is our task? Well, for that, you should read the rest of the book. But for now, it suffices to say that we must daily come before the Lord to deal with our egos, entitlements, and eagerness to stay “necessary” to our congregations.
If you remember anything, just remember this today,
Unnecessary = Uncluttered Ministry & Life.
Have a great rest of the week!
Until the Renewal of All Things,
PB