Prophet, Priest, or King

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” - Romans 12:1-7

I was taught in seminary that there are three classic models for the pastor to follow: Prophet, Priest and King. I was taught that somehow these three models would and are important in any ministry, but that one often seems to rise above the others, not only because of personal gifts, but because of theologies. The prophet is the truth teller – the teacher/preacher. The priest is the caregiver and mediator to the Holy. The King is the benevolent ruler appointed by God to care for the people.

As Baptists, the priestly role is one that we believe every Christian fills. That has meant that for many of our pastors, dominant models for leadership tended to fall either to the prophetic model (preaching and teaching) or the Kingly model (leadership and administration of the ministry of the church). Of course, despite where one’s strength is as a minister, all three roles have been a part of the traditional Shepherding or Pastoral Ministry. That is until recently.

You see, more and more, I have seen an increasing trend when it comes to pastoral leadership in the local church. That trend is the “employee” model. This model starts with the church talking about “hiring” a pastor instead of “calling” one (“calling” by the way has always been shorthand for the church’s confirmation of whom God has called). It continues with the church looking at providing for a pastor and family as a negotiation to get the best deal rather than to provide generously for the family in response to God’s Gift of the pastor to the congregation. And it culminates with the idea of to whom we expect the pastor to be accountable (often to a board of the church rather than ultimately to God. I know, one would hope that with congregational polity the Board is accountable to God and therefore the Pastor should be accountable to them. And the Pastor should be accountable to the Board for the important things. But I’m not talking about the big things… I’m talking about day to day things. I knew one church that the pastor and I joked that the only thing that kept the church from putting a time clock on the wall was it was too expensive to install!) It seems we have begun to treat the pastor like the CEO of any other Non-profit Organization.

Wesley (don’t remember which one) when adapting bar tunes for what are now some of our most beloved hymns asked “Why should the devil have all the good music?” And there is truth to that. But the question is, where is the balance between being conformed to the world and being set apart for service to God (the meaning of Ordination by the way)?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the men and women you have called to serve you by caring for us. Help us not to view your servants as our employees, but as your gift to us. Help us to treat these gifts with the care and dignity your love deserves. Amen.