August 21, 2024 -- Rev. Michael A. Birbeck
When Jesus sent out the twelve, he instructed them with the following:
“[11] And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. [12] As you enter the house, greet it. [13] And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. [14] And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. [15] Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:11–15, ESV)
Rural congregations can be the most difficult to minister to. Many are small and susceptible to strong influences. A few key families might guard their territory. Community pressure often shapes the ministry, in both good and negative ways. Some of these congregations have great potential, but to reach that potential would require change. Many resist change with vengeance. The pastor often finds himself needing to choose between something akin to fighting the wind or backing down. The younger and more ambitious fight for the sake of the fight and usually lose. The older and wiser often back down, contenting themselves with smaller, incremental change. This, of course, requires great patience with many frustrations. Many of these congregations are long-established. They may have once enjoyed a heyday, but now essentially function like a
fledgling, young congregation. No longer ready to digest meat, they have regressed to milk (1 Corinthians 3:2).
Dear rural pastor, does any of this resonate with you? Do you see the potential yet know the financial resources to stimulate that potential are short lived? Are you seeing some small batches of fruit in the people you minister to, but much more growth in other congregations around you? Do you feel yourself seesawing between hopefulness and utter frustration regarding the ministry God has called you to? Have you grabbed for the towel but not yet thrown it in? Is it time? How would you know?
Looking back at Jesus’ words, I am going to assume you entered a village or town worthy to stay in. The fact that you are where you are reading these words, perhaps shaking your head in agreement, tells me you have. Likely you greeted this house, and they greeted you back. You would not have lasted long otherwise. Good pastor-congregation therapy often begins with remembering what you fell in love with. There was likely something about these people, this place, perhaps even the building you meet in, that you love. You saw something lovely. Remember it again.
Assuming you have spent a few years with these people in this town, you probably have seen some things that are unlovely and less desirable. They probably have realized the same about you. Do you now see that your congregation was not quite heaven on earth waiting to come out of hiding? Is it filled with real people, with real struggles, with real problems and spiritual battles to overcome? You waved at the pretty girl across the room, and she waved back. One thing led to another and now you are married. Now things get real. Just as husband and wife are to keep waving at each other, greeting each other, embracing each other, you ought to do the same to the people of your congregation. The measure of God’s love is not that he saw us when we were young and attractive, but he loved us even though he always knew we had wrinkles that needed to be ironed out (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Keep greeting your congregation. Do not isolate yourself in frustrated despair. Make the most of the time before and after service to have relationships with your people. Guard yourself from performance anxiety. Work that stuff out ahead of time, so that when you walk into the room with the people coming in, you are still greeting them like the day you first met, though now with the added level of a deeper, complex, and richer relationship.
Now, are they receiving the word? Please do not expect your rural, long-established, yet somehow still fledgling congregation to hang onto every word that drops from your lips. Even if they are disagreeing with you, they are hearing you, grabbling with the gospel message. Silence that cannot be overcome would be another matter, but if they are engaging, they are listening. If they as a whole want to throw you out, then dust off your sandals. However, if they are discussing, debating, engaging, you might be on the precipice of something good. Burn this rule into your mind: a criticism, more often than not, is a learning moment. Use such moments to uncover hidden pitfalls preventing the gospel message to permeate every area of your life together.
If you are reaching for the towel to wipe the dust off your sandals, you might want to ask if you have the right to do so? Jesus loved this imperfect congregation so much that he sent them an imperfect pastor like you, so that his strength might become evident in your weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30). If Jesus loves this congregation and you this much, ought you not to love them to?
If they are still greeting you, now is not the time to throw in the towel. Now is the time to dig into the deeper resources of the gospel message and let God’s abounding love proved to you at the cross grip you, enbolden you, and tenderize you to serve with many tears. Remember Christ ransomed you with many agonizing yet loving tears (Hebrews 5:7).
As the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church Wellsboro since 2015, Mike has a passion for wholistic transformation through the Gospel. Mike and his wife, Jessica, have a daughter named Priya. They enjoy travel, the outdoors, their dog, Rocky, and, most of all, spending time together as a family. Jessica is a Registered Nurse and works for the SAFE-T System of Penn State University. Mike received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies from Cairn University and his Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to First Presbyterian Church Wellsboro, he served as Pastoral Assistant at First United Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Ma for two years and Director of Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Levittown in Levittown, Pa for eight years.
Comments