Among the various challenges to the Church in our generation, Wenthe suggests that the redefinition of the pastoral ministry is possibly the greatest. He kicks off this article by listing several challenges to the Church, all of which have tried to redefine the authority of Scripture, the role of men and women, and the nature of political life as viewed by the Bible. Yet since all these other challenges seemingly admit that they are challenging a traditional understanding of Scripture, they are easily dealt with. Recent moves to redefine what the pastor does as a civic leader, an administrator (like a CEO) or an organization, or a member of the "helping professions" have not given any clear indication that they are overturning a biblical philosophy of life. Yet by redefining the role of the pastor in such a radical manner this move undermines the specific tasks of ministering in Word and Sacraments which God has given to pastors.
Wenthe observes that the language used about and among pastors seems more like the discourse of marketing, administration, and counseling than it does a discourse of theologians. We have become more interested in the values our society puts on the church than in having a Church that influences society.
Wenthe lists six ways in which our society has influenced the Church to her detriment.
1) a value of a transactional view of salvation - I repent so God saves me
2) address of the felt needs of the community rather than the real needs
3) emphasis on the importance of individual autonomy rather than family, ecclesiology, and community
4) allowing people to be insatiable in their desire for those felt needs in #2.
5) desire for novelty
6) emphasis on the abstract rather than the concrete
The article ends with a critique of the psychotherapeutic model of Christian counseling, suggesting that it encourages pastors to use their counseling methods rather than the Scripture, calls to repentance, and proclamation of forgiveness with biblical exhortation to a godly life.
So how did he do? I think Wenthe nailed a lot of what is weakening our Church right on the head. How do we respond to this kind of situation? Do we roll over and play dead? Do we fight back? What tools do we use to fight back? Our Lord has provided mighty weapons in the battle against the spiritual forces of evil in this world. Let's use those weapons.
--
Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com and http://alex-kirk.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment