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Eureka!!!
I think that was the phrase used back when miners mining for gold came across a vein or a big nugget.
I say that because I think I’ve come across the answer or at least one of the main reasons why the prayers that have been going up before the Lord for all that is happening in this city and across the nation are going up on deaf ears.
While there are some changes or blessings by default, the main ones we are asking God to move on just aren’t quite going through.
Over the past few weeks I have come across a startling revelation that if not addressed and fixed soon, could have us in a whole world of hurt in the very near future.
The position of Pastor has diminished almost to the point of just being a title or an administrative or fancy name for preacher.
The power that it used to have for the most part, folks, Christians, born-again believers, don’t look at it in the same reverence, honor, and respect as God intended it to be.
You now have laymen, folks in administrative positions in the church, and just regular members that feel that just because they have been a part of a church for a certain number of years, their granddaddy or grandmother started the church, their daddy built that church brick by brick, so forth and so on, that this gives them some kind of privileges and rights to tell the pastor what to preach, how to preach, and when to preach. Don’t let me get on the subject of the “big tithers” and their sense of entitlement within the congregation.
And if that isn’t bad enough, these same ones feel that because their church building holds the most members every week, they don’t have to respect Pastors of other churches or organizations.
I’m not the smartest, but there are some passages of scriptures that would be in direct conflict of these thoughts, ideas, or suggestions.
Even the unchurched have some sense of knowing that in the OT great men like Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, and the NT Peter and Paul had no equals and communed “directly” with the Father and got their instructions “directly” from Him.
There is no position on this planet that equals that of a anointed, appointed, called man of God and no greater responsibility.
And because of that, this position while it appears to be the most glamourous and prestigious, is actually one of the most difficult and challenging.
But, we have celebrities, Grammy Award winning, famous, and the most popular that have claimed the title and other various titles, without the labor and track record that says you have earned the right to wear the stripes.
So many of them get in God’s pulpits and for 10 minutes and actually preach but the next 50 minutes to an hour or more, sing their entire album.
Yeah the sistas shake their curls and brand new lanced weaves out all over the carpet, while the brothers stand up with their arms folded rooting them on, yelling preach pasta preach, but when it’s all said and done, and your wallets and checking accounts are a little lighter, like you can buy a blessing, miracle, or your way into heaven, what are you really left with to go home and apply to your life, neighborhoods, or cities.
Emotionally great feelings won’t stop Duke Energy from hitting the switch after that pink notice has expired, or that 3 day, 5 day, or final eviction notice from being posted after you still haven’t had your boat come in and you received double for your trouble or your 10 fold, or 100 fold blessing.
We as Pastors must really and truly be honest with ourselves from this point on when we step into the pulpits across this city and the nation and go back and apologize to people of God and get back to the basics of not only preaching and teaching the unadulterated, uncompromised, straight with no chaser, Word of God and show the people what you are teaching them so that they can go back and study to show themselves approved and become engaged and empowered to apply their faith to the situations of life and knock satan on his backside.
Then when they see the power of your preaching and teaching unfolding before their eyes by way of the fullness of the blessings their deserve, then will the power, respect, reverence, and honor be restored back to its rightful place in the position of Pastor.
Till next week,
God Bless.
Rev. Dr. Robert L. Harrison, PhD – pastorrobharrison@gmail.com, @drrobharrison (Twitter), Robert Bob Harrison (Facebook)
First Vice President – NAACP St. Petersburg Branch Chaplain – Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Pinellas Parent Support for Education Board | Chaplain – Dept. Juvenile Justice for Circuit 6 Democratic Black Caucus Member
Praise the Lord.