CHURCH WORKERS AND CONGREGATIONS

A Statement from The Office of the President
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
1333 South Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63122
United States of America

At this time of the year, our Synod celebrates the placement of men and women into various offices in our Synod. At each of the two seminaries we rejoiced once more as men received their first call into the public, pastoral ministry. At our colleges and universities, men and women received calls into the office of teacher, DCE, deaconess, etc. Truly our Synod must rejoice at these gifts of Christ in His church.

As I found myself thinking about all the placements I began to think about the relationship between our church workers and their congregations. As we in the Synod receive these gifts of our Ascended Lord it is good to recall once more how we view the office of the ministry and how we understand the relationship between our church workers and their congregations. I would like to focus my comments specifically on the relationship between our congregations and their pastors. What is said here about pastors applies equally also to all the other categories of church workers in our Synod. So, with that in mind, let us spend a few moments here discussing the relationship between the pastor and his congregation.

The congregation needs first to recognize that the office of the public, pastoral ministry is a divine office, a gift of Christ to His Church. Christ our Lord commanded men to go out and preach the Gospel. He did this first with the apostles and then later with the seventy (Luke 10). He commissioned His apostles specifically to forgive and retain sins in John 20. Paul indicates clearly in numerous places in his epistles that it is Christ Himself who gives the church the office of the pastoral ministry. Through the call of the congregation, Christ places men into this office. Consequently, the congregation is given the privilege to love and care for their pastor. As St. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians (5:12-13), "Hold them in high regard in love because of their work."

C. F. W. Walther offered this wisdom in a convention essay he once gave: "Our dear congregations should not be too harsh in their judgment...if the congregation insists on nitpicking about every little thing, then the beautiful relationship of the spiritual father and his spiritual children will come to an end. Then the devil will laugh up his sleeve, when the people no longer heed their pastor's word; then he has torn the members from their orthodox pastor. We must support one another! The pastor should not expect the members of his congregation to be nothing but angels, and the members should not demand that their pastor should be an angel either" (Walther, Essays for the Church, 2:56).

Positive, supportive encouragement is a very important way the congregation can demonstrate their interest in the work of their shepherd in Christ. The laity of our Synod must keep in mind the spiritual purpose for which their congregation has been established. Nothing is more discouraging for a pastor or other church worker than parishioners who just cannot seem to sense the spiritual dynamic and purpose of their church. Study and grow together with your pastor. Recognize him as a gracious gift of God. Even though he may not measure up to all your personal expectations, he is the called servant of Christ among you. Be accepting of different styles and personalities. We are not talking about doctrine here, but we are talking about styles and techniques in the ministry. Do not expect your pastor to be a perfect "ten." He has his strengths and weaknesses, just like any of us. Do not continually compare him to a previous pastor. Look for chances to compliment him and commend him. Ongoing complaints and criticisms only kill enthusiasm for ministry. Insist that your pastor take the time off that he and his family need. Be sure to respect his right to privacy. Be sensitive to the needs of your pastor and his family. Provide adequately for his needs. Yes, we are talking about salary. The pastor is worthy of the position to which he has been called, as are all of our church workers. And finally, remember your pastor and your congregations other called workers in your prayers. And let them know they are in your prayers.

Turning then to the pastor and the other called workers of our Synod, a number of observations need to be made. When we work with the members of our congregations, we need to begin where they really are, not where we want them to be or where we think they should be. To do otherwise is only going to create needless and unnecessary tension between you and your people. Our pastors will surely constantly be identifying issues that need to be worked on and things that need to be improved. Patient, loving instruction and pastoral leadership is the key, not forceful or demanding behavior. We should never view our congregations as "the enemy" or as "alligators." This sort of "us versus them" mentality in the ministry is very detrimental. Do show a genuine attitude of acceptance toward the people of God in your care. People know and can sense when they are being accepted and when they are not. Let your people know you have accepted them and love them. Let them know how important they are both to you and to God.

Look for chances to praise your people. Instead of focussing on the negative, concentrate on the positive when you deal with people. Do not expect change to happen overnight in your congregation. Lasting and permanent change occurs very slowly. Do not think that every idea that you have is divinely inspired. Recognize the good ideas that the members of your congregation have. Legitimize and encourage creativity. When you have been wronged, forgive. Our church workers must model the forgiving love of the Master and show our people that they are persons of forgiveness. Admit when you are wrong and apologize. Learn to say, "I was wrong. I am sorry." Finally, and you have heard me emphasize this before, be in the Word and prayer-daily and regularly.

The most important element in a pastor's ministry is faithfulness. Faithfulness to the Master's Word is the most critical aspect of the ministry in our Synod. What a temptation it is for us to become so caught up in the many and necessary programs of our congregations that we begin to slip a little bit in our faithfulness to preaching and teaching the Word. This must be the number one priority in the congregation. As you go about your work in the congregation you will be tempted to overlook or ignore the absolute need for faithfulness in your work. Satan, the world, and your sinful flesh will tempt you to become lazy and weary in your ministry. Unfortunately, sometimes even co-workers may tempt you to slacken your faithfulness to the pure Word of God and the confessional commitments of our church body. You will be tempted to become indifferent or callous toward the needs of our parish. Satan will try to work his way into your thoughts and plant a seed of doubt. He may whisper, "Is this really worth it? Are you sure you want to be doing this?" This is why it is so essential for you daily and regularly to be in the Word in personal meditation on the Scriptures.

Finally, and most importantly, a word of concern to our church workers. It will be a temptation to let theology take second place in your ministry. You will be tempted to stop your reading and study of God's Word. We must maintain our regular study of theology through readings in Holy Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions and the writings of Martin Luther and other great fathers of the church. We need to maintain a regular program of theological study. You will be tempted to give their sermon preparation or class preparation a "once over lightly" for the sake of doing something else that seems at the time more pressing or important. The highest priority for our church workers is teaching the Word of God. Our congregations and their leaders must recognize this and make sure that the called workers of the church have the time they need to make the "ministry of the Word" the highest priority (Acts 6:2-4). Our congregations do need to support this faithfulness.

God has richly blessed our Synod with committed and caring church workers. He has doubly blessed us with committed and faithful lay leaders in our congregations. Together, the called workers in the congregation and the lay leadership can accomplish much under the blessing of God. As the "eyes of their hearts are enlightened" may they ever and always be this fantastic blessing of God for the people of our Synod and for those who will come to know their Savior through their faithful labor.

From: The President's Newsletter, May 1994, p. 2-3