Sunday, May 18, 2008
His Heart Was Broken
A fellow minister and friend of mine died several months ago. I had heard that he retired, due to health reasons, from a twenty plus year pastorate several years ago. I learned yesterday that was not the reason for his "retirement." A powerful minority forced him out because his messages no longer made them "feel good."
This kind of thing happens all to often within my denomination. I have a friend in Alabama who was forced into "retirement" because his sermons "were not spiritual" enough to suit a powerful minority. In my own case, fifteen years ago, another powerful minority indicated "they were not being fed spiritually."
The friend who died recently went into a serious depression following his forced "retirement." His heart was broken. He loved the Lord. Enjoyed preaching. Love his congregation only to have them force him out. He was even ignored and shunned by the "pious ones" who treated him so badly.
As I learned the other side of the story, I was told that he continued in his faith and asked Jesus to take him Home. Despite his broken heart, he hummed gospel songs, the songs of faith. I do not know which songs he sang but I can almost hear him sing, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand...." Broken hearted he held tightly to Jesus Christ, His Lord and Savior and realized that the "church" was nothing more than "sinking sand."
Jesus came to get my fellow minister to take him Home. When Jesus came, his broken heart was mended and his depression was lifted. I can hear Jesus saying to him, "Welcome home, my good and faithful servant."
I know what my friend endured as I, too, when the church turned on my after nearly seventeen years went into depression and took a sabbatical from preaching. During the time of my healing, I came to realize that faith is not in a denomination or local church but in Jesus Christ. He was the source of my healing and continues to be my Companion and Guide.
I am back preaching as guest minister at various churches but, I don't attend my denominational church where I reside. I am so sick and tired of the church's politics wherein a powerful minority makes decisions for the majority claiming they know what is best for the congregation. Each day I live, I come closer to the Lord and my faith runs deep and strong. "On Christ the solid rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...."
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3 comments:
This is absolutely beautiful, Dad. I forwarded this to my friend, whose daddy you were speaking of. She was deeply touched by your words. Love you, Dad!
This is so sad and it happens in many denominations, as you know. It breaks my heart and it must break the Lord's heart also.
Some denominations and churches kick a pastor out if his wife leaves him. Or they do not hire divorced people.
Yesterday I read about a church that had a youth pastor who cheated on his wife and got caught. She had no clue what was going on. They fired her too, the victim, as if she had done something wrong and she wound up having a nervous breakdown at 6 months pregnant. Her description of the way they treated her was totally cruel. She said they "submitted" and stayed in the church (so the church could continue the abusive behavior?). Given her description, she had to be stupid or a masochist. Since she did not recognize it as abuse, they will probably perpetuate it on others.
Church people will be church people. There are tares among the wheat. But what about pastors to other pastors? Aren't there any pastor support groups where you are, for the denomination or for the community? Sadly, your denomination is not known for being the worst in the treatment of pastors. There are others who are worse.
When are we going to learn to love one another?
Thanks "anonymous" for your comments. Yes, sometimes ministers also fail but to shun the wife is unchristian in my book. Our support system prefers to cover its head in the sand so most ministers are left on their own to deal with the cruelity of church.
Thanks again for your comments
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