Tomorrow Pastor Kerry will present his first sermon as Interim Pastor. It will be a significant day in the life of Amana. I don’t have a draft of the sermon like the news agencies seem to get in advance of the State of the Union Address. I don’t know what Pastor Kerry plans to say; but I do have some advice on listening.
The toughest job in any arena is a job as the “interim” anything. An “interim” has the burden of moving an organization forward, but not forever. An “interim” faces the problem that if he proposes something unpopular, folks will just wait for the “permanent” pastor to show up. An “interim” often has all the responsibility but none of the authority. It’s tough to be an “interim.”
I always felt bad for the guy who coached the Alabama football team after “Bear” Bryant. I don’t even remember his name. I once served in a church that never was quite the same when the founding pastor moved on. Every pastor after the first got compared to the “original.” Following a superstar is tough.
Amana has more ex-pastors than any church I’ve ever been involved in. That’s a tremendous resource and potentially a tremendous problem. Each of us who has ever been a pastor has some pretty strong ideas about what it means to be a Pastor. It’s tough to pastor a bunch of old pastors.
I always feel a bit sorry for rookies. The first time you do anything is tough. Pastor Kerry has never been a pastor before. It’s tough to be a rookie.
Pastor T is still around. I am really happy about that. Pastor T is my friend. But he’s not the pastor anymore. He’s Pastor Emeritus. He’s no longer Pastor T. He’s Pastor E T. It’s tough to have a job when the guy who used to have the job is still around.
So as you can see. Pastor Kerry has a tough job tomorrow and for the next six months. So here’s my advice. Listen carefully to what Pastor Kerry has to say. Pray before. Pray during and Pray after. Whatever he has to say, give it a chance. If you don’t like something he says or does, tell him. If you like something he says or does, tell him.
Pastor Kerry is the pastor, not Pastor T, not any of us old pastors, and not you.
Listen for hints about what you should do. That’s much more important than what Pastor K will do.
Do everything good you have been doing. Stop doing those things that aren’t helpful. Listen for opportunities to do something new. When tempted to talk. . . do.
Let’s just pray and see what God will do.
Be blessed Pastor K. Be blessed Amana.
Nick
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