If Not for People…

Written By Jonathan Krogh

Dear Worst of the Worst:

I have mentioned the great advice I received from older clergy mentors early in my career. Yesterday I remembered Claude Lewis, the late founder and pastor of Bethel Prayer Tabernacle in Roseland, who once remarked, “Ministry is what you end up doing when you’re trying to be the Preacher.” I won’t go into detail about why I recalled this sage observation from the departed brother Claude, but it’s happened again. I have a great pastoral plan, a program, an event, a presentation, a spellbinding sermon—and then people arrive. In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld, “People, they’re the worst!”

As usual, my sermon research took several turns as I prepared yesterday’s message. I only have 12–14 minutes for the sermon; there’s only so much I can do on any given Sunday. I decided to build on Jesus’ sending of the disciples in Matthew 9:35 ff., focusing on their authority to do good.

What I left on my mental cutting-room floor were the implications of Matthew 10:18–20: “…[Y]ou will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” In other words, while you’re out there doing good, quit composing your defense speech in your head! I would suggest that this is the opposite of what preachers are trained to do. We’re not trained to minister; we’re trained to explain ministry.

Sometimes I forget.

A friend of mine in college, who worked in the library, jokingly told me the job would be much easier if people didn’t keep checking out books. Occasionally, I need to remember that the worship service isn’t the pretty packaging for delivering my sermons; the sermon is but one element of the people’s worship. More than that, the church is not an elaborate employment program designed to sustain the minister’s lifestyle. Again, sometimes I forget.

I’m not sure what you’re supposed to make of this; I try to make my Musings helpful to others. I guess you’ll need to supply your own application—about work, parenting, citizenship, friendship, whatever. I’m just grateful that Jesus was clear with his disciples: they were supposed to stay focused on ministry, on doing good, because, well… “People, they’re the worst!”

Learning that getting over “it” usually means getting over myself, I remain

With Love,
Jonathan Krogh
Your Pastor

Jonathan Krogh
Next

What Should We Study?