Welcome from Pastor Patrick Curley

“Running for Ministry"

I heard an ad the other day on the radio.  Maybe you’ve heard it too?  A woman is running for governor of California.  I guess the election is coming up.  Hasta la vista, Arnold. Many people want the job and each, of course, claims their brand of leadership is just what Californians need.  Anyway about this ad, the woman, whose name I can’t place, says she’s a business woman and in business you try an idea but if it doesn’t work, you try something else until it does work.  She claims current leadership is trying the same old approach in government- more money, more taxes, more government spending to “fix things”.  She’ll try her business approach of trying new ideas and abandoning ones that don’t work if elected and won’t stick to old paradigms that don’t really work.  Pragmatic.

Okay for politics, I guess, but not okay for ministry.  If I were running for Pastor of California, I wouldn’t use that approach at all.  Mayors and governors can “try and see” if they like but pastors have eternal life on the line.  We have no time to play around with novelty and innovation.  We have to know what works and not tinker with God’s truth at every whim of current opinion.  The Gospel works.  It’s all that works salvation for it is the sole power of God to save sinners.  The Bible works.  Its God’s inspired, timeless Word and the only standard for what’s right and good.  The sacraments work, too.  Jesus instituted them as means of grace that the Holy Spirit then uses with the Word in worship to bring and sustain Gospel faith.  Thus when we gather around the Holy Gospel as it is offered in Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit works.  This is His ministry, His Church and they work as long as we stick to the Gospel as proclaimed in Scripture.

Now there isn’t a unanimous opinion in the Church about this.  Many wish to adopt the “try and see” approach in ministry also.  Truth is negotiable in such an approach, though.  Biblical Jesus may not work for everyone so such advocates are willing to tinker with Him, sometimes even to the point a first grade Sunday Schooler wouldn’t recognize Him.  Doctrine is too confining they would say.  Better let people choose what’s right for them and all say “hallelujah”!  The cross may just be too exclusive for this emerging church today.  Just so you know.

But if you elect me for your Pastor, I’ll preach Christ alone as proclaimed in God’s Word and I won’t experiment with… hey wait a minute.  I already am your Pastor called by God to preach His changeless truth.  Well, if it’s the pure Gospel you want, stick around this year.  Hearing God’s love in Christ for you may be the only thing you’ll be able to count on in these changing times.