Can Pastors Like Each Other?
January 5, 2010 by cloften
Filed under Family and Parenting
Something happened today that was fun for me and seemed normal to me. I saw a fellow pastor drive past me and pull into a restaurant. (Ok, I will tell you who it is. It was Paul Luman from Grace Family Church. Website here). I immediately pulled out my phone and texted him (I wasn’t driving. I would never text and drive. It’s against the law, you know.) I said “I just saw the coolest pastor in town pulling into Colton’s.” (I like inserting links). We texted back and forth teasing each other. It ended with him complementing this blog and me saying thanks.
Does that seem unusual to you? Shouldn’t I be sending him hate mail? Shouldn’t I be jealous, resentful and disdainful towards other pastors? In our world, it is not unusual. I really like Paul. Would it surprise you that I spoke at one of the men’s groups at his church? Would it surprise you that men from his church come to one of our men’s groups? Would it surprise you that some of my best friends in Cabot are “rival” pastors? Would it surprise you that I recommend their churches to people? Would it surprise you that I have recommended their churches to people who were currently visiting our church?
We are not rivals. We are not competitors. We are on the same team. How can two churches trying to accomplish the same goals, led by the same God be on different teams? The answer is rhetorical and obvious, if not rightly applied by people.
I hope that wherever you go to church, that God is blessing you and using you to impact the world. I hope that all churches in Cabot and Central Arkansas and around the world prosper. We are all on the same team. Do you believe that? I hope you do.
I never knew that the defacto stance between pastors is negative…learn something new everyday.
And, that my friend, just solidified your spot as the “Real Coolest Pastor in Town.” You’re so right, Charlie. We have a huge mission and it’s egotistical, selfish and misinformed to think one church or denomination can accomplish so much with so little time. Fact is, we NEED each other. I need your friendship, our churches need interwoven kingdom strategies. And, we don’t even have to look alike to do church and life together.
What’s funny is that not only do I need you, I actually want to have that relationship. It’s easy with a superfly dude like Charlie L.
Amen Charlie!
Pastors uniting to pastor a city is an answer to my prayers. Blessings, Brother Charlie!
Well played, and well said.
As tough as it may sometimes be, what a skeptical world needs to see is exactly this. They’ve seen us bash one another long enough.
Thanks for this refreshing reminder!
Hey Charlie. I was just catching up on hubby’s blog and found a link to yours. I’m disturbed by this idea that pastor’s are rivals. Is that really what most people think? If so, I’m all the more thankful for Ray Williams and his diligent effort to unite pastor’s in central arkansas.
You are right Pastors shouldn’t be “rivals” and neither should churches. I suppose it comes from being terriorial. It could be that some feel that when a new church comes to town and they advertise themselves as “relevant” (as well as relaxed and relational, it would suggest the others are not. Also when a new church starts with a large assortment of people from other churches it makes the former churches wonder about their intention. Do they really have the same mission of reaching the un-churched or are they just hear to “cherry pick” members from our church. You are right if our mission is on reaching the unsaved, unchurched and discipling the saved, we are not “rivals”
Eddie, I liked your post. I like feisty. I don’t know whether to laugh or try and find a band-aid or both. You highlight for me one of the most difficult parts of church planting–the natural distrust that the existing churches feel. I have tried to build good relationships with the other local pastors with varying degrees of success. I certainly hope that your commentary on our advertising is tongue-in-cheek. I would hope that people would know that we are not trying to define who we are based on what we are not or how we are different from other churches. We have always wanted to define who we are based on who God has called us to be as an expression of His Church. If you would like to talk about this some more or if there are any misunderstandings, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail at charlie (at) cloften.com or a Facebook message.
Fellowship Bible in Cabot is who they say they are. I think most churches, and businesses alike, have branding elements and ones that hopefully speak to their genuine values. Not only has your values produced a churchlife that expresses ‘relaxed and relevant’, but it also produces kingdom-mindedness and concerted relationships with other pastors and ministries.
I know for a fact that you have personally pointed people our direction at Grace Family, in an effort to see them in a place that might better ‘fit.’ That fruit says everything about the purity of your values.
And, with a population of 25,000 and less than half actively attending worship, we need MORE churches like your’s, sharing those same values. Cabot is blessed with many wonderful assemblies, but its going to take all of us doing what God wants us to do, to reach this city.
Thanks for showing us how, Charlie.
I think I was misunderstood. I have wrote Charlie on facebook. But I wanted to put it here as well. I don’t question his heart. I just guess, I don’t think it should be unusal for pastors to get along. Maybe it is that way, but I believe we agree it shouldn’t be. I’m not a pastor or a deacon, just an attender. Charlie definitely has a good heart and seems to be a friend to everybody.
Thanks Eddie. I appreciate your reply. I also wish that it wasn’t unusual. My hope was that in posting this, that we could highlight this issue. I think even in the misunderstanding, we have brought more awareness to the issue. I am sorry for my part in the misunderstanding. I hope that you will still be a reader and a FB friend.