Like the cartoon
Like what you all wrote
obviously one pastor cannot meet everyone’s needs/expectations…we all need to learn to help/pray/support each other..
I recently read a teaching that talked about our attitude towards listening to the sermon. Basically it said people are often too passive. We sit there and want to be spoon fed and not have to work at learning from what is being taught.
We need to sit up and pay attention and think hard about what we hear. See where it fits with what else God is teaching us, ponder it later.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will widen our understanding.
Come prepared to work…
I agree Norm. I too was reminded of the scriptures that talk about maturing. At some point we need to be weened, then we are spoon fed but then we must learn to feed ourselves and as a collective body encourage and grow together. God is never willing to leave us where we are. Growth is always about change and moving forward.
We are replacing God’s teaching and His word with this reliance on the spoon feeding by the pastor each Sunday. It’s kind of the difference between cooking a home cooked meal from scratch using healthy ingredients or taking the easy way out and grabbing convenience/ take out which is most often not good for us. It’s okay in a pinch but a lifestyle of that, is not healthy.
What the cartoon portrays is very much a self centered attitude, and this can only breed PRIDE. Note, that not one of those bubbles is asking “God, what are you saying to me? What are you addressing in my life?” Such questions should be asked with every teaching that we are a part of.
Hi Zippora, good point. The fact that people need counsel, rebuke, discipling, love, encouragement, etc. is not wrong. These are things EVERYONE needs. What this comic reveals to me is…
1) Its one-sided. The minister feeds, the people receive.
2) Its minister-focused. He is the answer to everyones’ needs. People become dependent on the minister, rather than the Lord.
3) Its doomed to fail. These needs are too much for one person. No one minister can do all these things. As a minister I know how many people feel let down – by the church, by the minister – as if it is their duty to satisfy all their needs.
4) It reinforces the clergy/laity distinction. Instead of everyone giving and receiving to the needs of the community at large, those specially ordained do the giving, while the common people do the receiving. In my experience the common people have as much (and more collectively) to offer as the minister.
5) It feeds dependence. When babies are young, they are totally dependent on someone else to feed them, but maturity means that at some point they need to grow up and feed themselves and others. See Hebrews 5:12.
6) Its all about “me”. Watch what happens when a church or minister does not serve “me”. What I want in worship, how I want church to be, what makes me comfortable or uncomfortable, etc.
As you can see, this cartoon gets me going. I could keep going, but I better stop. I agree with you, everyone (including the minister) has these needs. I just think we are going about addressing these needs wrong, that this model only keeps people needy, and never helps them mature to the point where they help serve others needs.
Like the cartoon
Like what you all wrote
obviously one pastor cannot meet everyone’s needs/expectations…we all need to learn to help/pray/support each other..
I recently read a teaching that talked about our attitude towards listening to the sermon. Basically it said people are often too passive. We sit there and want to be spoon fed and not have to work at learning from what is being taught.
We need to sit up and pay attention and think hard about what we hear. See where it fits with what else God is teaching us, ponder it later.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will widen our understanding.
Come prepared to work…
I agree Norm. I too was reminded of the scriptures that talk about maturing. At some point we need to be weened, then we are spoon fed but then we must learn to feed ourselves and as a collective body encourage and grow together. God is never willing to leave us where we are. Growth is always about change and moving forward.
We are replacing God’s teaching and His word with this reliance on the spoon feeding by the pastor each Sunday. It’s kind of the difference between cooking a home cooked meal from scratch using healthy ingredients or taking the easy way out and grabbing convenience/ take out which is most often not good for us. It’s okay in a pinch but a lifestyle of that, is not healthy.
What the cartoon portrays is very much a self centered attitude, and this can only breed PRIDE. Note, that not one of those bubbles is asking “God, what are you saying to me? What are you addressing in my life?” Such questions should be asked with every teaching that we are a part of.
Great post, Norm! The conversation above is also what we need more of in church.
kd
P.S.
I really like cartoons. It would make me very happy if you put more cartoons on your blog 🙂
Hi Zippora, good point. The fact that people need counsel, rebuke, discipling, love, encouragement, etc. is not wrong. These are things EVERYONE needs. What this comic reveals to me is…
1) Its one-sided. The minister feeds, the people receive.
2) Its minister-focused. He is the answer to everyones’ needs. People become dependent on the minister, rather than the Lord.
3) Its doomed to fail. These needs are too much for one person. No one minister can do all these things. As a minister I know how many people feel let down – by the church, by the minister – as if it is their duty to satisfy all their needs.
4) It reinforces the clergy/laity distinction. Instead of everyone giving and receiving to the needs of the community at large, those specially ordained do the giving, while the common people do the receiving. In my experience the common people have as much (and more collectively) to offer as the minister.
5) It feeds dependence. When babies are young, they are totally dependent on someone else to feed them, but maturity means that at some point they need to grow up and feed themselves and others. See Hebrews 5:12.
6) Its all about “me”. Watch what happens when a church or minister does not serve “me”. What I want in worship, how I want church to be, what makes me comfortable or uncomfortable, etc.
As you can see, this cartoon gets me going. I could keep going, but I better stop. I agree with you, everyone (including the minister) has these needs. I just think we are going about addressing these needs wrong, that this model only keeps people needy, and never helps them mature to the point where they help serve others needs.
Thanks for this reminder.
THis is not entirely wrong, is it? We need to be counseled and rebuked, as well as loved and encouraged.