Pastoral Identity

Pastor Josh (Joshua Patty of Central Christian Church, Fairmont) revealed a clue to his identity as a preacher in his sermon this past Sunday. He said something about standing in the tradition of preachers who were biblical scholars. That is certainly true! Josh has a thorough grasp of biblical languages as well as an excellent grasp of the history and culture of biblical times. Moreover, he possesses the kind of sensitivity and creativity that is able to translate complex historical realities in ways that make them come alive today. What a thrill it is every week to hear good preaching!

Interestingly, no sooner did the phrase “biblical scholars” leave Josh’s lips than another preacher came to mind, actually the preacher who resides as the “first preacher” in my memory: Dr. William Knox. He was pastor at the UM church where I grew up, having served there from the time I was eight to twelve. While any kid of elementary age could not be expected to have precise memories of the content of a preacher’s words, let alone his character, for some reason he immediately came to mind at the mention of “biblical scholars.” Born in England in 1888, Dr. Knox was educated there, and began serving congregations there as well. Then he immigrated to the U.S. and spent the rest of his years as a pastor and District Superintendent in West Virginia Methodism.

So why was he the first to surface at the suggestion of biblical competence? Was it because of memories of his working with us as children, helping us to construct such things as magazine racks as a part of our summer Vacation Bible School experience? Perhaps. Was it because when as a college student years later, I received a complete set of the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, which had just come off the presses, a gift out of the blue from Dr. Knox who somehow learned that I was preparing to enter the ministry? Perhaps. Was it because of that time I bumped into him at the book display at Annual Conference (back in the Sixties when Conference sessions actually were the legislative sessions they are supposed to be, where honest and lively debate for the good of church and community was allowed), and he pointed me to the writings of Paul Tillich, strongly urging me in the direction of Tillich’s bridge-building understandings? Perhaps.

Most of all, however, Dr. Knox readily emerged from memory because he was looked up to and respected as a biblical scholar. This memory of childhood may be more anecdotal than objective, but it does seem that preachers of that time who possessed skill and care had an easier time earning the admiration of both congregants and the larger community.

A related memory, this time from high school days, involves the time the principal invited another of the pastors of the church in which I was raised to deliver a talk that same pastor had given to the Rotary Club the week before. So impressed was the principal with the speech, which revolved around an Easter theme, that he cancelled classes for a school-wide assembly, just so the school’s faculty and students would get to hear it. No principal in his right mind would have the slightest inclination to host such an event today.

Indeed, things are different today. Two days before this past Christmas, another retired UM pastor and I bumped into each other at a local mall, coincidentally doing the same thing: waiting for our wives to emerge from one of the stores in those last minutes of Christmas craziness. The other pastor is highly recognized for his stellar record, both in pastoral and “superintending” roles. His service includes appointment to some of West Virginia’s most prestigious churches as well as election to both state and national high offices. The longer the two of us stood there talking, the more our “shop-talk” focused on the frustration we both admitted to over the way things seem to be going in the church today. He commented that he shutters to think what the church will be like in 20 years and was happy that he wouldn’t be around to see it. I concurred. I offered that the ministry would not be among my choices if I had to decide on a vocation today. He concurred.

Our dismay seemed to revolve around lower standards for preachers and perceived congregational (consumerist) pressure to never ruffle feathers, but to advocate always a Gospel message that is pleasingly positive and entertaining to everyone. Yeah, right! Pastors who attempt to meet such unreal expectations usually go around all the time wearing shitty grins. What’s worse, the Christian Gospel becomes something that is not Christ, nor anything like him!

One more story to underline the point: Getting ready to move from a congregation I was serving to accept new responsibilities elsewhere, I learned from a member of the PPRC (basically, the new pastor search committee) that the group instructed the District Superintendent as to what they were looking for in their new pastor. Their stated preferences were for a pastor who would be “less intellectual, less experienced, and cheaper.” How different that is from the time when congregations worked to attract the most skilled and caring ministers for their pulpits and parishes.

Forging ahead…..