The Journey 141
Monday, May 21
Read: 2 Timothy 2: 14-19               
                 Can You Criticize Your Pastor or Clergy? Sounds strange Isn't it?. In the context of the Marthoma Church, one may find this quote as very normal, as there are some people in the church whose only job seems to be clergy bashing, whatever he does, positive or negative. But that is a totally different issue. Listen to this incident that was reported last week by the news magazine “The Christian Post "and ABC News.   According to these news  magazine,  the pastor of Beaverton Grace Bible Church in Oregon   has sued Julie Anne Smith, her daughter, and three other former church members for $500,000 in damages. The reason for the pastor suing his former parishioners is because Julie Smith criticized the pastor, for using the pulpit  as a platform for spiritual abuse and narcissism, through the blog that she started. This did not go well with the church and also its pastor and thus the filing of defamation suit. What is more disheartening is the attitude shown by the church members to Julie Smith and her family. The Smith family had  left the church a few years ago, and as a result of this they were totally shunned by the members of the church. Smith reported that whenever she went to any public place or supermarket, and if she met any former church members, they would shun her outright, turn their head, and walk the other way. She feels that she only raised genuine concern about matters of the church and its ministry and she feels that is not sin to raise questions and concerns. “The story of spiritual abuse needs to be told she wrote in the blog,  “People are being hurt emotionally and spiritually by pastors who use bully tactics and we need a place to learn, to talk freely, and to heal. I will not be silenced.”. As a clergy though I don't know the context of the church and also about Julie Smith, the episode of Julie Smith addresses three important questions. 1. Should we “Criticize” or “Critique” the Pastor or the Clergy?. 2. What should be the goal in “Criticizing or Critiquing” the Clergy or the Pastor?. 3. Even if the Pastor or Clergy is criticized can he use the pulpit to silence his critics or in other words “ What is the purpose of pulpit in the ministry of the church.
             This week we start a new theme “ Transformation in my parish” based on 2 Timothy 2: 14-19. I believe Paul is one of the best models and preachers who have set very high standards both in his ministry and also the way he communicated the gospel message. He boldly says that God give us the spirit of power and not of timidity, of boldness,  love and self discipline [ 1 Timothy 1:7]. He had no fear and boldly told the church in Galatia as to how they were diluting the gospel message [ Galatians 2]. For Paul what was most important in his preaching and teaching was the  message of the gospel. His life and ministry was dedicated only for that. It is in this context that we need to understand what is ministry that church should be doing and how does the clergy empowers the local church to do God’s ministry. My personal opinion is that pulpit is the place where God has given me the right only to preach about message of God’ s love, the message of repentance and transformation. I believe pulpit is not a place where a clergy or a pastor can use it, to vent his frustrations and settle scores with  parishioners with whom he may have some disagreements. I think what is happening in the local church is that the ministry of the church is often seen by members of the church, as a paid duty of the clergy and not as a team ministry done by the clergy and members of the church. It is this incorrect perspective of ministry that leads some people to constantly criticize their clergy and thus making the clergy always on  defensive mode in the ministry. Let us remember that a parish get transformed only when we understand that the ministry is a collective ministry done by clergy and the parish.       Whatever be the context of the parish, let us critique the ministry of the parish and the clergy so that the ministry of the local church becomes relevant, and let us remember that pulpit is the place to preach “Gospel”, and gospel alone.