Shepherds as Present

[wrseibert]

I am a bi-vocational minister who lives 40 miles from the church where I am serving. This has made being "present" with my congregation a great challenge. My church, understandably, defines being present with them in a physical-geographical sense: living within the community, occupying the parsonage next to the church building, and being readily available to them in times of need. To be fair, for a long time, I also shared this view. And I still think that living in close proximity to the congregation is preferable and would make caring for my flock less difficult. This is an area of considerable stress for me, trying to manage my work, family, friendships, and other obligations while striving to be the pastor of a church. As Laniack has stated regarding the ministries of Ezekiel and Moses, they were required to join the community and "to experience personally their corporate identity." (146) When I first read this comment, my first reaction was to feel a sense of guilt--as if I was letting God and His people down.

Yet, there are other ways to experience the corporate identity of our flocks and being close to them rather than physically living close them. Like many in my church, I have to juggle several work and family scedules in order to serve the church. I have much greater appreciation and understanding for the ways in which many of my leaders, for example, extend themselves and make sacrifices to attend consistory meetings, chair committees, teach Sunday School and Bible studies, lead outreach ministries and to be present with and care for other members in need. When I was serving as a full-time pastor, I can honestly say that I took for granted what others were contributing and that, at times, I would find myseld being annoyed when church leaders and members would say, "I just couldn't find the time." Now I know why! In addition, when I preach on a topic like sharing our faith with others--especially those at work--I now know, firsthand, what this means. It is alot easier to share the gospel from behind a pulpit then it is to do so face-to-face with those we work with. And today, my church knows that I truly know wht I am asking them to do, because I am doing it too; not as a pastor, but as an employee at a secular job just like them. Here is a way of being "present" with my church that I did not fully experience until I became a bi-vocational pastor.