what i’ve learned about [church]: part v

It is a teacher/preacher’s job, as a fallible person, to teach an infallible Word, to other fallible people. – John Piper

It goes without saying but leaders in the church are humans first…fallen humans saved by the grace of God through Christ. When we come into a [church] and forget that, things get pretty messed up.  I was at a meeting with several other pastors in the Phoenix area the other day and a question was asked about why pastors often struggle living a “Gospel-centered” life. I offered this academic assessment: because they are just ”dudes”…saved by grace. The same reason you struggle is the same reason I struggle. Our battles may take on different shades of grey but at the core is the war between our flesh and the life that the Holy Spirit calls believers to live.

So, next time you find yourself disappointed in a church leader…remember, he’s or she’s is human. Not an excuse, just a fact. Not to take away from their responsibility, just a reminder that they are people…probably people who have prayed and thoughtfully asked for God’s direction. Probably people who have taken lots of bullets yet try as hard as they can to gracefully cover their scars and protect others.

Church leaders desire a noble role and there is higher accountability for them but in the end…they are just ”dudes.”