I have seen a number of posts
lamenting that there were 61 congregations that will not receive a candidate
from one of our seminaries. The call goes out the harvest is plentiful, but the Laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37) Yes I agree with that statement wholeheartedly. But.
I would be remiss to not remind you that there is another category of candidates who goes ignored. These are the men who have for a variety reasons no call. They have no flock to care for and would simply love to have sheep to care for. The numbers vary greatly as to how many men there are, from over 200 to dozens, depending on which person you ask. We don’t need to rehearse the reasons for why some are not available for a call. For in the end there are men who are willing and able to serve. The number of them does not matter, what matters is that there are faithful men out there who are ordained and approved for reception of a call, and are willing and able to go out and serve, and because the laborers are few, these men who are still rostered in the LCMS need to be placed.
Are any of these men perfect? No! Do they make mistakes, might they even…sin? Shock of all shocks, yes! But so also the 1000's of pastors who do currently serve as a called pastor. What each and every member of a congregation must remember is that we have a good and perfect Law that calls us to do two things, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, AND love your neighbor as yourself. When your pastor sins against you, you tell him, so that he may repent. If you disagree with your pastor about how he faithful applies Law and Gospel, you bear with him and let him teach you. As long he is faithful to what he has been called to do, he may do things differently then how you are accustomed, but he is not wrong. So…you must trust him. Because he is your called Pastor. But that is another topic for another time.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we
have been derelict in our duty to place these men into churches where they
might serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. If you are a church who is
looking for a pastor, specifically request men who are on candidate status and
languish without a call. Do not take no
for an answer from your district. You have the right to call any pastor who is on the roster in our synod as long as he is not restricted by his District President from receive a call, but that Pastor will know if he is restricted or not. Thanks be to God for our faithful District Presidents who are striving to get men on candidate status placed.
As you read the information on these
men and work through the call process, do not take up the sinful attitude and attempt
to ask, “What did this man do wrong? Why has no one called him?” This is simply
not the direction you should go, as Jesus reminds us, “first take the
log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of
your brother’s eye.” (Matt 7:5)
I
am thankful for my flock, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, to call me as
their pastor. Thankful that they bear
with me as I strive to preach, teach, and administer the sacraments as I have
been called to do. A pastor’s only goal
is to be faithful to the Truth. And it is a challenging task to communicate
this truth. It is especially a challenge
as we get compared to previous pastors, as we get told that we have never done
it this way before, or as they are influenced by other worldly factors. Your pastor’s goal
is never to upset you or hurt you, but rather to deliver to you the means of
grace as he has been taught, by delivering to you Law and Gospel. Being
a pastor is no easy task, especially in today’s climate, but it is a task to
which our Lord calls men in order that all may be saved come to a knowledge of
the truth. (1 Tim 2:4)
Consider
that as you call your pastor. Consider
that in light of your current pastor.
Consider that as you await your recently called pastor. Consider that if you are one of hundreds of
churches that are currently in the process of calling a pastor. Your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has already
given you one or will provide a shepherd for you. He will give you one who will love you and care for you,
because he knows that the Lord has placed you into his care.
The Harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. We have a great task in front of us. We need pastors more now then ever, to teach, preach, and administer the sacraments. We need pastors to admonish us and forgive us. We need pastors to shepherd. If your church is calling a pastor or you know someone who has a church calling a pastor be sure to suggest an ordained candidate. They are ready to go out into the harvest field!
