One fine day in the city of Dallas, Texas, Michael Mooty and I sat down and had a conversation about what a congregation expects from a pastor. Michael and I (and my wife Betty and Edwin Michaels) served together on the pastoral staff at East Dallas Christian Church from 1988-92. Good times. As Senior Minister, Michael Mooty was our supervisor; twenty years later he continues to be my mentor.
Now, it is entirely possible that the conversation we had that fine day was one of those “come to Jesus meetings” where I needed to be reminded of my duties or reprimanded for neglecting them. Or maybe we were shooting the breeze and talking shop. While the context has (mercifully?) faded from memory, the topic and the content stuck. As a matter of fact, over the past two decades I have had this same talk, if you will, with any number of clergy and seminarians and followers of Jesus Christ. Here is the gist. Enjoy!
Pay the rent. If you desire to be effective and faithful in your church setting, then you must first and foremost pay attention to the core needs of your congregation. Attending to the four most critical and crucial needs of the church is called paying the rent. Do so, my friends, and the church will graciously and happily allow you, their chosen servant leader, to minister in a fifth area of your own choosing. Mark my words: clergy who invest themselves in their favorite area without first heeding the “core four needs” soon find themselves out of a job, wondering what happened and why. You and I have witnessed that far too often. Let me expand.
Pay the rent. Identify the four core values and needs of the church for sustaining an ongoing, vibrant, healthy ministry. While every congregation is unique and special in the eyes of God, there are some basic needs that every church shares regardless of denomination or locale or size or race or ethnicity or how many candles are on their anniversary cake. By and large churches expect their pastor to attend to their needs in the following four core areas:
(1) Preaching and worship leadership. Never, ever underestimate the cosmic power of God to be at work in the proclamation of the Word. The one and only time people will stop what they are doing and listen to a neighbor unpack and expand on the love of God in Jesus Christ is when we gather for worship. Preach the Gospel with joy and sincerity. Treasure the opportunity. Trust the Holy Spirit. And here is a freebie, courtesy of Prof. James Forbes: Carry a sermon in your proverbial back pocket. I’ve been asked to preach at the drop of a hat in the most unexpected circumstances, and I am always ready to deliver.
(2) Pastoral care. Churches will pardon a plethora of mistakes and errors by a minister; however, folks are much less inclined to forgive a minister who does not visit the sick and suffering in their time of need and pain, loss and grief. My father, the late Rev. George E. Calvert, ministered for over 50 years. He shared in his last days on earth that even though he marched for justice with Dr. King, preached countless weddings, funerals, and Sunday sermons, and rebuilt hundreds of homes in East Harlem , the one thing people would say to him again and again was, “George, remember that time I was sick in the hospital and you came to see me? Yeah, I remember that, too.”
(3) Faithful stewardship. It is imperative that the pastor address and pay attention to the financial health of the congregation. Your attention to this matter will increase confidence in the community of faith. Don’t discount or belittle or ignore the import of being a faithful steward of the precious, hard-earned, gratefully-given resources of your congregation. And while we are at it, I remind colleagues and clergy-to-be to tithe. If you ain’t in it, you can’t spin it. You will not preach and teach stewardship with integrity or effectively if you aren’t financially invested in your church. Ante up.
(4) Spiritual formation. The Christian education and teaching ministries of the church are essential for the spiritual formation of the membership and the growing of new disciples of Jesus Christ. Participate in the Christian education and formation classes in your church. Support your church’s teachers and students and youth advisors. Christianity has no grandchildren. Our faith isn’t in our DNA; God’s love must be shared, taught, testified, learned, and experienced. Get in the classroom and stay involved.
This is the point when many clergy and seminary students interrupt the conversation. They ask about community outreach and world missions. Shouldn’t community service be included in the top four? Well, it could be. Or maybe that needs to be the fifth area, the one you attend to after you’ve attended to the first four. The fact is that you, good servant leader, must listen in order to read your people. What are the church’s priorities? Are their collective priorities shifting and evolving? Note that I am not asking what your priorities are! Those come later, after you paid the rent.
Pay the rent. As I think about it, these three words are good counsel for families and friendships and in the workplace. Sure, the four areas are going to be different in your home and at work, but the gist is the same. Make an effort to pay attention to other people’s needs, and it is amazing how quickly and graciously life starts to look a lot better.
One final nod to my guide. Michael Mooty concluded each of his East Dallas newsletter columns (“Dear Friends”) with the same phrase, year in and year out, one that I adopted and cherish. Thanks, Bro.
As always, First Christian Church of Decatur, I am delighted to be your pastor. Shalom, James L. Brewer-Calvert