We Need Mum's and Dad's

Dear Pastors

We Need Mum’s and Dad’s

Yesterday one of our adult children needed to talk. His oldest child, one of our grandchildren, was quite unwell and he wanted (and needed) to talk to his mother. Jeanette did what we would all do as caring parents. She was attentive, she listened and she responded appropriately. It seems the role of a Mum and a Dad are forever. BTW. I don’t think we fully appraised this reality all those years ago when we were having so much fun making our babies. But that is a discussion for another day.

I really like the idea of Pastors and Elders thinking like a mothers and fathers. I like it even more when Pastors and Elders act like a Mum or a Dad at church.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 says:- “And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. ¹² We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory”. See also 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Paul is giving us a window into what good pastoring is all about. He is saying that spiritual fathers and mothers provide leadership, care, and protection for God’s family. I fully agree with David Gundersen when he wrote recently for TGC that having this mindset is especially important during Sunday worship gatherings. “Thinking like a father (or Mother) on Sundays should warm your heart, clarify your focus, and make you more alert as you care for God’s family.”

Let’s be honest. Sunday morning church can become quite routine even mechanistic where we plan the event and go through the motions. We are nice to people, we engage in a bit of chatter here and there and we get the job done. But there can be so much more.

Since I began to think like a Father on Sunday mornings I have come to see the Sunday gathering as ‘family time’. Jeanette and I come early and stay late. We ‘hang out’ around the coffee pot. It’s a time to connect with as many people as possible. It is time to ‘enter into the story’ of our people especially those going through a tough time. It is a sacred three hour appointment that is of high priority and ever so precious.

Pastors, when people feel loved and cared for they will love their church. In fact, some of Barna’s research concludes that human warmth and connection on Sunday mornings matters more than a ‘out-of-the-park’ sermon especially for the younger generation.

Blessings
Alan