Baptist Ministry

Within months, various committees were formed, missionaries were supported, and youth ministries were begun. Accountants, technology specialists, builders, pastors, and others all freely contributed as they were able, and the church had met every need. Beneath the surface of BBC's practices are shared underlying assumptions. When remarking on the greatest need or weakness of BBC, every person who was interviewed quickly mentioned the lack of a senior pastor and his role in the church. One of the largest assumptions of BBC is that the pastor's job is to direct what the people should do, and the people's job is to do it. One person put it succinctly when she said, "We need a pastor who can set vision" (I3). Another person put it more directly, "We've been waiting for a pastor to come and tell us what to do" (I5). In other words, Without a pastor, the church cannot function properly. The pastor is like a father who directs and orders his family. Everything hinges and is dependent upon the pastor. Like a queen bee and her hive, BBC is waiting for their pastor leader to cast vision and direct them, eager for the opportunity to follow through on these directions. But when the queen is gone,
They are correct in their understanding of the necessity of a pastor to shepherd, care, protect, teach, and direct their flock. Without a shepherd, they are more easily misguided and vulnerable. It is difficult to overstate the importance of a pastor in the culture of a church. However, neither are they totally helpless without a pastor. Most people in the church have been believers and attending churches for decades and know the scriptures well enough to instruct others if they are willing. As one individual said, "We're not new to this" (I5). Why then, do we seem to put so many of our eggs in the pastor basket and act like we're clueless without a