Recently I was reading a magazine that had its annual most trusted professions list . As I was reading the top 10 one that was absent once again was that of the clergy. Yes it seems that Pastors have fallen to new lows to be heaped in with CEO's , Car Salesmen and the like . It has been a long time when the Clergy would have been in the the top 5 and now they have slid out of even the top 20 according to many polls . The decline has been steady and fast over the last 10 years.
I still recall back in the late 60's and 70's , Pastors would have been always in the top 10 of professions people trusted and looked to in times of crisis . They were often the very well known within their communities and over all respected. So why in less then 40 years have they completely fallen in with those professions people think of as shady and open to scorn?
Lets be brutally honest , the scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church with sex scandal after sex scandal has not helped . It has been repugnant to read of the cover up , silence and lack of concern for the victims that this institution shown . Granted many have spoken out and where rightly angered but the stigma bruised the Pastorate .
Another spot of trouble has been the lack of accountability within many denominations in holding Pastors to account when it has come to light of affairs and re-marriage . Those outside the Church do understand that a Pastor should be at the very least different and if one does fall , when discipline is not served and the Pastor not removed , it damages the vocation.
Then add in the sickening , money grabbing , false healing con artist that have infiltrated the late night TV shows and why would the general public trust the clergy . All it seems these false teachers do is beg for money and manipulate those who are desperate .
Plus many wonder what does a Pastor really do . Most who sit outside the Church basically believe they get paid for speaking once a week for about 30 minutes . Many are not well known within the areas they minister and most move on within 3-7 years so how can even the community get to know them . Mix that in with the growing secular culture we are living in , who have no respect for matters about God , Jesus , the Church and well your on the bottom rung looking up . Now I know there are many faithful servants who have and are laboring within this world daily and it is simply not fair for them to be painted with the same brush. But it is where we are at .
So how can the Clergy regain at least the respect among people . Its one thing to be reviled because of the gospel , and I would venture some of the disdain does come from this but much comes from the moral failures and perceived greed of the few projected on others. Here is my few suggestions , not exhaustive but things I think they must attend to .
First make sure you are serious about your calling . Do not enter the ministry unless you are deeply and profoundly conscious that this is a call of God to be a under Shepherd to group of sheep God has given you to care for . To preach , to love and mirror the great Shepherd Jesus Christ to them first . Second , stay and work the field you have been placed . I just do not believe that one is "called"to leave every 3-5 years . How can one get to know anyone in such a short time . Plus the general public view this as salary chasing. Oh he moved on for more money , I have heard this . Stay , work , get to be known and know your flock and be about the community . Third , and this is more to the powers above , the denomination heads , discipline Pastors that not only morally fail but doctrinally as well . This shows the public you hold those who take this call serious and demand a high standard. Last , Pastors need to be more open in calling out those who are in the wrong . Many look at the pastorate like , you protect your own mind set . This in large part to the sex scandals . This must not be . Paul called those out needed to be and so did Jesus . This openness show you have nothing to hide .
As I said there is nothing wrong when the world hates and mocks because of the gospel of Christ but much of the fall has been due to moral and doctrinal lapses . One last thing that those who sit in the pew need to do for their Pastor is pray . Pray for your Pastor , encourage him to be courageous , bold and to stand firm . The world , the devil and his own sinful nature desires to tear him down , so may we help them stand strong against these attacks .
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