tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132219789253130273.post7048841321378061129..comments2023-03-25T02:42:27.644-05:00Comments on Erik Reed: My Growing Skepticism of the Modern-Day Role of the PastorErik Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09386746092284995691noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132219789253130273.post-6624987359857609722011-08-16T11:19:27.818-05:002011-08-16T11:19:27.818-05:00I was thinking a lot about mentorship today and ma...I was thinking a lot about mentorship today and making disciples. If the Church had the mentality of "follow me as I follow Christ," we would be making more disciples, engaging in deep conversations with other believers more often, and growing at a steady pace. I think it is very important for the pastor (and leadership team) to be investing in the lives of the congregation, but at the same time, I think it is unfair to expect one person to speak to every single person, especially as the church grows. What if we were all engaging with each other regularly? Seeking counsel from Scripture and leaning not on our own understanding, but on God-given discernment? Don't get me wrong, I think that what Baxter did is amazing and I would absolutely LOVE to experience a meeting like the ones which met in Spencer's home - where people were packed in and had a bunch of questions and all came together as a community. But I think the Church will grow and be much more effective when disciples start making disciples and the Body of Christ relies not only on the pastor, who is ultimately shepherding the congregation, but on each other for support and prayer as well. I am so thankful for a leadership team that is heavily involved in the lives of the congregation and would love to one day see the congregation interact in the same way that Paul called the churches to act in his letters - as a community, more concerned with the interests and needs of the collective body than the individual. How revolutionary would it be if we all felt free to talk to each other and lived that intentionally with our relationships in the Church? At this point, I think I just wrote a book rather than answer the question. Ha. Sorry for the longevity of this post.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06731385699353159600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132219789253130273.post-74788444366433637712011-08-15T23:03:23.280-05:002011-08-15T23:03:23.280-05:00Great post man. I echo your thoughts and concerns ...Great post man. I echo your thoughts and concerns about the modern church. I too enjoy the individual time as much as the corporate preaching. Very thought provoking post. Not sure what the answer is but I like the question. <br />SAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com