I wanted to hear from an expert on this subject, but I had to know I was hearing from someone who was a true doer of the Word. I chose my pastor Rev. David H. Miller of St. John's Episcopal Church in Petaluma because in the two years I have known him, I have never seen a hint of favoritism. Here is what he shared with me:
John Stott, the world renowned author and theologian, former chaplain to the Queen of England, had been invited to a 1979 reception in his honor at Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield, Massachusetts. A very posh event in the great hall, with high tea and the finest silver and china.
The guests included church leaders, civic leaders, and other notables and somehow my wife and I. I remember us all standing around stiffly, awed by our surroundings and by being in the presence of someone so close to God. The food was laid out beautifully but no one had touched it. No one seemed to be able to break through the heavy atmosphere and be themselves.
I felt someone standing near me and turned, and there he was John Stott himself, standing in front of us with a tray of food. As he went from group to group, serving us all, you could feel the stiffness melt.
I'm called to be a servant. Servants don't demand or show preference. They serve whomever the Master brings into their orbit. They don't choose.
When asked how a pastor might avoid favoritism, Pastor Miller quickly responded with four questions for every pastor:
1. Who am I serving?
2. Am I falling prey to fear of man?
3. Who do I trust as the supplier of my life wealthy human beings with limited resources, or God with His unlimited ones?
4. Whose glory am I seeking?
Now you can see why he's still my pastor!
http://www.ptm.org
John Stott, the world renowned author and theologian, former chaplain to the Queen of England, had been invited to a 1979 reception in his honor at Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield, Massachusetts. A very posh event in the great hall, with high tea and the finest silver and china.
The guests included church leaders, civic leaders, and other notables and somehow my wife and I. I remember us all standing around stiffly, awed by our surroundings and by being in the presence of someone so close to God. The food was laid out beautifully but no one had touched it. No one seemed to be able to break through the heavy atmosphere and be themselves.
I felt someone standing near me and turned, and there he was John Stott himself, standing in front of us with a tray of food. As he went from group to group, serving us all, you could feel the stiffness melt.
I'm called to be a servant. Servants don't demand or show preference. They serve whomever the Master brings into their orbit. They don't choose.
When asked how a pastor might avoid favoritism, Pastor Miller quickly responded with four questions for every pastor:
1. Who am I serving?
2. Am I falling prey to fear of man?
3. Who do I trust as the supplier of my life wealthy human beings with limited resources, or God with His unlimited ones?
4. Whose glory am I seeking?
Now you can see why he's still my pastor!
http://www.ptm.org