Pastor = Babysitter
Since when did pastors become babysitters?
Having been a pastor myself before I became a Rabbi, I know what it takes to have to deal with a Christian congregation in America. Any kind of guidance or correction you try to give is met with resistance, rebellion and the threat of them leaving your Church altogether. So what we are left with is Pastors who only give messages of "encouragement" without any real depth. Encouragement should only come when people are doing the right thing. It has to be balanced with real spiritual progress that is coupled with instruction or else it becomes weak. And that's exactly what we have today, a weak Church. I see many Christian writers who have come to the same conclusion but they have failed to identify the root cause. This root cause is due to the fear in today's pastors to take care of business because they're worried how their parishners will react. So they coat all their messages in order that they can win approval of their congregants.
After I became a Rabbi, I shed the role of Babysitter and took on the more substantial role as "Leader".Now the encouragement I give has real meaning and isn't just a bunch of fluff. I tell it like it is. If someone is in sin, I tell them so and I don't beat around the bush. Those who want to be coddled say I'm "mean", but if I wanted to be mean I would simply let them continue in their sin as I watched them go on their merry way to hell. But because I have compassion on the lost, I try to get them off that path as quickly as possible.
This approach has also enhanced my messages and teachings. Now I can get to the real truth of the Scriptures and the heart of any topic. It's really been life changing for me and has allowed me to be able to explore the "meat" of G-d's Word. I have to admit, it's also spoiled me. I can't hardly bear anymore sitting and listening to a Message that only scratches the surface of the topic. Let's call those messages what they really are... they're boring! No wonder the Church is losing so many people and the only ones that are growing are the ones who can babysit more people, the mega-churches. The members of the mega- churches and other church members who like to be babysat will fight this tooth and nail and tell you how deep their church "really is". They'll fight it cause they don't really want to have to change or be responsible for what they would learn from a real hard hitting message. I can't tell you how many times I've sat through a fluff message and right after the people next to me will say, "wow that was great, what a deep teaching" and I'm thinking, "That's it?" I could've heard this in Sunday school when I was 6! But these surface members thought it was great because that's all they ever get. That's all they get cause that's all the want. If they wanted more, they would allow their Pastor to correct them and show them the true path to righteousness which is a very difficult path to take.
I still have Christians who visit my Messianic congregations and they bring with them that expectation to be wood and coddled but they quickly find that that is not the ministry of a Biblical Rabbi. Most of them get angry and call me names then never come back. Some still call me names but come back again and tell me they don't know why. Some will even tell me it's so THEY can help Me lol. But the real reason is because somewhere in their heart they know they need to hear some things that only I or someone who is willing to be honest will tell them. We know this rule applies to a real friend. A real friend will tell you what's wrong with you even if it may hurt a little. So why should we expect anything less from our spiritual leaders?
I understand many Pastors feel the same way but they don't know how to get out of the rut they are in. They're worried that they'll lose half or more of their people (and they will) and then what are they supposed to do? It's a tough choice.
I have a friend in South Africa who was a Pastor with the Assemblies of G-d and he began teaching the truth and the Church he was working for fired him and he lost 3/4ths of his people. I wish there was a happy ending to this story, but he's still struggling. All he has is a good night sleep every night and the satisfaction of bringing G-d's word to the few he has left.
In time, things do get better but it's never easy. More and more people are realizing that they need more from their Church then what they are getting but they still don't want to hear anything negative from their pastors.
One thing I've noticed is you don't find babysitting Pastors in countries where Believers are being persecuted. If you need to be babysat, you're quickly shown the door. That's because they know that's the person who will give up the Brothers and Sisters when the police come.
One thing I can promise you here is the truth. If you write in, be ready to hear what you need to hear straight from the gut. If you've come to hear your ears tickled, you'll be disappointed and then become angry. If you're not used to taking the blame yourself, then you will be forced to blame me. Rest assured, I wont get angry because I know where it's all coming from. If you try to twist G-d's Word, there are times I get angry about that as I know that Satan is your backer. You can call me arrogant till the cows come home but you'll still be left with you in the end. those who I go to for spiritual guidance are the ones who I've chosen with great care who I know will give me the straight poop. I couldn't care any less how they deliver it, I'm just grateful that they are taking the time to impart it to me. If they were to sugar coat it, I'd look elsewhere for direction.
Yeshua always gave it to His Disciples straight and He even got angry at them sometimes. The idea that Jesus was always only giving encouragement is a myth and giving instruction only with a soft soothing hypnotic quality is not "love". Spanking your son's behind and telling him to "knock it off" can be just as loving and doesn't make you any less Spiritual.
So, I hope you enjoy the other articles here on this site and we'll see you in comment sections.
Rabbi Stanley