My church doesn’t have a pastor

An appeal to members.

Many people consider magazines outdated in the 21st century. But I am subscribed to all of our Adventist publications and love receiving an update for me to read each month or quarter. Recently I was reading the Adventist Review and I came across an article detailing an ordination that had taken place. We probably see maybe 1-2 a quarter. That rounds up to a few a year. Of course at first glance that makes me happy, another individual/family called by God for the gospel ministry and ready to bless a church somewhere. But I can help but be reminded of the shadow that is no longer looming on the horizon but creeping over our heads and casting a gloom over our church. I am referring of course to the lack of pastors our church is beginning to experience. As of February 2024 the Oregon conference had to lay off roughly 20-30 pastors in order to save money and deal with some financial difficulties. In my conference alone there are over 15 districts without pastoral leadership. In April my church which is within a district containing two other sister churches lost our pastor. Are these simply financial difficulties that the church is experiencing or is there something deeper. And most importantly is there anything we as a local church can do to stem the bleeding?

I felt called to the gospel ministry when I was 13 years old. I had no idea what the path forward was but I was excited and felt a fire in my heart to serve God. Over the next several years I proceeded to interview pastors and conference leaders any chance I got. I wanted to know, what did I need to do to become a pastor? The answers I got were so varied and directionless. I felt confused and upon graduation I really had no idea what I was going to study or what school I should attend. Some pastors told me to go the “Traditional route” of Adventist school and Seminary for a theology degree. While others condemned seminary as the “Cemetery” of spiritual growth and encouraged me to just begin working for God, “He will open the doors for you”.

In the years since I have been involved in various ministries and pursued several paths all with the goal of becoming a pastor. I am still on that path studying and working for my local church. And what I have learned is that each pastor pursues the “calling” for different reasons. What I assumed was a direct call from God simply just isn’t always the case for each person. I talked to one pastor who told me that he chose to study theology because his scholarship to study Engineering fell through. He was a pastor for 12 years and recently left ministry all together. I spoke to another who was struggling in his Biology classes at Andrews University and then felt a “call” to theology where he proceeded to get straight As. He has since left the ministry. But recently I have been receiving mentorship from a pastor of the last 40 years. He is “retired” and yet in his retirement he pastors a large congregation 3 hours from his home. He felt called from God and knew that there was nothing else in this world God wanted him to do. And he still has such a massive heart for God, for the scriptures and for his church. What I’m trying to express is that a pastoral calling, while it should be clear if you are called or not, in reality it just is not. There are plenty of individuals that pursue pastorship for the wrong reasons and eventually they are found out.

It’s not just the SDA church that has a pastoral shortage. In America the christian church is struggling to maintain its pastoral staff amidst waning numbers of theological students, older pastors retiring or passing away, and numerous scandals causing leaders to step down.

As I write all of this I can’t help but remember 1 Peter 5:8. The devil is walking around, even among our churches and doing whatever he can to discourage, depress, distract and ultimately get rid of our pastoral leadership. All in the hope of hurting and destroying the bride of Christ. But let’s read Verse 7 which I think contains some encouragement.

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” ( 1 Peter 5:7 )

Our leaders need to learn to lean on the Lord, depend on Him for everything. But I believe that our church, you and me, we need to lean on Jesus too, now more then ever before. If your church seems dead or dying, give the anxiety to God. If your church leadership seems to struggle, give the anxiety to God. If your church doesnt have a pastor right now, give the anxiety to God.

There is this quote I read recently from the pen of Sister White where she said,

“In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view.” ChS 49.2.

I really believe we are in the beginning stages of the shaking now, as we speak. And what our church needs right now is for us, the members and the laity to take as a personal responsibility the labor, care, and passion for the church. The church is not the person who stands behind the pulpit on Sabbath morning but rather you, the individual warming the pew. We need to work hand in hand with God ourselves and push the work of the three angles message forward.

What can we do? Teach a sabbath school class, organize an outreach event, show up to prayer meeting and potluck? There is always something.

Now the issue isn’t just our own. We need young men and women to step up to the plate and follow the call of God into ministry. We need this generation of young people who desire to shepherd Gods church, pastor His flock and help lead His people forward. Is that person you?

I want to leave you with one more quote from the pen of inspiration.

“The laborer for souls needs consecration, integrity, intelligence, industry, energy, and tact. Possessing these qualifications, no man can be inferior; instead he will have a commanding influence for good.”—Gospel Workers, 111.

Are we consecrated? Converted and commanding an influence for good? I believe in you my church. I believe that this is what we can be, what we will be. Let’s step it up and carry the torch farther.