The consequences of pastoralization

I know a pastor who, while doing mechanically work on his car had to fetch a part from a store, took a shower and put on a tie, because he couldn't conceive of leaving home without his "pastor's outfit".

The Bible tells us that Jesus had nothing to attract attention; he looked normal... as long as he didn't touch anyone who was sick.

When the religious spirit pushes us into the pastoralization process, we begin to forbid ourselves to laugh or do certain things because we are "pastors".

We think we're preserving the name of God or the reputation of the Gospel, but we're not.

The first to be affected by pastoralization are our children, to whom we demonstrate that we are playing a role. They could wind up role playing the Christian life, no longer taking God seriously.

Secondly, pastoralization affects our growth.

When we are stuck in a posture, we leave behind the humble attitude of the apprentice and sit on our certainties. But God is on the move! If we remain fixated on yesterday's revelations, we'll become a religious monument.

Finally, the last perverse effect of pastoralization, the one sought by the religious spirit, is that we cut ourselves off from the people we seek to influence.

Think about it for a moment, if we remove all the flaws and weaknesses of the characters from the Bible, they become unattainable and their example unattainable.

Have you fallen into the trap of pastoralization?

Are you still on the move?

Are you positively influencing those around you, or are they just impressed?

Tomorrow we'll look at the cure for pastoralization.

May God bless you

David Théry
Practical teachings to experience God.