A Position of Privilege
Being a pastor as a profession has many privileges. This Friday night I get to take advantage of one of the great privileges of being a pastor. This Friday night I'll officiate a wedding. But not just any wedding. The bride-to-be was one Ira's doctors.
One of her fields of specialty is ECMO - the life support system that Ira was on for the first eight days of his life. This doctor and her team were with Ira, with our family during those eight very long and excruciating days. This doctor and her team were good about cluing Laura and me in on the intricacies of ECMO but more importantly this doctor empathized with our plight. And that's why I gladly agreed to officiate her wedding.
Sure, there are times when my profession is full of frustrations but it's times like these when I am reminded of the privilege it is to serve as a pastor.
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One of her fields of specialty is ECMO - the life support system that Ira was on for the first eight days of his life. This doctor and her team were with Ira, with our family during those eight very long and excruciating days. This doctor and her team were good about cluing Laura and me in on the intricacies of ECMO but more importantly this doctor empathized with our plight. And that's why I gladly agreed to officiate her wedding.
Sure, there are times when my profession is full of frustrations but it's times like these when I am reminded of the privilege it is to serve as a pastor.
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posted by jch at
10:21 AM
8 Comments:
Your faith has blessed many thank you for this opportunity to see how you have blessed someone through this year and how you are being blessed.
Your journeys have been intertwined and they have invited you deeper into their journey. That is awesome! May God's breath be felt in this wedding ceremony and in the two lives that have chosen to live as one.
Dear Joe,
I have to say after reading all the comments about language I was more taken back by your comment that "Being a pastor as a profession has many privileges." I am from the old school that believes in a priesthood of all believers and eschews clergy-laity distictions. The New Testament example of supporting evangelists to preach the gospel is certainly biblical; but, I take greater umbrage of those who wish to create a "profession" for those who teach the gospel over the use of language used to do so. I realize you don't know me so I will make my point with someone you do. Your father-in-law is more of a pastor in the biblical sense of what I am trying to share. I hope that helps? Your life is a wonderful testimony of your faith. I only offer this insight in hopes of sharing a different point of view for your consideration. I feel the clergy-laity distiction has destroyed more believers than any other perversion of the message of the kingdom. The privilege of which you speak stems from being a child of God, not from an "office" or any worldly authority. A corporation has "officers" but a church has members. Members may have different functions, but there is no distinction between believers in the household of faith. Every baptized believer who has professed faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah is a "minister" of the gospel. Now that is a radical thought in our modern day clerical hierarchy!
I knew the "On Language" post would become a contentious debate. But this post, "A Position of Privilege", is not at all meant to be a debate.
Bradford, I hardly need a lesson what a priesthood of all believers means. I'm not going to erase your comment but if people start responding to what you say, I'll erase your comment along with the others.
Joe,
If you haven't read Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis," I highly recommend it for your reading list. I found it to be so refreshing. When I read your blog about officiating this wedding ceremony, it reminded me of a story Bell wrote about helping a couple plan their wedding ceremony at the top of a beautiful cliff. He spoke about how God is everything, whether the participants know it or not. Those two moments connected for me. You and Laura have been a powerful force of God in so many lives that you never would of gotten to touch. It pretty much sucks that you got those opportunities with a child in the hospital, but what a blessing to see some return of God's working in such an obvious way.
I hope the ceremony is fabulous and the whole process continues to be a blessing for you.
Sweet.
That story is precious..man, that is going to be one emotional wedding..
I am enjoying reading all about you. I hope you don't mind that I have popped in..Happytheman told us about the language post and I just had to come over and read and comment on it.
God bless and good wedding!
That is so incredible! What an honor and a priviledge. I'd much rather respond to this kind of most than that other "stuff"...I've got my own blog for that sort of thing ;-)
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