5 Dangerous Paths for Ministers Under Pressure

[Stephen Fox]

http://ethicsdaily.com/5-dangerous-path ... -cms-22268

[William Thornton]

[Sandy]

Well, William, you were at the same church, suburban Atlanta--the buckle of the Bible belt--for quite a while. From where you sit, what are your observations? Seems like the "traditional" red brick, white steeple church of the "Suthun Babdiss" variety across the South is an endangered species, aging, declining, and cutting back CP giving. Any insights?

[Stephen Fox]

With state conventions opposing common core as a guise to oppose critical thinking, Obama is under considerable career pressure himself.

Look at the 500 comments on the Auburn fan letter about how he was treated in AThens last weekend. That's the base for your Obama problem right there; that and the marriage between Fox News and the Tea Party.

But I agree with the article, tough times to be a preacher, but I never saw my Dad get too many breaks in Gaffney for 16 years from 62-78. And I thought those were tough times. We did have some glorious Christmas Sunday evenings though when we would pack it out in Jesus name, and some well attended January Bible Studies with some earnest bible students. I am proud of what the SS board was trying to do then before the fundies hijacked it all as Molly so diligently and majestically points out. Now tonight she is on a swell panel in the Big Apple. Proud of her for good chronicling and getting notice

[William Thornton]

[William Thornton]

[Stephen Fox]

It's the reimagining that gives me sleepless nights on many occasions. Still Luck placed me in one of the best elementary schools in the state with some high achieving classmates that kept me on task.

And some grand folks along the way, including a retired Baptists missionary and her sister, That story later

[Dave Roberts]

Demographics in the rural and small town South have doomed many churches. The de-industrialization of America has left empty factories all across the area that was the bread and butter of the SBC. Without jobs, the churches don't have a strong base, and the declining receipts reflect the loss of jobs and the movement away from many communities and into urban areas to find work. Pastors are expected to produce the same results with a declining base of prospective members and available money. It's not a pretty sight in lots of places.

[James]

In 20+ years as a telephone hot-line crisis councilor, The saddest and most frightening words I ever heard were these "I looked in the mirror and there was no one there." A pastor in a small town had given so much of himself to his people that there was nothing left to give and nowhere to turn for help because small towns expect their spiritual leaders to be perfect. I heard those words a long time ago and they still haunt me. We discussed ways to get help. I hope he got it.

[Tim Bonney]

[Dave Roberts]

[William Thornton]

I've heard the "only 10%" for at least 35 years. There's nothing new about that. That half quit within 5 years or less is new to me.

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

[David Flick]

[KeithE]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dave Roberts]

While it is not universally true, most of the terminated ministers I have met are wearing a badge of honor for their faithfulness in the face of churches that had chosen not to be faithful to their calling in Christ. To hear their stories is to realize that they made mistakes, just as I have, but it is also to know that they tried to respond to a higher loyalty than just their own self-preservation.

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

[Dave Roberts]

[Haruo]

Is "Are We Really Family?" available for purchase?

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

[Dave Roberts]