[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by ChicagoPastor

I had an interesting conversation with the President of the UPC of El Salvador today. He said that recently he was invited to a Pastor's seminar/retreat in the U.S. The asked him to teach on ministerial ethics. The host specificly asked him to focus on Pastor's that steal other Pastor's 'sheep' or let members from one church join their church without letters or phone calls from the previous Pastor.

Well, he said that as he was preparing for the session, he realized that EVERY TIME that he has been in the U.S. and they ask him to teach on ministerial ethics, they ALWAYS want him to talk about 'sheep stealing' or topics very closely related to sheep stealing.

He decided to go a new route this time. Rather than teach on "not stealing sheep" he taught on "How to keep your sheep from wandering"!!! He said that if Pastors would do a better job of Pastoring their sheep there wouldn't be so many wandering sheep. He said that one of the United State's biggest problems in ministry is the competitive and jealous spirit that is in a lot of the Pastors. Rather than be happy because a neighboring church is growing, a Pastor will discredit the growth or look for something wrong with the neighboring church.

He said that had John the Baptist been a typical U.S. Pastor, John would've been upset that Jesus left and started his own ministry after John baptized Him

ANYHOW I think it's a good thought and something we need to focus on. Sometimes we get too concerned or focused on the troublemakers in our sections or districts and we don't see what we could be doing better.

If you were to take an census in any metropolitan area, you would find that most OPs in that city by and large congregate at one church regardless of how many like churches they pass along the way.

This is unfortunate for several different reasons, the largest of which is that the church is NOT making nor is it focused on making a difference in their own community. How on earth can you invite someone to church then tell them they have to drive 30-45 minutes to church three or more times per week? Personally, I wouldn't do that.

Unfortunately it all goes back to the structure and the lack of unity in the/any organization. Sad.