Does a pastor have to affirm his beliefs? Or can he learn new beliefs?
Something I've been thinking about for a little while... I feel sorry for a lot of pastors. Among all the other issues that many have written about to bring awareness of, one other thing that quite a lot of pastors have to suffer from is a fear of growth. What I mean is that if they grow in their theology and it goes against something their congregation or denomination they are a part of believes, they will at best be called names, at worst be out of a job and livelihood. So in many cases their learning has to be more of an affirming, quite a lot of pastors can't stretch themselves because it can cost them a roof over their heads. It's really sad, and it's clearly not what God had in mind when establishing the church. We know that none of us have arrived, we are all seeing things through a glass darkly, but sometimes we behave as if pastors have all the answers or have arrived and keep them stuck in one rut or we turn on them. What a burden. So I personally am ...