Criticizing Pastors - Protecting the Flank

This morning, an article caught my eye.  It's an important enough topic that's not discussed nearly enough to merit more than a simple "share" on Facebook.

As Christians, we often rely on our pastors to teach and admonish us in our walks with Christ and each other.  But who guides us with regards to how we relate to our pastors?  And yet, there are few relationship more important than that with our pastors.

Pastors have responded to a calling that requires them to be at the forefront of our spiritual battles.  That means they're on the clock, all the time.  That means they put themselves at the forefront, physically and spiritually.  That means spiritual attacks often hit them first and harder.

The last thing pastors need is for attacks to come from the very people they're called to serve.  That's not to say they shouldn't be corrected.  Pastors are imperfect.  Most pastors I know are more aware of that fact than they dare to show.  When we see such imperfections, what we ought to ask ourselves first is how we respond in love.  Knowing the banner they carry on our behalf, what they need most is love and prayer.  More than anything, pastors need an extra dose of grace.

Is that to say that pastors should be above criticism?  Certainly not.  "Graham doesn’t claim that pastors should be above criticism, especially those who neglect their responsibilities or truly are at fault in some way. In these situations, “most churches have ways of dealing with such matters through their ruling board or denominational structure,” Graham includes. Gossip and criticism among churchgoers is not the solution to matters like those."

So when we get that urge to criticize:
1. Pray for the pastor
2. Pray for the pastor's family
3. Pray for the unity of the church