Young, talented minister

[ChicanaRose]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

 

[Paidiske]

I'd say it all depends. If someone is inexperienced, regardless of their age, I'd hope there's some good mentoring/clinical supervision/spiritual direction type stuff put in place. That said, people only get to be experienced by being given the opportunity to do things, so that in itself isn't an issue for me.

Pride/humility is a separate issue from experience/inexperience. I think that everyone in ministry has to deal with issues of pride, humility, confidence, self-doubt, and so on. Anyone who claims not to I would wonder if they were telling the truth! That said, as a younger person in ministry I have struggled much more with having the confidence to trust my own skill and knowledge than I have struggled with pride. I don't know that a humility test would be helpful (or even reasonably possible), but certainly attention should be paid to how any prospective minister relates with others.

 

[Radagast]

That said, people only get to be experienced by being given the opportunity to do things, so that in itself isn't an issue for me.

Yes, @Paidiske, but you're in an episcopal polity. Newly ordained priests don't immediately get made archbishops (although IIRC, Saint Augustine moved up the ladder pretty quickly).

 

[Radagast]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

In general, that sounds like a bad idea. But I strongly suspect that you have a highly specific case in mind. Would you care to tell us more about it?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

"Test of humility"? That sounds like an even worse idea. Who would administer such a test?

 

[Paidiske]

Yes, @Paidiske, but you're in an episcopal polity. Newly ordained priests don't immediately get made archbishops.

No, but I don't think that negates any of the points I made.

 

[Radagast]

No, but I don't think that negates any of the points I made.

Of course not.

My point was that an episcopal polity in and of itself helps avoid the danger outlined in the OP.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

Sure!!! give him a medal for Humility, and then take it away from him if he wears it.

 

[Jonaitis]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

I'm cautious, usually ministers who have undergone seminary should be ready for the pulpit.

What I do like, but do not entirely affirm, about most confessional Presbyterians churches is that they require formal education before ministry for anyone. However, I would not disqualify anyone simply because they do not have that formal education and yet is truly gifted and used by God to work in the hearts of men. Charles Spurgeon began preaching somewhere around the age of 16, and he was never formally educated for ministry, yet he was one of the greatest Baptist preachers that had ever walked into the pulpit that he is rightly called the "Prince of Preachers." However, not everyone is a Spurgeon.

 

[topher694]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

None of those things should have any bearing. Character and integrity should be the benchmarks for promotion, and those take time to demonstrate.

 

[Radagast]

None of those things should have any bearing. Character and integrity should be the benchmarks for promotion

You don't think that competence should have something to do with it as well?

 

[topher694]

You don't think that competence should have something to do with it as well?

Sure, but that was built into the context of the original question. Plus someone operating in character and integrity shouldn't be accepting a position they are not ready for.

 

[ChicanaRose]

"Test of humility"? That sounds like an even worse idea. Who would administer such a test?

LOL, not a literal paper test of humility with multiple choices, but kind of watching to see if this person is humble and willing to take inputs from people.

 

[Peter J Barban]

In general, that sounds like a bad idea. But I strongly suspect that you have a highly specific case in mind. Would you care to tell us more about it?



"Test of humility"? That sounds like an even worse idea. Who would administer such a test?

I have administered humility tests numerous times, usually by accident.

When encountering something objectionable, humble people forgive or better yet draw no offense, proud people become offended and hold a grudge.

However, the greatest test of all is how people deal with praise.

 

[Peter J Barban]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

I would only promote him if he was closely accountable to a higher level mentor. It would be better for the young man to serve in obscurity until he is 30 years old.

The real problem for a spiritually gifted young person is that they get their identity from their gifts and ministry. Then when they experience a dry season, they burnout and have an identity crisis.

The guy would be lucky if he failed early and everyone lowered their expectations. I like a leader to spend a few seasons traveling through the valley of death before I build him a big platform on the mountain top.

 

[ChicanaRose]

I would only promote him if he was closely accountable to a higher level mentor.

This is true. Being a popular, charismatic speaker does not take away from routine responsibilities and treating staff with respect.

 

[Peter J Barban]

This is true. Being a popular, charismatic speaker does not take away from routine responsibilities and treating staff with respect.

It's really hard for a guy like that to remain humble.

I had a young pastor before and he was humble in his first year. Then he went back home to America while I subbed for him for a few weeks. When he came back from hanging out with his friends, he had a different spirit.

Now, he saw himself as superior to all the other pastors and elders. He surrounded himself with young immature leaders who were very loyal to him and skirted around the rules of his superiors. He managed to last a total of seven years before he left the ministry due to not being appreciated enough.

 

[tall73]

The Scriptures warn against placing someone rather new to the faith in a position that might tempt them to be puffed up with pride:

I Timothy 3:3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
I Timothy3:

However, that is not totally about age, as Timothy was not to let people look down on him because of his youth.

4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love,in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Timothy by this point had already ministered along with Paul and others for some time, and was known to be faithful, filled with the Spirit. He was mature in Christ at a young age, and so left by Paul in Ephesus with a task to undertake.

Also, as Paidiske indicated you build experience in the faith by doing, often with those who have been in the faith for some time and are mature. So a position of authority might not be warranted, but being allowed to minister in various ways, with direction, could be quite helpful, and we see biblical examples of this happening with a young person such as Timothy. And if he already has shown the Biblical character requirements, showed gifting, and has been ministering faithfully, then it may be possible for someone even of a relatively young age to be given some authority, as we see with Timothy. Even here it is in the context of Paul mentioning that he hopes to join him soon, admonishing him to be faithful, etc. Paul is still giving direction.

 

[tturt]

How we handle praise is key.

In the OT, the priest prayed for himself first then the people. Today some say to their congregation you need to do certain things but never admit to their stuff. James 5:16

Know a minister who greets people coming in but stopped after the services because people commented about how good his sermons were.

Another church asks their singers and musicals to step down for a period of time - one at a time. They are talked with during this process because their spiritual place is more important than their contribution.

While traveling, a church sign said We have the best looking pastor. I thought that's one church people dont need to attend until they get rid of the spirit of pride.

A seasoned mentor would be very helpful - really a team of them.Pro 15:22. If the incoming folks dont agree to that upfront then you know they are not ready.

Believe we should pray and get God's guidance concerning church leadership before they are put into positions.

 

[hislegacy]

Should the church leadership promote young, inexperienced minister to a position of high authority if he is brilliant, a gifted speaker, or has already established popularity on the social media?

Would doing so set the stage for he or she to become puffed up with pride?

Should there be a test of humility before the church decides to promote him or her?

Do you trust your church leadership?
Do they pray and seek God’s guidance?
Do they hear God?