RSPs

This posting is a bit of a rant (one of the purposes of blogs, right?)

Some people regard clergy as RSPs- Religious Service Providers. They call on pastors when there's a need for a wedding, baptism, or some crisis. I get the impression any pastor will do...then when they get what they need, it's "So long."

I went to the nearby Air Force Base to get a new will done. I asked to see a JAG officer, and it didn't matter which one. But the difference between a pastor and a JAG is that pastors truly hope to shepherd people, to have a personal relationship with them (apologies to those who have a friendship with their lawyers).

I had a woman come see for a baptism. I'd baptized her first child five years before, and hadn't seen her since. I asked her, "If you have no more children, will I never see you again?"

People are missing out on so much by regarding the church as just a place that provides religious services when needed. Every Sunday we're providing for the spiritual needs of people, and coming by for some "procedure" is hardly what the life of faith is about. The church offers worship, instruction, fellowship, and opportunities for service, and the pastor is more than merely a "Religious Service Provider."