A Special Tension Needing Special Understanding
David C. Go
Senior Pastor, Grace Gospel Church
Specialization. Is it good or bad? Is it a boon or a bane? Should we love it or avoid it?
With the increase in knowledge and technology, specialization is an acceptable way of life now and a foregone conclusion for the future. Years before, people would raise their fist if their family doctor said he could not help them with their eye infection because he wasn’t an ophthalmologist. These days we do not raise our voice over such assertion. Instead, we admire such humility. Years ago, people would raise their eyebrows if they saw stores selling nothing but keys and padlocks, now we don’t even lift an eyebrow over this anymore. Instead, we raise our hands to concur with the establishment of such stores.
But is specialization acceptable in the church? Should ministers called to serve the Body of Christ tread this path and become specialized ministers–ministers who specialize in counseling, in preaching, in administration, in youth ministry, etc.
A study of the Scriptures reveals that God is not against specialization. As far as I can see, there is no biblical injunction against becoming an expert in one’s field of ministry. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that we must strive for excellence in everything that we do. We are also taught that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us different and special gifts as He calls us to serve. Paul, the great apostle, also told us explicitly that, in the gospel ministry, some of us would do the planting, while others would do the watering and harvesting. In other words, each of us has specialized tasks to do.
But if this so, why is there now a tension between many young pastors and church members they minister to? Why do I often hear church leaders complain that the pastors they invited are very selective of their tasks? Why are many young ministers throwing in the towel even before their first term expires because the church requires them to do everything?
Personally, I see two causes for this tension but none of them is due to specialization.
The first cause has to do with the church leaders’ wrong view of the pastors and the church members’ wrong understanding of church ministry. The second has to do with the attitudes of the pastors. It has to do with the way they view themselves as ministers of the church.
Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthian 3-4 address these two erroneous mindsets.
To the church leaders and members who think of pastors as all-around workers who should do everything the church demands of them, Paul has these to say:
1. The ministers among you are God’s servants, don’t treat them like gods but do not treat them as if they are your servants (3:5). Yes, they are servants–God’s servants. But so are you.
2. God assigns to the ministers certain tasks that each of them must do, and they are accountable to Him (3:5-8). Help them discover their tasks and help them do the tasks well. Find your tasks too and do them to the best you can.
3. The ministers are God’s fellow workers among you; treat them with respect and honor (3:9).
4. Each minister needs to do his work with care and proficiency, as they depend on God’s mercy and grace (3:10-15). Grant them space, time and resources. Support them. Encourage them. Be patient with them.
To the pastors and ministers who believe they deserve better treatment from the church and who think that the church leaders are slave drivers out to destroy them and their specialized skills, Paul has these to say:
1. You are servants (literally, slaves) of Christ–slaves to do whatever the Lord asks of you (4:1). You are not professionals out to do specialized ministries at the expense of other tasks. You are servant-slaves who should be obedient and submissive.
2. As servant-slaves, you are to be faithful in all that the Lord entrusts to you, knowing that one day you will give an accounting of your work before Him who assigned you the work (4:2-5). Do your tasks willingly and diligently, not grumblingly nor scrappily.
3. Your work, and the end result of it, is important but your testimony before men is more important (4:9). You are models that people look up to and emulate. Be careful how you live.
4. “I will live humbly and I will serve sacrificially” should be your motto in life. It should be your battle cry as you live and work for God each day (4:10-13).
It is inevitable that the world will become more compact and more specialized. It is also inevitable that specialization will somehow affect the church. We should not fear specialization nor should we do away with it. Instead, we should welcome it with the right attitude and motives, and with a right view and understanding of the church.