The profession your minister morphs into as your church grows

Authoritative.

A constant.

A respected voice.

Something reliable in uncertain times.

Someone who shares the weighty stories of the community.

Someone you can somewhat get to know, but who will never personally know you.

Which profession am I referring to?

A newsreader.

But I could easily be referring to a long-term minister at a large church.

They have all the hallmarks of a beloved newsreader.

They are a familiar face.

They are a trusted voice.

They are someone who has been in the background of all the significant events.

But… they are in the background.

They are a voice… which doesn’t know your name.

They are one who shares select stories… but didn’t know yours.

And herein lies the weakness of supersized Christianity.

The flock is too large for the shepherd.

For example, today I graduated from University.

In all likelihood, my current minister will have no idea.

He won’t know to ask me about it on Sunday.

There’s a decent chance that he won’t even get around to speaking with me on Sunday.

And… this isn’t his fault. I attend a church large enough that the senior minister cannot possibly be in personal contact with everyone weekly.

The downside is that your minister becomes more like a beloved newsreader and less like a shepherd who intimately knows each individual sheep.