I just finished listening to Joshua Harris on a live stream from the Gospel Coalition Conference. Wish I could have been there. Joshua Harris made an outstanding, Christ exalting presentation. Besides that, he hit a note, and a big one, on how pastor’s move from church to church every few years, and their reasons for doing so, especially for the reason of ‘climbing the ladder’, and we all know what that means.

Josh further clarified what he meant by ‘staying where you are’. He said if you don’t stay, you can’t possibly get to know your congregation, you can’t care for them the way you should, much less love them the way you are commanded to as an under-shepherd. Amen to that.

I especially appreciate Joshua for speaking on this because I watched my father move from church to church, not because he wanted to climb the ladder, but because the congregations were offended at his preaching. His preaching of the truth, that is.

When I was growing up, I believe we moved about every two years, and not because of any ladder of success, but because we were asked to do so. I look back on those years now, and can do nothing but praise God for His gift of godly parents, who refused to back down from the truth, even when things got rough, and they did. I have been, and remain, truly blessed!

The last congregation my father pastored lasted some 35 years. He was faithful in doing exactly what Joshua Harris recommended to all pastor’s today….

“Stay.”

-JT