Proclaimer Blog
Job swap anyone?
OK, not a serious suggestion, but here’s an interesting observation. The senior pastor of our East London, UK church is an American. I don’t think many people visiting would fail to spot that – though I guess some might suppose he’s from Canada. He has been in the UK over 25 years, so I guess he’s somewhat Anglicised. But among his many other qualities, he has this: in many ways he’s class-less. I mean that you can’t listen to him and say “oh yes, he comes from so and so a background” or “oh yes, he’s from such and such a place.”
I guess visiting Americans may spot it, but we are ignorant. I thank God that in his providence he’s given us such a pastor because in the cultural melting pot that is the East End of London, we have someone who appears to many to be culturally neutral. He’s not of course, for none of us is. But that’s how it appears.
Now, I’m not for a moment suggesting that we all go for pulpit swaps, though if any readers are in the Florida Keys…. Nor am I suggesting we should be something we are not. Nor am I even suggesting that churches are not trained to accept those who are not like them, including leaders. No. No. No. And no again.
We can’t change much about ourselves, including our background. But we can think hard and work hard at how we appear to others. It’s always worth asking whether there is something about me that is in my control that is an offence to others, or even a stumbling block. I don’t know what it is myself, because I’m blind to my own cultural norms. But if I’m a brave preacher, I will want to know. And if it’s appropriate and within my control, I should want to do something about it.
It’s almost as good as a job swap.