Gospel Preachers: The “Whipping Boy”

by Ken Thomas
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 30, 1988

I started to call this article, "Open Season on Preachers." Another title I thought of was "Preachers Are Fair Game." You know already what the general theme of this article will be.

While it is altogether possible that some of the problems in congregations of the Lord's people may be properly laid at the feet of the preacher, many times, he simply becomes the "scapegoat" for brethren to vent their own frustrations as to lack of growth and many other problems which may arise. Preachers are never really considered as full-fledged members of a local congregation. They are only "in transit." Perish the thought that he should be able to stay a lifetime in one community and work among the Lord's people long enough for him to see his children graduate from the same school system where they began!

Historically, there have been (and still are) those who resent the preacher's support. When any problem arises with money or meeting the local church's budget, guess who is expected to solve the local church's financial problem? That's right! If we got rid of the preacher or cut off the support to someone "in the field," we could meet our financial obligations. Never mind all the many hardships the preacher and his family may suffer in the meantime, moving and readjusting to a new congregation and community. That's his problem! When people become disgruntled with the preacher, so far as they are concerned, he and his wife and children can starve to death so that we rid ourselves of his presence. Many times, all he is guilty of is teaching what is needed. But the one who needed what was preached refused to accept or correct, so guess who goes? The preacher, that's who! Then they get in a new man who is unfamiliar with the problems and the membership; thus, the church has apparent peace for a spell until the new man learns the problems and begins preaching what is needed to make corrections (see II Timothy 4:1-2).

Now Consider

By what stretch of the imagination is it proper for Brother John Doe Christian to request the congregation to get rid of the preacher because he is either tired of him or disagrees with the way he presents his lessons or other purely judgemental matters? Then, this one will begin a one-person campaign to stir up others until he insists that the preacher resigns for "the good of the cause" to forestall division. A division that was not threatened until the campaign got underway.

By comparison, what if some member would begin saying to others, "You know, I believe we ought to have a new song leader. Old brother so-and-so does a good job, but we need a change from time to time?" Or, what if John Doe Member should say, "You know Brother So-and-so does a great job as our treasurer, but I think we should ask him to resign and appoint someone else to the job." How do you think the brethren, who were doing their work satisfactorily, would feel about a brother making such a request? Why, you know, they would be simply crushed emotionally since they have been diligently doing their best and sacrificing much to do a good service to the Lord's people. Now, if the local church appointed people to the functions mentioned above with the understanding that every so many years, we will be changing and appointing someone else to these functions simply to utilize more of the membership, no one would think anything about it when the normal agreed upon system was acted upon. But if that system also required the member to be uprooted with his family and be forced to move, the system would be quickly scrapped.

But with the preacher, it is different. He is expected to be willing to move, often to another town, and it doesn't matter if this means selling his house at a loss due to the sudden change. He must be willing to get all business transactions done quickly (often with only two months' notice) to be able to make a move. (Incidentally, his "company" will not buy his house at market rates to facilitate the move, as some companies do.) Let me tell you this one other thing: it always costs quite a bit more for a preacher to make a move than the new congregation is willing to pay, and it is highly unlikely that the congregation from which he is moving will offer to pay any of the expenses. Is it any wonder that fewer young men aspire to make their life's work that of "preaching Christ?" It's a wonder we have as many as we do.

Now, I must say this: for the most part, in some 28 years of gospel preaching, I have been treated well, with few exceptions to that rule. Thus, it can hardly be said that I am bitter or just venting my anger. Not at all. I'm just trying to get John and Jane Doe Christian to consider practicing the "golden rule" where preachers are concerned. Preachers are people, too. Preachers are, generally speaking, dedicated to preaching Christ to the point of being willing to sacrifice whatever for the cause of Christ. Most who preach could make more money if that was the only consideration, doing something other than preaching. If one puts in as many hours of secular work as one does studying and preparing lessons, etc., he would make considerably more money. Even those of us who are not "college-trained."

When a faithful preacher is asked to move on from some local church, the real reason he is being asked to leave rarely ever comes out. Some substitute reason will be manufactured to hide the real reason! No one will admit that a point made in some sermon hit so hard that he has been chaffing ever since and is thus determined to see that the preacher is asked to leave. Some years ago, when asked to leave a local work "for the good of the cause" (the one and only time this happened to me), I wrote with a broken heart:

Preachers Are People, Too

I’m just a man, as you all know.
Subject to sorrow to pain and to woe:
Cut me, I bleed; hurt me, I cry,
If you break my heart, I nearly die.

Yes, I’m subject to soaring to heights of great joy;
A strong man at times, yet at others a boy.
I want to be loved, be accepted by all,
But must be true to Christ, to compromise is to fall.

I must make choices, unpopular though they be.
I must faithfully serve God if heaven I see.
Those strong in the faith respect such a stand;
Those weak and possessed would destroy such a man.

Condemned by their sin, by the preached word of God;
The unrepentant on His servant have trod.
The preacher still loves them and would help if he could,
But they sent him away ”for the cause’s good.”

When the truth is made known when the facts have been heard
All the charges they’ve hurled will then be absurd.
But for those who are prejudiced, who for gossip will seek:
They’ll continue their course; they will walk on the meek.

If only some way their sin they could see;
They are hurting themselves as they try to hurt me.
The judgment is coming; we must face all of life’s deeds;
So we must make things right among you, Christ, and me.