"How can I (average Joe regular type guy) attain to the position of Pastoring a church?" This is a question I've gotten asked alot lately. I thought for awhile about the sovereign call of God, or writing about divine direction, or stepping out in faith. I finally settled on sticking with the bubble bursting bare bones of the business. In ministry, as in everything, it’s not what you know. It's who you know. Churches commonly don’t extend beyond two degrees of separation. They don’t typically hire senior pastors who have no connection to them other than a resume. A church comes open and gets flooded with resumes from any number of qualified people so a church feels the right to be picky. Make a list of pastors you know and contact fellow minsters who would be good references. Your letter won’t cut it. Why? Because nobody in the church wants to take the responsibility for deciding to bring you on if you screw it up. So a trusted outsider who refers you is the most open door to this opportunity. It’s a carnal system and has less to do with spirituality and more to do with protecting the investment of the established congregation. If you can assure the interviewing entities that the extent of your vision is to maintain the building, add some non threatening programs, and let them go by noon, you’re at least going to be a finalist in the church version of American Idol. In doing this you can help them maintain the illusion that they’re making a difference in their community by simply showing up on Sunday morning and paying their tithes.

Forgive my sarcastic tone and please don’t discount the truth contained therin. Do you have a living room? Then you have a facility. Do you know people who would come if you invited them to a time of Bible Study, worship, and prayer? Then you have a congregation. Would those people work with you to reach out to minister to the families, the sick, and the poor of your community? Then you have a church.