Pastor Poaching

on Jan 20 in Church, Leadership

Rarely do I ever have a must-blog experience – the kind of voice in my heart that says, “Go blog about this.¬† Now.”¬† Normally, I mull over something that’s brewing internally.¬† Then I pray, and basically ask God if I should write it, or not.¬† But this morning, on the way to work, I had that experience.

Must blog.

This morning, I listened to the Mars Hill Church Podcast.  The church is located in Grand Rapids, MI.  Rob Bell is their pastor.  For many of you, Rob Bell Рthrough his books and leadership Рhas become a mentor and a guide.  And for many of you, he has become someone who is theologically and doctrinally dangerous.

This post is not an invitation to debate what you think about Bell’s doctrinal beliefs (if you engage in that, I won’t post it).

This post is an invitation to see a picture of Christ’s church looking remarkably close to a Bride.

In short, Mars Hill just hired another teaching pastor.  He will share the teaching/leading with Rob Bell.  His name is Shane Hipps.  Last Sunday, they introduced Hipps to the Mars Hill congregation.  Hipps spent his allotted teaching time telling of his journey, and his beliefs.

This kind of thing happens every weekend in churches.¬† A pastor starts a new ministry, in a new town, with a new sermon.¬† The new church feels excited.¬† But the old church – the one that the pastor has left – feels… uh… poached.¬† When we poach, we trespass on another’s property with the purpose of taking something.

But poaching is the last thing that happened in this scenario.

Hipps was the pastor of a Mennonite Church in Arizona (350 people).¬† 18 months ago, Hipps began to sense a stirring.¬† He formed a “Clear Committee” to help him process whether or not this stirring was of God, or not.¬† This group of discerning people from his OWN CHURCH helped him see and hear God clearly.

This committee of people – people who had a vested interest in convincing Hipps to stay – agreed that the Spirit of God was moving in his heart, and that His move was in the direction of Mars Hill.

Last Sunday, the Chairman of the Elder Board from Hipps’ Arizona Church (the church who is losing a pastor) flew into Grand Rapids, and introduced Hipps to his new, larger than life, congregation.¬† As he stood before the Mars Hill family, he actually “gifted” Hipps to this new congregation.¬† That’s what he called it – a “gifting” for Hipps to his new home.¬† The Elder Chairman admitted his own deep sadness, but also expressed great joy.

He did not feel angry.

He did not feel poached.

His words…

We don’t see this as losing a pastor.¬† We see this is gaining a sister church.

Amazing – because this kind of thing almost never happens.

And beautiful – because this kind of thing almost never happens.

In an age when people (like me) are begging for “the church to be the church”, it’s important to highlight and recognize when it actually happens.¬†¬† It is Christ’s Church, for which Christ died.¬† We do not own ANY of it.¬† It’s all His.

And on this day, one small church from Arizona gave away what was never theirs to begin with.  And in so doing, they allowed the rest of us to experience the generosity of the Father, and to touch something of the grace of Christ.

For God so loved the world, He gave.