Wednesday, October 24, 2012

12 Things Pastors Won’t Hear in Heaven



Here is an article from Mike Leake I recently ran across.  It really resonated with me:

I’d really hate to waste my life on things that aren’t significant.

Occasionally it is good to step back and wonder about the types of the things you probably will not hear in heaven.

So I imagine a scenario where someone that the Lord has called me to shepherd walks up to me in heaven and says, I sure wish that you’d have...

Here are 12 things I doubt would fill in that blank. 

  1. I wish you’d have shown me more rapture charts.
  2. I wish you’d have told me steps to making more money.
  3. I wish you’d have prepared me for what heaven looks like.
  4. I wish you’d have settled those theological debates.
  5. I wish you’d have done funnier skits in our worship service.
  6. I wish you’d have pushed for a bigger building.
  7. I wish you’d have talked more about politics.
  8. I wish you’d have preached much shorter sermons.
  9. I wish you’d have worn ties (or cooler jeans for our postmodern crowd).
  10. I wish you’d have given us better pop-culture references.
  11. I wish you’d have made our worship ambiance better and the transitions smoother.
  12. I wish you’d have spent the money to fix that pot-hole in the church parking lot.

I could probably keep going.

Some of these things might be important and they might even be a means to serve and assist people in worship. But they are not ultimate.

What I don’t want to fill that blank would be, “I wish you’d have pointed us to Jesus more. I wish you’d have prepared us for heaven better. I wish you’d have preached more to root out sin and unbelief. I wish you’d have encouraged us to lay down our idols more.”

Those are the things I don’t want to hear.

What I do want to hear is the sweet and grace filled words of the Chief Shepherd, “Well done good and faithful servant."

What do you think?

4 comments:

  1. While humorous, there is great truth and insight! "Well done thou good and faithful servant" will be the only thing that matters. Every day I feel less at home in this world. As CS Lewis said... if we find ourselves not feeling at home here, it is because we were not created for this world but heaven. I can hardly wait to join the great host standing around the throne waving palm branches and praising our Lord.
    He is Lord!
    Rosie Hackney

    ReplyDelete
  2. While humorous, there is great truth and insight! "Well done thou good and faithful servant" will be the only thing that matters. Every day I feel less at home in this world. As CS Lewis said... if we find ourselves not feeling at home here, it is because we were not created for this world but heaven. I can hardly wait to join the great host standing around the throne waving palm branches and praising our Lord.
    He is Lord!
    Rosie Hackney

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just thinking, except for the one Bible verse...something like.." Let not many desire to become leaders for they have more responsibilities," or something like that... are we , as christians ,not just as responsible as our leaders? Seems that most of the things that I read point to the church as a whole, not just the pastors. Interesting blog anyway, and agree with Rosie..how wonderful to be with relatives and friends in heaven. Helen Murray

    ReplyDelete
  4. Where is the delete tab when you need it!? Cannot believe that I wrote post..above!!Does, in no way address subject of blog!!!H.M.

    ReplyDelete