Much has been made about the

absence of fathers in American homes. Some studies seem to indicate that

children who do not have fathers at home are more likely to experience

low self-esteem, demonstrate antisocial behavior, exhibit subnormal performance,

and have gender identity issues.

The absence of fathers in the

home is one of the most serious problems facing society today. Interestingly,

the organized church is having similar problems with the absence or unreliability

of their spiritual fathers.

Studies show that, for the

most part, people in church are little different from non-churched

people. Divorce rates among Christians now actually exceed those of people

without faith. The highest divorce rates in the country are now among

Christians who attend Baptist or independent churches, while the lowest

divorce rates are found among Christians of the Catholic and Lutheran

traditions.

The Apostle Paul, in speaking

to the novice Timothy, referred to himself as a spiritual "father,"

while the patriarch Abraham is also identified as a "father."

Many believers insist that Jesus taught to "call no man father,"

even though those same believers would not take the words of Jesus literally

when he taught that lustful eyes should be "plucked out" and

offending body parts "cut off." In fact, the Early Church thought

it most proper to refer to their spiritual leaders as "father,"

since it was, in fact, a true reflection of the relationship intended

between pastor and people.

Today, however, things have

changed. In most congregations, the spiritual leader is little more than

a hired professional brought in to be at the beck and call of the prevailing

power structure. In one denomination, pastors are fired or forced to resign

at an alarming rate, almost on a daily basis. The average stay of pastors

in churches is somewhere around 18 months. Many churches resemble severely

dysfunctional families where the children are in charge. But, in their

defense, modern churches are accustomed to having wandering pastors.

In the ancient church, with

the exception of apostles and during times of severe persecution, it was

expected that the pastor of the church would spend his entire life among

the people of one church, one community. The pastor was seen as the prime

example of a faithful spiritual father who would never leave his family

and was viewed as an icon of Christ who would "never forsake"

his spiritual children.

The ministry of pastor was

not positional but relational. He wielded great influence among the church

and community because he was, in fact, such a profound example of dependability,

faithfulness, and compassion. The pastor was not a hired hand, or a CEO

he was the father of the faithful and was a beloved and revered figure.

Most contemporary believers

know very little of such a man in their church life. While some pastors

spend decades, or even their entire lives, serving the same church, most

wander from place to place seeking a "better call" or a "greater

opportunity."

Picture a man who, in his youth,

is wed to a young woman and meets her needs consistently and lovingly.

Then imagine that, a year or two later, the young man leaves his wife's

bed for that of another, more attractive, woman. Imagine that this scene

is repeated every few years throughout the young man's life until, at

the end, he has been with 10 or 12 women, all of whom expected him to

be faithful to each one.

Imagine that this man was not

even seduced or sought out by the various women, but actively threw himself

at each one, bringing with him evidence of why they should choose to allow

him into their homes.

The women who have been misused

in this manner by this man will now develop defense systems against future

men in their lives in order to minimize the emotional pain and sense of

abandonment.

Now imagine that this, rather

than the example of the faithful father of the ancient church, is the

reality of the American pastor who jumps from church to church in search

of a better salary, a larger membership, greater status, and better opportunity.

Is it any wonder that the spiritual house is in such a mess?

As I see it, churches have

no scriptural authority to hire, fire, subjugate, and abuse pastors any

more than children have the right to select, dismiss, rule over, and disrespect

their fathers. On the other hand, again, as I see it, pastors have no

scriptural right to jump from church to church any more than a husband

has the right to jump from bed to bed, regardless of how attractive the

opportunity might seem.

The result of the attitudes

of modern churches and pastors, in this matter of spiritual fatherhood,

has been devastating on the stability, continuity, and behavior of Christian

communities.

In real life, one cannot undo

the past, cannot usually right past wrongs, cannot "unscramble eggs."

What has been done has been done, but the future is still a blank sheet

with the promise of change.

Can the modern church return

to the ancient pattern of a lifelong commitment between congregation and

pastor? Can there be a return of spiritual fathers to the spiritual house?

If not, then the modern church

will, I fear, continue to spin in ever-continuing dysfunctional circles

with its members becoming evermore isolated and its place in society becoming

increasingly irrelevant.

[David Epps is rector of Christ

the King Church in Peachtree City. He may be contacted at [email protected]

or at www.ChristTheKingCEC.com.]

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