“Relationship Between Pastor And Associate Pastor!”

“Relationship Between Pastor And Associate Pastor!”(Eph.6:21-23).
It is no longer proverbial to say “the world is a global village”; the world is indeed a global village. The prestigious Post Office is no longer very useful.
Nobody needs to send a personal representative to another town just to bring greetings.
However, good as modern means of communication may be, its shortcoming is that it takes away the warmth of true physical bonding.
Since any skit or meme easily spreads like wildfire, many of us have surely seen the picture of the grandchildren who missed grandma and decided to pay her a visit to keep her company for a while. They were all sitting in the parlor with grandma. But grandma was as alone as when she is without them. Each of the grandchildren were very concentrated on their individual phones. None of them had time for grandma. One wonders whether the visit was necessary!
As good as the gadgets have eased communication and made the world smaller, it has taken away physical presence and genuine fellowship.
The other day the spouse of a colleague pastor told me that from his interaction with pastors he has come to conclude that pastors hate each other so much. He said he is worried because wherever three or four pastors are gathered, their main conversation is about this or that colleague. Sadly it is never to say anything positive about the others.
This is very common when people move to new stations. The common stories are that “when I took over, this or that was like this or that,….! I was the one who then did this or that…!”
So who did not do what then?
Sometimes a colleague takes over and never stops criticizing the one who has left. Sometimes a colleague leaves and continues to pull the strings in the former place, thus making the work difficult for the new person.
And there are always troublemaker Christians who take advantage to place Paul over Appollos.
In order to steer clear of whatever may cause animosity, the best thing to do is to stay away from your former parish. But since you cannot pass through a place without making new friends, it is good to stay in touch with those friends. However, stop asking them, “How is this or that in the congregation? How is your new pastor? Etc.!
In today’s reflection Paul sent Tychicus to the saints in Ephesus. Tychicus was Paul’s Associate and often traveled as his representative. In this text, Paul’s sole purpose of sending Tychicus was to greet the Ephesian Christians and tell them how he Paul was faring, what he was doing and for Tychicus to encourage the Ephesian Christians.
From the time we started doubling pastors in one congregation calling one of them “Associate pastor,” it has been rare to hear an Associate pastor who did not grumble about unfair treatment.
Certainly no two captains can man a ship, but fairness by the Senior pastor is important. It is even more so, when the Associate pastor is under a very junior colleague – which by its very nature is poor personnel management.
At one time I personally drafted a guideline for Associate pastors. That was a modification of the one that had been done by the Very Rev. Dr. Asana. Still human nature, characterized by greed, ambition and the urge for superiority has not yet given succor to Associate pastors – not all, but majority.
Our prayer is that the relationship between a main pastor and an Associate should be like the one between Paul and Tychicus.
Also, without being biased ministers should not make their predecessors feel uncomfortable, such that they find it difficult to visit their former congregations.
Former ministers should feel at ease writing to their former Christians such words as, “Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”
Prayer: Holy Spirit make us veritable instruments of God’s love as we pronounce his grace to those near and far. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.