I would like to say that I don’t know…but I do know exactly where the idea of the Teflon minister came from…the untouchable, immovable, smooth and without fault minister…unfortunately, I am not him.
The idea that people believe that as a minister you cease to struggle, cease to fear, cease to doubt is ridiculous at best…and yet they do. They believe that we have some access to God that they do not have, and as such, sin, and fear, and shame do not impact our lives on any level…let me be the first to say that this is a MISCONCEPTION, even a fool hearted desire.
People want us to be perfect, to be flawless so that we can “fix” them…but this is an impossibility, because I do not have the ability to fix anyone, only Jesus can do that. So follow your pastor, but not so closely as to lose sight of the one that he is following, who should be Jesus.
I know this is a bit of a rant, but I have had many friends and loved ones cease to follow Jesus because one of us(pastor’s) failed them on some level…so follow your leader’s, but again, only as closely as they are following Jesus.
I think part of what makes this all worse is that a lot of pastors fail to mention their mistakes, shortfalls, and things they struggle with now. So they give the appearance that they are above everyone in the congregation. Where as you and PT are open, upfront and honest about the things you struggle with daily. it makes you seem more “human”, more like you’re just some guy talking about Jesus instead of a Pastor who’s trying to shove Jesus down your throat. Does that make sense?
That makes complete sense, and it is the very reason why I moved here in the first place…because I saw that in PT.