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A preacher, by definition, is not supposed to operate in a vacuum. S/he is expected to address a group of people to spread a message in accordance with the denomination s/he was ordained to.

The size of the group varies tremendously. The preacher may be a part-timer, someone who has a full-time job in an unrelated field during the week, but who has a gift of oratory and is welcome in a local community group or small church. Later, that same preacher may find him or herself ministering to a larger group as word gets out and more people join.

At some time in the future, our gifted speaker may be addressing two large groups every Sunday morning as the church's schedule expands to two services.

With this progression, it is conceivable that the preacher, with the approval of the congregation, will expand this to encompass a televised message. Now, not only the people who have attended the same church for years and seen their pastor blossom, but now an untold number of complete strangers, will see and hear this preacher.

What effect does this shift of status have on the preacher, the congregation, and everyone that tunes in from their living room?

It depends on several factors.

The preacher needs a personality that is not vulnerable to ego-massaging. S/he must have a sense of perspective, so as to not see him or herself as a substitute for God.

The congregation must be sensitive to the effect that the preacher is having on everyone who views the service, and be able and willing to suggest changes to the preacher, if the message starts to run too far afield.

The people tuning in to hear the message need to bear in mind that this is a person, a flawed human being, who is doing the best that s/he can to reach out in an effort to improve the lives of listeners.

As soon as the messenger becomes more important than the message, it is time to re-evaluate.

Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough.

Learn more about this author, Elaine Arthur.
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