Response:

You are correct. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates that a man must have gone through heartaches and difficulties in order to be an effective pastor. The reason for this is that our authority must be the Word of God, not our experiences. While it is true that a man who has suffered might relate better to a suffering church member, the fact is that what a pastor needs to give his church member is not his own tale of woe, but rather God's solution to the problem as recorded in the Scriptures.

Your friend's attitude could be taken to an impossible level. Must a man be born rich to minister to successful professional people in the church? Must he have been born poor to relate to the unemployed? Can a caucasian minister to other races? Can a man who has never taken a sip of alcohol give spiritual aid to the drunkard? Does my wife have to die before I can help those in my church who have been bereaved of their spouses? The answer to these questions is obvious. If your friend would prefer a pastor who has experienced grief in his personal life, that is fine, but it is ONLY a preference, just like some prefer an older man, or a man who's wife plays the piano, or a man who went to a particular college or seminary. The qualifications are set down in I Timothy 3, and these are the only "requirements".

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210