As Pastoral Credibility Erodes, How Can We Respond?

As Pastoral Credibility Erodes, How Can We Respond? by Glenn PackiamĀ for Christianity Today

Perhaps God wants to reshape our view of authority.

I squeeze into the middle airplane seat, politely apologizing to the person who got up from his aisle seat for me to get in. As I set my backpack down, trying to decide whether to grab my noise-canceling headphones, I greet the older woman in the window seat next to me. I opt for my book, kicking my backpack under the seat in front of me. Seat belt buckled, I settle in for my final flight of the day, hoping to making a dent in the chapter that awaits me.

ā€œYou from Nashville?ā€ the woman asks.


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ā€œNo, maā€™am,ā€ I reply. ā€œIā€™m from Colorado Springs. Iā€™m heading to Nashville for
a conference.ā€

She smiles and nods. We both look away. I fiddle with my book; she returns to her crossword. I feel like I should return serve and ask her about where sheā€™s from. She fills in the requested details, and Iā€™m quite sure all the required talking is now complete.

Then she asks the question. ā€œSo, what do you do?ā€

I sigh, not audibly, but certainly in my heart. I should have grabbed my headphones, not my book, I think.

I briefly contemplate a generic answer, knowing the mere mention of my vocation can be a real conversation-stopper, but opt instead for the truth.

ā€œIā€™m a pastor.ā€

She breaks out into a grin. ā€œI knew it!ā€

ā€œReally?ā€ I am genuinely surprised.

ā€œYes!ā€ she says with a knowing nod and a confident smile.

ā€œHow ā€¦ ?ā€

ā€œYou just have the look.ā€

I laugh, briefly considering my wardrobe selection: blue jeans, high-tops, a black T-shirt, and an olive bomber jacket. Yeah, maybe I am a bit of a clichƩ at the moment.

As the smiles fade, I canā€™t help but wonder: I look like a pastor? Should I take that as a compliment?

Then I glance over at her crossword puzzleā€”itā€™s Bible trivia.

Ah. She meant it as a compliment. I think.

A bleak picture

Pastors do not hold the place of community esteem they once did. According to Barnaā€™s State of Pastors report (2017), only about one in five Americans thinks of a pastor as very influential in their community, and about one in four doesnā€™t think theyā€™re very influential or influential at all. The truth is, influential or not, many Americans donā€™t want to hear what pastors have to say. In 2016, Barna found that only 21 percent of Americans consider pastors to be ā€œvery credibleā€ on the ā€œimportant issues of our day.ā€ Even among those Barna defined as evangelicals, the number only rises to slightly over half. Think about it: Nearly half of American evangelicals donā€™t see their pastors as being an authoritative voice for navigating current affairs.

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