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I had a strange thought this morning.  Would the Apostle Peter get hired as a pastor?

I have an RSS feed for Pastor jobs in my Google Reader.  And I consistently see the same job posting for Pastor.  They typically list qualifications for the role which include something like:

• A committed Christian with an exemplary life and sense of calling to worship ministry.
• A sound understanding of the Bible and application of it in corporate worship services and in all areas of life.
• A maturity to work submissively both with the Senior Pastor and the Elder Board.
• A relational ability to work well with musicians, technical crews, artists, youth musicians, and other ministry leaders in a healthy and flexible manner.
• A heart for worship

In fact the previous list is from an actual job listing.  And I get the list.  We want someone that exemplifies the Gospel in their lives.

But then I began to ask if the Apostle Peter would get hired.  He was obstinate, pushy, and even arrogant.  He probably wouldn’t have worked well with the Senior Board.  And oh yes, he had that thing on his resume.  He denied Jesus three times.   Yet Jesus picked this man and said, “I will build my church on this rock.”

Sometimes I wonder if we’re setting ourselves up for a fall by creating such a demanding role for anyone to play.  When the pastor does fall it becomes virtually impossible to get over it.  Rarely (and there are definitely exceptions) does the pastor stay in the role.  Its just easier to find a new one.