I spoke with a man who said he was a Christian
but though he spoke he did not listen.
All he said repeatedly
was what his Pastor thought, doctrinally.
I longed to hear him say "I think this" or "I think that"
but all I got was "My Pastor says..." ,  like a broken eight track.

Pastors - do not raise them to be perfect reflections of you,
duplicating all you say and do.
Rather, teach them to
think for themselves,
to arrive at their own conclusions,
to not buy all you sell....
but create their own fusion
of doctrine and thought,
of belief and faith
so they'll arrive at maturity
and their lives won't be a waste
because they never developed
their own God-given ministries....
Teach them to be who God has called them to be,
then release them to fulfill their God-ordained destiny...


Pastors: Always remember, you are there to serve them, not the other way around...you are to have a Father's heart...your desire is to see them mature to the point where they don't need you anymore...