G.K.Chesterson was a famous English writer in the early 1900′s… in commenting on the difference between “power” and “authority” he said,
“If a rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now, there is no denying he would have great power here. But I would be the first to rise and assure him that he had no authority whatever.”
So it seems in many churches these days that young ministers enter as t
he rhinoceros into the restaurant, & the results can be just as chaotic. People are run roughshod over, with various kinds of damage left in the wake. But sometimes what happens is that those in the restaurant, rather than run from the rhino instead turn on the rhino. Very soon what we find is not a rhino IN the restaurant, but a rhino ON the menu, and truly people are having “rhino for dinner”. My hope in writing here is to minimize or prevent both of these scenarios from happening in the life of young ministers, as well as in the body life of churches. Careful and intentional mentoring can make all the difference in the world in the quality, length and even survival of young people entering into a lifetime in church vocational work.
