The Red Sox signed Carl Crawford to a multi-year deal. This is big news for those of us who are Sox fans. Of course last weeked they aquired another quality player first basemen Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres. Boston is trying to rebuild their team and satisfy the increasingly impatiant fan base. And they are doing it quickly by going after the big guns instead of the slow approach of bringing younger players along.
As happy as I am that ‘my’ team appears to be better this year, I am also kind of discouraged with how baseball has changed. It is now rare for a player to play their entire career with one team. Eventually the larger market teams will dangle the green in front of these players and lure them over. In the case of Crawford, the Sox lured him away from a division rival that could not pay him what Boston could. As a fan I find myself almost rooting for jersey’s and logos instead of players. Or at least I don’t get too attached to guys. After all, they might just be playing for the Yankees in a year or two (uhem, Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon, Wade Boggs.)
Imagine of local churches were like baseball teams?
What if a church opened the coffers and pulled in the best free agent pastors and muscians? You’d have a church in Boston with John Piper, C.J. Maheney, and the utility man Bob Kauflin. And then down the road in Philadelphia you’d have Mark Dever and Al Mohler. They would get excited during the off season because the small market Seattle could no longer keep the young and gifted Mark Driscoll.
That would be strange wouldn’t it?
I am thankful that many of the guys I have mentioned here have stayed in their respective contexts. God is using them to grow their local churches and reach other communities through their ever expanding ministries. However, as rule, pastors don’t usually stay in one spot too long. In our day and age pastors tend to swing from church to church in a manner that looks a lot like MLB free agents. And sadly, the net response is similiar betweend the church member and the fan. People feel like they were not on the same page, there is a perception of a lack of loyalty, and they become less connected with the ‘new guys’.
There is a special dynamic between the player who stays in the same city his whole career. He is able to build a bond with the fans, influence the city, and leave a mark on the franchise. In a similiar, but far more important way, pastors who stick with a congregation find themselves pouring into families, communities and mission of the local church. Think of a guy like John MacArthur. He has been at Grace Church in Sun Valley, California for 40+ years! This guy has been griding it out week after week. And God has greatly blessed this ministry. There seems to be a greater and more profound depth to this type of ministry.
I am not saying that it is wrong to either switch teams or churches. I am just expressing my opinion. This is my preference. As a pastor I am encouraged to look back to appreciate and forward to anticipate impact for the glory of Christ. I don’t think I can do this with the same prayerful earnestness if I am also looking side to side for another move.
[And, by the way, the Red Sox looked pretty stacked this year.]
