Sydney J. Harris, the well-known columnist of some years past, was wont to observe that the primary problem of his profession was not so much that of finding subjects upon which to comment as rather that of narrowing the possibilities to one. Despite Harris' journalistic abilities, his occasional diatribe against the Christian faith (e.g., "Jesus' teaching that one should love his enemies is as impractical as much of the rest of his teachings," etc.) eventually led to our regret of his having entered the profession at all. While not a vocational journalist, our present need to choose from various relevant possibilities did bring columnist Harris to mind - along with our own present time schedule. Hence the following:
While having breakfast with a fellow minister and his wife at a local restaurant recently, the conversation eventually turned from issues of common interest to a consideration of those afflicted with the "preacher's itch." For any unacquainted with the term, reference here is to those who, for lack of adequate knowledge, communication skills, leadership ability or other requisite enablement, never succeed in attaining a viable pulpit ministry despite the overwhelming desire to do so. Discernment is sometimes little required in determining those thus afflicted.
At this point, our fellow pastor's wife shared that an evangelist brother of hers was once speaker at a conference in which the presence of a considerable number of "wannabes" - along with their need for recognition - was soon evident. Stopping in the middle of his address, her brother announced that, as of that moment, he was calling a prayer line for healing - healing for all those suffering with the "preacher's itch." When we all had ceased laughing, the only additional response was likely that of wishing we had been there.
Nor is Scripture devoid of parallels. In terms of distorted or misguided ambition at large, Matthew 20:20-28 or Mark 10:35-45 can prove profitable. With regard to those afflicted with the "preacher's itch," both I Timothy 1:7 and James 3:1 are to be seen as offering sound advice. Or, in cases of the extreme (although having never been the target of such) I have, nonetheless, been witness to leadership ambition of a quality perhaps not totally dissimilar to that of Korah and his co-conspirators in Numbers 16.
Well, anyway...
Burl Ratzsch
