Failing Pastor FAQ’s

Are you a real pastor?
I am currently employed as a pastor and have been for 20 years. Whether I am considered to be a “real pastor” is entirely subjective.

Why are you anonymous?
Anonymity gives me a level of freedom I need and enjoy. I am writing primarily for pastors, not for people in my church. If people in my church know I do this they will read it and it will stifle me. It will inevitably upset some, and generally be unhelpful. I’m writing for a different audience, which requires me to distance myself from my main audience.

What do you mean by Failing?
According to all earthly measures of church success I’m doing a horrible job. I reject all human wisdom regarding how to grow a church and manipulate the masses into attendance and compliance. Since I do not play these games, I look like I have no idea what I’m doing, and the results that people measure success with back up that notion. However, before the Lord, I feel like I’m doing the best I can at fulfilling what the Scripture calls a pastor to do. The Lord’s opinion of me is the only one that counts.

Are all your tweets true?
Most are based on truth, if not true. A certain percentage is entirely made up to throw people off and have fun. A certain percentage is true from my current endeavors. Many are from endeavors in the past and have nothing to do with anything today. Some are based on other pastors and their experiences. Some are just observations of church life I’ve lived through my whole life. No one should ever think that everything I tweet is going on right now. I purposely throw in stuff from years ago and delay talking about current things just to protect the innocent or the guilty or the not yet tried.

With such a bad attitude, are you even saved?
My attitude toward my pastoral ministry is very real. I don’t play games with people or myself. It is what it is. Don’t know what else to say. I have struggled with bitterness, frustration, depression, and anger over the years of ministry. Anyone honestly endeavoring to help hurting people feels the same way. At the same time, there is a hope and a joy that comes out of this that is inexpressible, which also comes with the territory. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I am in the best emotional place than I’ve ever been in in regards to my “ministry,” somewhat in part due to this Twitter account, no matter how dumb that might sound.

Why are you tweeting this stuff?
My hope is to sympathize with other pastors and hopefully supply a measure of encouragement and edification. Also to let the church in general know that pastors are human and many are not treated well even though their heart is entirely in what they do. It is also to express my displeasure at much silliness and flat out sin going on in the church today, much of which is the result of bad pastors. Whether my tweets are addressing any of these things is another matter. I feel better anyway.

Where do you stand on various doctrinal issues?
Hopefully you’ll never know. Talking about doctrine on Twitter leads to arguing about doctrine on Twitter. Twitter is one of the worst platforms for discussing anything, let alone doctrinal issues. A discerning person can probably tell where I am on many issues, but you’d have to really pay attention, and I don’t think that is the best usage of your time. There are better things to do than over-analyze vague musings of anonymous Twitter accounts.

What is your goal in doing this Twitter account?
To have fun, to make people think, to encourage pastors to preach the Word in season and out and bring some Scriptural foundation into the pastoral ministry which has largely been hijacked by the business world and church growth nonsense. But mostly it’s just fun and should be read in this way. Don’t take me too seriously. Don’t argue. Just as you should not take an anonymous Twitter account too seriously, I do not take criticisms of anonymous Twitter accounts too seriously. Arguing with me is a waste of time. I’m right anyway.