There's also the point that he's getting PAID to be there. It's literally his job.OneStrike_ur_out wrote:At my last cOC, we did not have deacons or elders, so the preacher appointed himself the head of the place. He would get mad if people weren't there. He would say that people's priorities were all out of whack. And the real kick in the head was, it was EASY for him to say that, given that he was retired and living the good life! It's easy to judge others and say that their priorites are all wrong when you yourself have nothing but time on your hands. What preacher man never seemed to get was, where he had it easy, others did not. Not everybody was retired like him. Others worked long hours. His kids were all grown with families of their own, while others had school aged children at home. Not everybody had the luxury of living directly across the street from the church building like he did. Others had to get off of work and haul ass just to make it on time (or even a little late) while he just stops whatever it is he is causually doing, walks out his front door, walks across the street, and he is at church! Others had a lot going in and VERY limited time to get essential things done while he chilled out all day every day, doing shit like going to baseball games in the spring and summer and playing golf and whatever else he felt like doing. Yet, he had the audacity to slam others because they would miss a service here or there.
I think a lot of preachers don't get it, mostly because of what you said. Others aren't being compensated for being there. A preacher isn't giving up his day off to be at church. Sunday is his biggest workday. Most of the preachers I know get to take off 2 days during the week. In my case, I was always off on Monday and Tuesday. And on Wednesday, I came in after lunch, because I was going to be there late with Bible class. So I literally didn't have to give up ANY of my own free time.