Hey, White Male Pastors...

stop being freaking a--holes. I'm a little tired of it. I am fortunate to not be in a situation where that's an issue (Thanks be to God!). However, I have had a number of experiences with the WMPs and there are very few good stories, and recently, I've had two very dear friends be recently screwed over (yet again) by such folks and it really needs to stop. Let me just put a few thoughts out there:

1. Women, people of color, etc., basically anyone not white or male, is not necessarily trying to usurp your historic seat of power, or take your tee time. For many of us, it's not about power; it's about being the body of Christ, which is kind of supposed to have a lot of different parts.

2. You are not the Holy Spirit. God gives gifts and calls people and you don't get to say who gets to exercise your gifts and who doesn't.

3. If you are trying to make some huge statement about valuing women in ministry and then are given a hiring choice b/t an equally qualified woman and white guy, and you pick the white guy, any previous statements you made are null and void. And you don't get to play the "experience" card. White guys get hired as pastors right out of seminary all the time.

4. Wearing sandals and a fauxhawk doesn't make you post-modern. Valuing stories over structures does. Hyper-programming of an event that is supposed to be somewhat fluid while wearing sandals and a fauxhawk makes you modern in post-modern drag. Hyper-programming an event where all the leaders just "happened" to have books just come out makes you not only modern, but very close to being "The Man."

Now, go do your jobs and stop screwing over my friends. Let other people into your club, and stop making all your big ministry decisions on the golf course.