The Pastoral Applicant

Author Unknown

One of the toughest tasks a church faces is choosing a good minister. The chairman of the official board undergoing this painful process finally lost patience. He'd just witnessed the Pastoral Selection Committee reject applicant after applicant for various minor faults - real or imagined. It was time, he thought, for a bit of soul-searching on the part of the committee.

So, after the meeting adjourned, he wrote a letter to the Pastoral Selection Committee, which he stood-up and read at the next Pastoral Selection meeting. Supposedly, the letter was from another Pastoral applicant.

Gentlemen: Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications. I've been a preacher with much success and also had some success as a writer. Some say I'm a good organizer. I've been a leader most places I've been. I'm over 50 years of age and have never preached in one place for more than three years. In some places, I have had to leave town after my preaching caused riots and disturbances. I must admit I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real wrong-doing. My health is not too good, but I still accomplish a great deal.

The churches I have preached in have been small, though located in large cities. I've not gotten along well with religious leaders in some of the towns where I have preached. In fact, some have threatened me, and even attacked me physically. I am not too good at keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized. However, if you can use me, I promise to do my very best for you.

The chairman than turned to the other committee members and said, "Well, what do you think? Shall we call him?"

The good church committee members were appalled! Consider a sickly, trouble-making, absent-minded, ex-jailbird? Are you crazy, they asked? Who signed that application? Who had such colossal gall to think we would consider someone like that to be our church minister?

The chairman of the board eyed all the committee members keenly before he replied - It's signed: 'The Apostle Paul.'