Pastor's Confession: Part 1

I confess that it is easier for me to avoid your life in a few ways even though I certainly do not wish to. I confess that it is easier for me to remember that you have no idea what my day to day looks like outside of Sunday, but to be fair, I do not often know what your day to day looks like either.

I confess that scripture and truth are more natural to me than the soul and prayer, and I can be more focused on soldiering through a topic while missing your soul and your life.

I confess that I lack presence in your life when I can spend an enormous amount of time in scripture and study.

I confess that I can allow my own scholarship of the word to drive my study instead of allowing what I know of your life and struggle and questions to drive my study of scripture.

I confess that I have not been pastorally present to you and with you.

I confess these things not because scripture and truth are not as important, but because your soul and your life and your heart require an equivalent demand on my attention as scripture and truth...and I have not held that balance.

I confess that these things have left me at a distance from your day to day.

I confess these things SO THAT I might reveal to you what I am seeing clearer and clearer, but also because I hope to see God close that distance between us that we may be 'congregation' and not just 'pastor + people'.

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Pastors and leaders, would you offer a similar confession? Why or why not?