Marry, Bury and Visitation: I've been thinking about the role of a pastor and the duties of marrying, burying and visitation. I'll admit that reading James blog (see like on right) brought it to mind. Don't hear what I'm not saying. I'm ordained in the Christian and Missionary Alliance which means I earned the right to marry and bury, it was a two year process with mentorship, reports, many books read, and an exam. I excelled in this.

So with my Rev. I earned the right to marry and bury. I really don't have a problem with this as a role of a pastor. I love the people I pastor and it is my honor to marry them if they choose to ask me and on the other note at the end of their lives I am pleased to do their memorial service.

Now visitation...where did that come from? In Acts and much of the New Testament the only real visitation I see is possible in Acts 6 and the deacons taking food to the widow (which was done by the deacons) I see the visit of some apostles to peoples houses. I think of Peter to Cornelius house and then Paul on various visits. I want to emphasize that anytime an apostle visited a sick person when they leave the person is no longer sick. So I suppose that's where pastor's or churches get the idea that a pastor's role is visitation of the sick...now that I think about it my beef isn't with visitation it's with the lack of power visitations.

ramble...ramble...ramble...

Loyalty: Again I ask...people expect their leaders to be loyal but often have a problem being loyal to their leaders.