When I attended the Presbyterian Seminary from 1972-1974, we were taught that we were professionals and that we were not to pursue or develop personal friendships with the Elders of our congregations or the people God had tasked us to serve. From their perspective, we had to maintain a professional distance for counseling, preaching, and even leading board meetings within the Church. Friendships should be developed only with other Pastors and people outside our communities. I call this an
organizational professional model.
When I was in Graduate School between 1969 and 1971, I developed a vision that was the opposite of this. I saw in the model of Yeshua a friendship relationship (relational) model.
Read the whole article here: Issue 62
