Anyone in a leadership role exposes himself or herself to critics. LifeWay President and CEO Thom Rainer recently tweeted this question to pastors: “What’s the strangest criticism you’ve ever received?” The responses he got range from offensive to petty to downright hilarious.
Some of the funnier ones
“The frequency of the bass is making it impossible for the Spirit to move”
“Why are you talking about your ten year vision? Don’t you know the Blood Red Moons mean the world will end in 2017”
“A visitor walked by the Pastor’s reception line after church & told me that he wouldn’t be back. He said it was because I made Illuminati symbols with my hand guestures [sic] (the all seeing eye) during the sermon. I said, “ok” w/ the ok sign & did it again. Never saw him again. ”
“The music is too good. Church music shouldn’t have that good of quality.”
“One Easter, an elderly lady came up and pinched my arm above the elbow to get my attention. With all of the authority she could muster in her 5’ frame, she yelled, ‘Young man, IF you are still here next year, we WILL sing hymn 186 ‘Up from the Grave He Arose!’”
Got an unsigned note on a tithing envelope requesting I get a tan so I don’t blend into the walls of the platform
— David Barringer (@pdbarringer) December 18, 2018
“You shouldn’t tell a joke to start a sermon. I can’t imagine Moses walking up to the burning Bush and saying, did you hear the one about…”
Shocking and offensive
“You are from hell, not from God.”
“This church looks a little too ethnic”
“I’d be happy to take your wife to the store to help her select some appropriate clothes.”
“‘When you brushed your hair away from your face in the pulpit, it reminded us all that you’re a woman. Get a bobby pin.’ Because nothing will fool them into thinking I’m a man like a bobby pin.”
“I was told by a pastor in my first ministry that I wasn’t attractive enough to lead worship at a large church. Lol… weird b/c I’m insanely attractive!”
“Can we please not do the ‘free meals for guests’ on Wednesday nights? It’s bringing too many people we don’t want here.”
