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solidly together under this Leadership. Let's all REJOICE, and hold
up the hands carrying the chief administrative responsibilities in
the MOST IMPORTANT WORK ON EARTH!
--Herbert
w.
Armstrong
Dear Ministers Worldwide,
I have always tried to express a sincere and genuine trust in the
ministry. Those of you who have been ministers for any length of time
will remember I have made statements on several occasions that I feel
part of the responsibility of the man who heads Pastoral Administra
tion is to defend and support the fellows in the field ministry doing
their work of feeding, encouraging, serving and edifying the people
of God.
We all know that any minister "worth his salt" is going to be
criticized. We here in Pasadena are going to hear criticisms about
any and all of you, even as you will hear some about us. Occasionally
some offended, disgruntled member, perhaps very well-meaning, or maybe
one in a contentious spirit is going to write to us registering a
complaint about you.
When our time is fully spent dealing with people and people
problems, interpersonal relationships, spiritual needs and the like,
there are going to be those who wish to backbite, malign, attack, be
offended, and openly criticize the minister. Some will feel you are
too strong and overpowering in your attitude toward them; some will
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say too weak. You are going to hear that you snubbed someone, or on
the other hand, you may hear that you spent too much time with certain
people and wore out your welcome. Naturally, everyone isn't going to
like every sermon you preach. So many things can happen, can be
talked about, can circulate about you, and often you won't even know
it.
Some of the best, most helpful advice I ever received was given
to me in early June 1954. On the evening before my wife Doris and I
left Pasadena to drive to Corpus Christi, Texas, to begin my first
ministerial assignment, Mr. Herbert Armstrong took me for a walk around
the campus. Like a caring father talking to his son, he said some
thing very similar to the following: "Wayne, you are the kind of
person who likes to be liked by others. When people criticize you
and talk about you, it is very difficult for you to take. If you
become an effective minister you are going to be criticized openly,
unfairly. Your problem is going to be that of allowing this negative
comment to get you down, discourage you so much that you won't be of
any help to the many who need your services."
I have never forgotten that advice and still cherish it to this
day. Mr. Armstrong was 100% right. Attacks against me, criticism -
especially when unfounded and unwarranted -- are tough to take. But,
I've had to put up with my share of it.
I hope this explains what I mean when I say that part of the job
we have here at headquarters is to defend and support the ministry.
I sincerely try not to react to first hints of a negative nature
about a minister. When letters are received here concerning you, we