Craig T. Owens

Employers and pastors both have the important task of putting people into positions of responsibility. Employers do so to make their businesses more profitable; pastors do so to expand the Kingdom of God.

But employers do something that pastors often miss: They hire the right person for the job.

Check out this verse:

Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

Simply put: Kenaniah was in charge of the singing because he could sing; he could carry a tune; he had skill; his singing was pleasant to the worshippers in the tabernacle. This word skillful also implies that he knew how to teach others too.

You give someone the job because they are skillful at it. Not because their feelings would be hurt if you gave the job to someone else, not because you hope giving them the job will boost their self-esteem. This is just as true in the church as it is in the business world.

The way I read the Bible, everyone has a talent. One of the roles of a shepherd leader is to find the right place for every person’s talent. Pastors do a disservice to both the individual and to the whole church body when they give someone a job for which they do not have the God-given talent.