debunking a myth

"Many people wonder why it is necessary to have qualifications for a pastor. They might think, 'If someone wants to be a pastor, should he not have that right, regardless of whether he meets a list of criteria?'... The truth, however, is that all of us see the need for criteria in other professions. No one would board a plane if they knew that the 'pilot' loved planes but didn't have a pilot's license. No one would want to be operated on by a 'surgeon' whose primary credential was that his father was a doctor. A young couple would not entrust the design of their dream home to an 'architect' whose portfolio was the back of a Lincoln Logs box. Qualifications are important in every job, and the more important the job, the more important the need for stringent qualifications."

Darrin Patrick "Church Planter: The Man, The Message, The Mission"