Would Anyone Hire Jesus?

Singles Men Unhireable as Evangelical Pastors

In a conversation with a merchant near the church I serve as pastor told me about a recent article in the New York Times [Single and Evangelical?  Good Luck Finding A Job].  The article basically asserts that single pastors, in particular male ones, in the evangelical church network are at the bottom of the hiring heap.  Single women would be too, but I assume that they're not included in the article because the author focused on communities that only ordain men.  They're usually not hired because their is an unspoken assumption that they're either predators, or gay, or something else.


I found the article interesting and though-provoking.  Knowing many friends and pastoral colleagues who are single, I find that these unspoken fears are misdirected.  Being married or not doesn't have that much to do with preventing abuse, or closeted truths, or miscommunication.  Mabye I'm naive or an overt optimist.  Limiting choices to a box regarding marriage, means that many faith communities might just be missing out on the person - or a number of people - who might be gifted and passionate to help lead their congregations.

After reading the article, I find myself wondering if any evangelical church would hire Jesus: a 30 year old single man who didn't seem to be on a marriage track, let alone any part of a "traditional family."

What do you think?