Dr Stanley Jebb on the Approachability of the Pastor

"Some men keep themselves so aloof that the church members feel they cannot get near him. That is a sad situation. The shepherd must know his sheep. On the other hand, a minister needs to preserve a measure of dignity consistent with the importance of the message he proclaims. “Familiarity breeds contempt”. It does not help the cause of the Gospel if the man of God is just one of the lads, always telling jokes and fooling about. That is not to say that a minister will never tell a funny story. There is great value in humour in the right place and at the right time. But if that is what he is mainly known for there is something wrong. Incidentally it goes without saying that a minister should never tell shady or off-colour jokes, nor should he enjoy them when others tell them!"

Dr Stanley Jebb - "Approachability" - Alethinos Reflections - accessed April 27th 2009.