by Jerry Van Marter

Barnes, a professor of pastoral theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and pastor of Pittsburgh's Shadyside Presbyterian Church, was the featured speaker at the event, which was sponsored by the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Office of Theology and Worship.

He suggested that pastors think of themselves as poets.

"This is not the normative, or even preferred image," he said, "but what we need is poetic prophetic vision, the ability to see the reality beneath the reality."

Barnes said poets "know how to look beneath the surface to the real issues," a talent that often would serve pastors well.

"The attentive pastor is constantly spinning poetry," he said, "revealing the sacred subtext to people's lives, to speak the words of redemption into the souls of those who need them."

The pressures of contemporary life make this a difficult task, Barnes conceded. Despair is prevalent these days, and people tend to prefer to anesthetize themselves to their despair than to confront the real issues that produce the despair, he said.

"The poet has to spot eternity breaking in, seeing the work of God among (the people) and spinning their poetry so they can see it," he said.

Words are never cheap, he added. "They can be a saving grace, or they can wreak uncounted havoc." The poet, using them with care, "matches the poetry of the Bible with the hunger of the soul . putting sacred words and normal everyday words into conversation."

The luncheon was intended to promote the Company of Pastors and Order of Elders programs, which try to create intentional communities of people committed to spiritual discernment and discipline.