In Michael Lindvall's delightful book, The Good News From North Haven, he tells the story of a young pastor named David accepting a call to a small congregation in rural Minnesota. After four years had passed, the pastor and his family began to feel at home. They had the conviction that God had led them to the right place to serve.

Then one day the pastor received a phone call from Minnie MacDowell's husband saying that she was dying. The pastor had been to her home not a few times before only to find that her cry was a false alarm. But he went anyway, and as he arrived at the door her husband said, "Minnie's got something she's got to get off her chest."

Apparently Minnie had been the secretary of the Pulpit Nominating Committee which had issued the call to the pastor four years ago. The co…