That Pastor is a human being and is susceptible to positive reinforcement, just like everyone else.
Years ago, my wife and I were asked to be godparents to one of my nephews and since they were Catholic, I had to be approved by the church. My relatives were not local so my wife and I went down to a local catholic church where they had a 1st generation Irish Pastor. As soon as I heard his thick accent, I smelled trouble....
Well he finally gets our message and takes us back into his office where there also happens to be a Mexican couple with their young children. The Pastor starts to question me and he asks me if I am a practicing Catholic, and I of course respond no.
Long story short, he starts to inquire about why I don't believe and I start in about the origin of the Bible, and who were the apostles really. Then I looked over at the Mexican couple who at that point stop talking amongst themselves and were beginning to listen.... I just looked at the Pastor and asked him if he really wanted me to continue. Heh...he just puffed on his pipe and signed the papers ... and that was that.
Don't want to spook the herd!!