leaving a church

The idea of leaving a church family has always been an interesting one to me.  While I want to avoid making broad/sweeping statements, I believe that, in many circumstances, a lot of people leave churches due to a consumeristic and individualistic Christian faith.  Church exists to serve me... and if I feel as though I am not being served adequately, I will find another place that will.  In fact, this trend is not too shocking, especially when we look at the number of broken families and marriages in our country.  For so many people, divorce and separation is a convenient and easily accessible answer when a spouse is not meeting our needs.  Our country affirms the creed, "you can't enforce your believes and values on me.  I've got to do me.  I have to take care of me and my needs."

So why should anyone be surprised when people leave one church to find another church that, "better fits our needs?"  

Along similar lines, sometimes people who have attended a church for years will simply stop showing up and go somewhere else without any explanation.  Again, this is where the consumer says, "I don't owe you an explanation... I don't have to run my plans by you."  But if we truly believe that we are the Body of Christ and are family, wouldn't we want to be in conversation with our family if we were considering a departure as opposed to just disappearing?  

As I read through Acts today, I came across a passage where Paul and Barnabas found themselves in stark disagreement over a practical issue and decided to part company.  While this comparison does not perfectly fit this conversation, it has caused me to ask the question, "When is it appropriate and good to part company with a church family?  And if so, what is the proper way to do it?"

grace/mercy

While helping pastor the church here at Fort Osage, there have been several times where I have found myself thinking thoughts like, "why didn't we think about doing 'this' years earlier?"  Or, "Imagine if we came up with this idea five years ago, we could be much further along!"

I am currently having one of these experiences.  There is this amazing opportunity to serve our community and as I am dreaming and brainstorming, my thoughts have drifted to, "why didn't we start this years ago?"  As I pondered the question, I gradually came to a realization.  I am so thankful that we serve a God who is patient with his children and nurtures us along the long road of maturity and growth.  When I finished up college and seminary, I remember thinking to myself that it shouldn't be long until I reach full maturity as a pastor and leader.  Having that type of mindset naturally lent itself to discouragement as I would become increasingly aware of my limitations and shortfalls as a minister.

But may I say it again, praise God for his mercy and grace in our lives.  Thank God for continuing to speak truth and love to his children as we seek to grow and understand what it means and looks like to be faithful.

ordination

It looks like in August I will be receiving my ordination in the Church of the Nazarene.  To be quite honest, for a while I viewed ordination as simply a hoop to be jumped through.  However, as the process is coming to a close, I am quite humbled by the entire process.

There have been and will be times when people will look at me and question my abilities and calling as a pastor and a minister of the gospel.  There will be times when I will wonder I even bother being a pastor.  However, it is during times like this I will remember that my local church, my district, and the leadership of the denomination has looked at me and affirmed God's call, gifting, and graces in my life... and that will be what I need to keep going.

I thank God for all those ministers, pastors, teachers, men, and women who have gone before us in the faith for the sake of the Gospel and I thank God that I, along with many others, many continue to join them.

wednesday night

Our youth service finished up about 10 minutes ago and I am still sitting here in the room where we all gather together every Wednesday night.  This is one of those nights where all the students have left and I find myself wondering, 'Am I nothing more than a boxer trying to beat up the air?'  There are times when I think that pastoral ministry has to be one of the most humbling jobs out there... And after thinking about it for a little bit, I think the reason is because pastoral ministry cannot be reduced to a simple formula of A+B=C when it comes to seeking results.  There are times where you pour yourself into your job and your calling and sense little, if anything, to show for it.  It is times like these that I think the best thing to do is to take a step back, look with a broad lens, and unwind for the evening.  After 6 years of ministry, I have learned that nights/times like these come with the territory.