Download TheBattleisOn.pdf (136.5K)
We just got back from our Light Force trip (more on that later) and I thought I would quickly post this. Sunday morning went exceedingly well. It was one of those things, like MainStreet last week, where God showed up and the Holy Spirit did something while I was just being me… as inadequate as always. At least, that’s my theory.
This afternoon I was doing a little reflecting and I realized that Kristen and I have been in full-time ministry for just over 5 years. Meaning, for the past 5 years our only income has come from being employed by a local church. (I had paid roles prior to that, just not my sole income source.)
This picture is from my first VBS in Romeo in 2003… right after we got here. I’m still that sexy.
I have a lot of thoughts about what that means. First, I recognize that I’m way above the average length of a pastoral career. There seem to be two types of ministry folks… those who wash out quickly (2 years or under) and those who last a lifetime (15 years and up) My hope has always been to be in that latter category. Second, God’s people take care of their staff the best they know how. Leaving the corporate world and entering full time ministry was the biggest leap of faith Kristen and I had ever encountered. And our first experience landed us flat on our face 2000+ miles from home. But even in the disaster of "Horrorville" we were blessed by people who helped us greatly. (People who watched Megan, gave us food, clothing, vacations, fixed our car, and helped us out in many tangible ways.) Likewise, the people of Romeo have been faithful and loving to Kristen and I for more than 4 years. The first 1-2 years of being in ministry I was just humbled by the honor that a church would pay us to do something I love. And I can’t lie… 5 years later I’m still surprised that God would want me to do this and pay me enough to care for my family, too.
Lastly, I am living proof that God qualfies whom He wants. I never want to be shy in telling people that
getting into ministry was hard work. (Most ministry people I know are extremely hard workers.) I did work hard to "get qualified" educationally. Kristen and I married at 21 and spent several years preparing to go into "paid ministry" and it wasn’t easy. My last couple years of Bible school were dreadful as I worked from 4 am til noon and then took afternoon and evening classes, plus had an internship, plus volunteered in other areas of the church. But I didn’t earn being in full time ministry any more than I am qualified to do it. (Well, I"m biblically qualified… that’s another qualification) There have been dozens of gut checks and temptations to get out of it. I’ve come to realize that I am in ministry not because I want to, or because I set out to, but because it’s God’ choice.
That said, it’s been 5 years. I hope this is just the beginning. But I am also aware that since it was God’s choice to put me in ministry, it’s not really my choice as to how long I’m in ministry, is it? My job is just like anyone else’s. I’m called to do the best I can with where God has me right now. My future is in the same hands as my present.
Not my will, but Yours.
p.s. Yeah, that’s Mike D. as an 8th grader. He’s a senior this year and about 6-4. Yikes!
One of the things I appreciate about people is their ability to enjoy a good laugh. I’ve noticed that people who want to be friends with me like to laugh. And people who are very serious… they tend to tolerate me but never want to really be my friend.
With that in mind, check out why I like the people over at Gospel Communications so much. (Click here and scroll down to the bottom, check out my name/title/company) They get it, and it just makes it super funny. I can’t wait to see that on my name tag in September.
It’s another one of those moments when a 14 year old looks at me, giggles, and tells me to grow up.
Sitting here at a local coffee shop this morning, sipping a mocha and nibbling on a bagel. I need to get back into this routine sooner rather than later. Today is a good day. Bob’s surgery went well. I’ve got my favorite youth group trip of the year leaving tomorrow. I’m going to a very encouraging conference late next week. And one of my favorite people is moving back to Romeo later next week. All of that leaves me in quite a mood today.
Without further delay, here are the next 10 tunes piped into my cranium: (no cheating, ratings included)
Two more thoughts…
I spend a fair amount of time on a monthly basis looking around church websites. Such as, if I am looking at someone’s blog and I don’t know them and they have a link to their church… I’ll click on it.
Here’s my pet peeve: Put your church’s mailing address somewhere easy to find! You’d be surprised to know that most churches don’t tell visitors what state they are located in.
Come on, get with the program. If you work at a church stop right now and please make sure that within 2 clicks a person can find directions and your location.
Here’s a playlist of all the videos we produced for the last MainStreet.
I’m finishing my third book review from the same publisher in as many weeks. As I read these three books, written by three different authors, written to three different audiences by the same publisher, (My alma mater’s publishing house, Moody Publishers) I got frustrated to have the same type of content in three different books.
Several months ago I read an article and a "rant" by a well-known youth ministry blogger. The article (not by him) and his rant were blasting the idea that so much stuff uses "battle" or "fighting" metaphors. When I saw that I was a bit put off because I actually think we ought to teach people that we are in a spiritual battle with our adversary, Satan, and that we’re good teachers to tell people the truth. And if the visuals of fighting and warfare are politically correct or are overly dark… stay out of the book of Revelation!
Now having read these three books, I have to agree to some extent with the concept I before thought was just another soft, PC statement of the wimpification of Christ’s church.
In each book there is imagery of spiritual battle. I’m 100% cool with that as the Bible uses this metaphor plenty. There was a call to action. I’m cool with that too, the Bible is God’s instruction manual to us for what we should do. But they all also connected spiritual battle imagery to September 11th, 2001 and the war in Iraq. When I read the first book… it didn’t bother me. When I read the second one I thought, "Hmm, interesting coincidence." When I read the third book I thought… "What the heck, did Moody tell these guys they had to use these metaphors or what?"
Reading the same ideas in three books by the same publisher has just gotten annoying. Was 2007 Moody’s year of spiritual warfare books? For some reason, it’s just annoying to me. It actually has made book three almost impossible to finish because I feel like I’ve already read this book twice.
Last night’s MainStreet was a great success. It was our first "episode" of season 2 and we got it kicked off in style. Later this morning I’ll be releasing some of the videos on the RomeoChurch.com website as well as on YouTube.
Of course, the dunk tank was also dunk-o-rific as well.
There is still plenty of stuff to do. But tonight’s MainStreet is going to be HOT in more ways than just the outside temperature. Here are a few things I’m jazzed about for tonight.