When I was in seminary I was required as part of my ordination process in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. to serve in a church in what the seminary called, “Field Education.” Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan were two of the coolest pastors in the world who loved Jesus and who were by all means the best of the best in making sure that I received what I needed in fulfilling my field education requirement at the seminary and helping me prepare in becoming a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church. I watched these two cats from afar and up close. I watched how they led worship and how they proclaimed God’s Word each and every week. Each had their own style in preaching. One used a manuscript and the other spoke from the heart without notes. One was introverted and the other was more of an extrovert. Both had a heart for the people of the church and were living examples of Christ’s love. Both preached God’s grace and were visionaries. They allowed me to preach and to lead one of their adult education classes during my internship. They allowed me to run their youth ministry alongside some wonderful people.
I recall on one occasion hearing a church member praise Pastor Ray and his ability to remember names. Pastor Jan and his wife were two of the kindest people Debbie and I ever met and made sure that our family was ministered to and cared for while we were living in Princeton during seminary and the entire church surrounded us with love and prayer when I graduated and we moved back to California for my first call as an Associate Pastor at a wonderful church in Sacramento. Pastor Jan was an Army Chaplain as well as one of the Pastors of the church and had a wonderful pastors heart and provided much of the pastoral care for the church. I got to watch Jan and Ray both interact with church members at the best and worst of times in a persons life. Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan blessed me in so many ways and I’m so grateful to have had served alongside them while in seminary. I learned more about pastoral care from these two guys than I did in seminary in my pastoral care class.
Over the last nine months I have had the honor of supervising a very good friend. He’s been a blessing in so many ways and I’ve enjoyed being able to be his supervisor while he’s attended Fuller Seminary and helping him, along with my church, fulfill his Field Education requirement in preparation for ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA. When James and I first got acquainted I made sure he knew that if he were to do his “Field Education” at our church, he’d get as much as I got in my field education and even more. James has assisted me in leading worship, he’s preached almost monthly, and has served alongside me and our church leaders. We’ve had the opportunity in watching James grow in his ministry and in his internship. I have know doubt the Lord will continue to use James as he discerns where it is that God is calling him to serve when he is ready to receive a call. I’ve enjoyed also learning from James and what he has to offer the church.
James will continue serving at our church as our pastoral intern until he finishes the ordination process. I look forward in continuing to being able to give to James and others in the future what Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan gave to me as I prepared for becoming a pastor. James has recently entered the blogosphere. If you’d like to catch a glimpse of James heart and his passion for ministry visit his new blog elpisandshalom.com.
Thank you James!!!
I’ve been in ministry for a long time. Right out of high school. Okay it seems like a long time. As a matter of fact the first time I had the chance to lead in ministry was in an after school program where we’d pick up kids from a neighborhood near the church we attended in Hollywood. We’d bring them back to the church for a Saturday morning ministry almost like a VBS program. Did this for a long time.
My first real full-time ministry gig was at that same church that loved me often and my way of giving back to the church was by loving their kids often as I could like Jesus loved me. There are kids I still talk to on occasion and its hard to believe they’ve grown so fast. Teachers, physical trainers, Army folks. It seems like yesterday I was just sitting at camp with these same kids, eating, drinking, and watching kids come to know Jesus or serving side by side with them on some Mexico mission trip.
Hard to believe that someone took the time and believed in me that I had something to offer. Something to give. That my testimony and faith in God was of value in the kingdom and some how I got my little toe into the big show. As pastors I wonder if that’s how we’re perceived by others in the church? In some ways its like the way we look at an athlete. When they get to that place in their lives where they’re at their peak of their game. Maybe we are looked at in this way as pastors. This can be a joyful thought or an overwhelming thought in which I’d like to throw against a wall sometimes. With a smile of course. I hate that metaphor but it fits at least for now in my processing that occurs in ministry as a pastor.
Me in the big show? Hard to believe. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it took a long time for me to get to this place. God’s overwhelming grace. Not my strength. And sometimes I have to thump myself on the head that I’m still not completely ready and prepared for what I’ve already faced and will face on a daily basis in the life of the church as a pastor.
On a sweeter and yummier note there are times that I have to admit that although I continue to grow I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else in the church universal. At least not right now.
What’s frustrating is the assumption that we as pastors have got it all together. Because we are in the positions we hold that we are the chosen ones. We’ve been selected by God to proclaim “good news.” At least that’s how we’re perceived. This morning the heater wouldn’t work in church. One person said something to the affect, “just do that hot air stuff you do.” I smiled. There is a member I’ve served with who reminds me that I’m the dude with the robe. The robe? This robe that people like Calvin wore as a means for telling the world he was now in the big show. He earned his way and that he had some brains regarding who God was and is for us as his children.
Sometimes I don’t like that robe. It’s to heavy. In the summer time especially in the church I pastor it’s too hot to wear. I think it scares people. There are those though of previous generations in the church who love when I wear my heavy black robe. It reminds them of a time when the church was at its peak. Its glory day. There is this one sweet lady who reminds me that I look good in a tie with my robe. I made a deal with her that I’d wear it when I did a baptism or administered communion. She smiled. And when I forget she makes sure to jolt my memory not to forget.
Hard to believe. Much to learn. Still growing. Praise God that at this time in my life I get a small part in the sharing of GOOD NEWS. A little toe in the big show. I love what I do!
Haven’t had time to really process what I learned from LJO. We were away with some old friends here. It was neat to catch up, watch, and listen to what God is doing the lives of his people.
Here’s a couple of LJO quotes from last week…
“Great preaching is when we allow Christ in his power to meet us at the point in our needs hopes and dreams, so then we can reach out to those we preach.”
“We preach with passion when we listen to the deepest needs of our people.”
”The sermon is the preacher up to date.”
Three hopes for me as a preacher.
I must say I loved every bit of my seminary education. My theology classes with folks like this and this who I could sit and listen to all day long. After today and the fun I had today in officiating a wedding, these are a few classes I wish seminary had offered;
1. The Missional Theology of the Wedding Coordinator
2. Marriage licensee preparation and its use in ministry to engaged couples
3. How to minister to broken down printers as a pastor without falling away from Jesus before the wedding.
4. The Office of Church Custodian and its function as a minister of the Gospel
5. The Etiquette of the minister of the Gospel at a wedding reception and how one is to function inspite of the yummy food being dished out.
Okay. Just a few.
Earlier this week I shared that I had a chance to lead someone to Christ. I have to tell you part of the reason I’m blown away was that in my years of serving in the church I’ve witnessed others coming to Jesus, but I’ve never really experienced first hand someone wanting me to pray with them about their hearts desire to come to know Christ. I was in awe and honored and yet overwhelmed with the responsibility of being a pastor, teacher and in helping others lead a church. Okay! It was awesome!!! Anyways, I do my first wedding tomorrow, it’s a Renaissance theme. I’ve never done a wedding like this. Should be fun. And Youth Sunday is right around the corner! This day is a day I love and yes the break in preaching is a nice one!
Church, school, new jobs, new house. My bride is getting settled in her new school and teaching gig. We’re doing pretty okay for the first week of the new year. Our oldest is enjoying his new school. Our other two are enjoying their new school and our youngest is in full day kinder which saves his parental units some day care money. I’m loving our church very much. Our first session retreat is this weekend. I’m looking forward to spending time with some wonderful leaders. I’m also enjoying the sermon thingy every Sunday. One of our elders who leads a Bible study during the week is doing a study on Colossians and I’ve decided to do my sermons in-sync with his study which is a cool thing. Anyways, all is well. Supposed to snow some on Friday??? It was in the high 60′s yesterday…and the new season of “24″ kicks off! Go Jack! Praise God for new beginnings.
On a plane at 4:40pm to Burbank and back on a plane back to Sacto at 9:55pm. The presbytery examination went okay. Roughly twenty minutes. I had a baptism question and a holy spirit question. It was all good. I was nervous and thought my heart was going to race out my brains. I made it though and the church is very happy and beside themselves. We praise God for our new church and look forward to serving the Lord with them.
We made an offer on a house. They’ve accepted our offer! Yeah! Fourteen miles from church. Not bad. Seven miles from Deb’s new teaching position and the school for our kindergartner is a five minute walk around the block. The high school is literally separated by a brick wall. We can see the football stadium literally…The Jr. High school is three miles away. Praise God!!!
Okay. Sitting in a starbucks. I’m Working on my candidating sermon. This week my friend Steve pointed something out after being in Sacto earlier in the week. You see No. California is a cool place for only one reason. Sacramento and other parts have actual seasons. Fall is alive in Sacto. Trees with red and yellow leaves. The starbucks I’m at is in LA county. No red and yellow leaves. 
By the way I will miss Sacto. It is a great place and maybe one day we’ll be back. Small town feel with some city and urban stuff mixed in. We made some good friends we will miss very much.
The good news is that the church I’m preaching for is jazzed. We’re jazzed, because in a few weeks pending some Presbyterian polity I will be voted in as their new pastor in the morning. Would enjoy your prayers. Now we need a house, a job for my wife, and a really good school for our kids. All in 6 weeks. AGGHHH!!!
This Sunday I’m candidating for a church to be their pastor. The family and I will meet our new church pending a congregational meeting and vote. I’m very thrilled in that we get to begin a new journey together as a family with some new folks. The Lord is good and I’m looking forward to seeing where God will lead us as I take on a new role as a pastor. It’s a great little church. I will keep you posted. Would enjoy your prayers and also praise in that God has provided this call for me and I’m excited and at the same time overwhelmed with what I need to do these next few weeks. I’m even breaking in a new laptop to start writing a set of sermons to preach for the Advent season. More thoughts to come.
