K.C. Wahe - Follower of Jesus, Husband, Father, Pastor, Student, Blogger

What does grace look like when it grows up? It looks like a window you wash in your house and immediately after its cleaned for some reason the fingerprints of those you love reappear within minutes. What does someone look like when God does his work of grace in a persons life? It’s like the window covered with fingerprints instead the fingerprints belong to the maker of the universe.

Every person in my life was some kind of instrument of grace growing up in the church. I’m a follower of Jesus because of the people in my life who gave me grace. I’m a husband and deeply in love with my wife because of how I witnessed those I watched from afar in the way they loved their own wives. I’m a father because of the grace I watched shown to those who fathered their own children.

Covered in grace I am. Giver of grace God is and I now because of those who loved me like Jesus loved me; I now get to give the grace of God away to those I meet and greet in all that I say and do as a follower of Jesus, husband, father, and pastor.  

If you’re not paying attention, you might miss the small things in ministry that happen to you as a pastor. They’ll fly by you quicker than a shooting star. These last few weeks have been a roller coaster of sorts in that I’ve been involved with people like J who’ve recently experienced the joy in finding out that her cancer was in remission. I’ve talked and prayed with people like Jimmy who continues to struggle with terminal cancer and somehow still smiles and still knows that God is still somehow faithful when your bones hurt so badly that you ask for the Lord to take you quickly.

Recently, I helped lead a memorial service for a longtime member and friend of the church who helped build the church brick by brick in 1941. A faithful member who gave his heart to community. I’ve seen and witnessed God’s faithfulness by those who don’t have much, who give of their time to the church with their own presence as a gift back to the Lord. I’ve also witnessed God’s provision for the church in every aspect, everything from financial gifts for building projects to gifts of food for the food pantry that we run twice a month that is currently low on food because the county is running short of supplies.

Over the last 48 hours I’ve experienced a kind of community that only happens when you are sitting still. A kind of community that only happens when you are actually paying attention to the God things of ministry. Yesterday I talked on the phone with someone who actually took the time to ask me how I was doing and what I needed prayer for. This afternoon got another phone call from a good guy who wanted to update me on a prayer request he shared recently in church. He again asked a similar question. He also wanted me to know that he really enjoyed what was happening in worship on Sunday mornings and that he was thinking of me today. What floored me was these two guys asked me something that moved me to a point of awe and gratefulness for the opportunity that I’ve been given by God to serve with the people of God in community. I must confess that it’s foreign to hear the words, “pastor, how can I pray for you?”

It was a simple reminder that as a pastor, it’s sometimes ok and even refreshing for others to hear that you might need prayer. It shows those you serve that your in the midst of the same kinds of things that most people face day to day. It shows that you’re human and that you’re not perfect, which to me is ok to admit sometimes as a pastor. As a pastor It’s encouraging to know that those you shepard sometimes recognize that we pastors aren’t super pastors which relieves some of the pressure in needing to be perfect and needing to be able to meet everyones needs, which is a myth to think that any pastor is capable of meeting every single persons need in the congregations they serve. Praise you Lord for the little accolades of life that come along in the form of your simple reminders of your faithfulness.

Because of what I experienced growing up in the city, I always wanted to have my family live in an area of town that at least was some what safe from the mayhem of a city afflicted with issues ranging from crime to addiction to alcohol and drugs. Suburbia if you will. Clean. Quiet. Middle Class. There are other parts of the valley that we opted not to live because of the issues of crime and whether or not we’d feel that our kids could be safe. We also had hope that we could find a couple of good schools in the part of town we live that were able to meet our kids needs educationally. Last week our neighborhood, less than a mile from where we live experienced a drive by shooting right after the high school behind our home let out. A car of kids drove up to a kid with a semi-automatic in hand and shot the kid. The kid by God’s grace somehow survived. Not much different. The sounds of the city are becoming the sounds of suburbia. The only difference? The neighborhood is just a little cleaner. 

 ht: Roxburgh

Simple church. As a new young pastor I’m looking for something simple. Need something simple. Many things to do during the week and one can forget that the message Jesus gave was simple. Love your neighbor as yourself. Simple Church is a new book that a friend said that the staff he was serving with was reading through. Just got it. Hope to finish it soon. Seems like a “simple” read.  

When Jesus sends us out into the world, he sends us to places that either bring us joy or places where we will be challenged to grow in our faith. After finishing a week of vacation Bible school, I can’t help but hear the words of Jesus, “as the father sends me, I also send you…”

Ministry is a whole lot of sending sometimes. Every where you go and everyone you meet is an opportunity for giving and living like Jesus. I have to say that I was on the receiving end of grace this week as we concluded a week of VBS. I love watching kids move from that initial first day of, “what have I gotten myself in to,” to singing goofy VBS church songs, which yours truly always enjoys doing. (I will be singing “whose side are you leaning on” in my sleep for about a week in my dreams) I especially enjoyed our celebration this evening when the kids whose parents had showed up for an end of week BBQ wanted to sing the songs for their parents. It was awesome and refreshing. I especially enjoyed watching the adults give of their lives in a way where one adult made a comment to another, “now what am I going to do now that VBS is over?”

I have no doubt they experienced what I experienced in receiving grace from a bunch of kids who were challenged at the beginning of the week to do just one thing…just have fun. The joy in being sent by God is knowing that even when we are sent to places that either bring us joy or challenge us that God has a way of renewing our hearts for for his purpose. Even when and if we’re feeling spent after a week of goofy VBS church songs, bible themed snacks, and loud ear piercing sounds and smells of kids just trying to enjoy the gift of being kids.

I’ve been sick this week. Still have managed to get through the day with enough grace from on high to do my day to day things. I’ve been pondering the meaning and role that mission has in the church today. I’m overwhelmed by the mere fact that we the church (in North America) are years away from truly becoming a missional community of Christ followers where we reflect the world and our own communities and where we’re becoming equipping centers with the great commission in mind. I’m struck by the fact and thankful that there are many who desire some of the same things I desire, but because of fear are afraid of risking the simplicity of what Jesus calls us to do as his followers. I can’t wait and my prayer continues to be, that one day one mission would exist.

Father’s day is coming…

Daddy gets to go here Sunday after church…and we get to cruise the field and play catch after the game. SHWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! Thank you honey!!!

These last couple of months I’ve been in circles where the word “missional” continues to be a “buzz” word amongst folks. I think its awesome. This last week I sat with a bunch of pastors who were asked to think about what Jesus would say about the cities we live in and in our context as pastors. What does this mean to me? It means for me as a pastor that I fall down in the middle of grace in every aspect of my ministry. It means falling down on the side of those who hurt and who ache over the things of this world that don’t seem right. It means weeping for the parent who hopes they’ve given their child what they need in order to survive this world. Falling down in the middle of grace means that we hurt for the lives lost last week and for the parents who grieve. When it comes to being a missional pastor it means helping others to come to grips with the call to fall down in the middle of grace. It means helping others to catch a glimpse of the mission of God, to becoming people sent out into the world, to love as Jesus loved, even when things don’t seem to jive.