I have heard from many pastors about how the church they work at, they would not personally attend as a parishioner. This is a sad state of affairs. It signals more than job dissatisfaction, but also value clash, vision struggle, and a misaligning of ideals. At best, it indicates that there is a lot of work to be done. At worst, it heralds the beginning of the end of the call to that place.
I have gone through this myself, when I have worked at a parish where I would not personally attend. I know I am a bit of a snob in things, but I am quite certain I was not alone in that assessment. People are looking for things. If I was not able to see it or find it there, chances are others would feel the same way too.
Which is why I am grateful every day I work at Woven. Were I to move to this city – Houston – be it in the energy sector or for any other industry other than pastoral ministry, I would attend this church myself. I would seek it out, google search it, do my homework, and I could conceivably see myself winding up here. It is exactly the type of church I would want to go to.
I am pastoring the church I myself would go to.
So I am so grateful:
- Grateful for my great team of staff, leaders, members, and core community.
- Grateful for the myriad gifts, talents, abilities.
- Grateful for increasing effectiveness
- Grateful for more avenues forming for discipleship
- Grateful for the life transformation that is evident
- Grateful for new possibilities of ministry
- Grateful for the fun that is work
- Grateful to be paid for what I enjoy doing.
There is a playfulness when I know God is doing the heavy lifting. He is in control. Taking care of things. I get to be playful alongside. Goofy even. When I am free, I am doing ministry as one who is allowing myself to be known. To know, and be known. This is a gift.
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