Just a little

It took me exactly three blog entries before I got busy and stopped the 'blog'. Ah, and I had such great aspirations of being a 'good blogger' - you know, I didn't want to be 'that guy' that never writes anything, and yet - I am indeed 'that guy'. Oh well, my apologies!

Nonetheless, I am here -- it's been an interesting journey over the last couple of weeks at the church. When you are a member at the church, you can come and go - and never really have an idea of all that goes on behind the scenes. Sure - you may get a little taste here, or a little taste there - but never the full picture. Not that the full picture is necessarily bad -- it's just not what all you would think of with a church.

Church like business -- not what you think from the pews - and yet in so many ways it is. In fact, it provides an interesting dilemma - where is the balance between business man and pastor. On the one hand, church leaders must constantly consider and worry about the budget and money and expenses - and on the other hand, communicate to the congregation that we should be faithful people and trust that the Lord will supply all that we need. At times it can be very frustrating - and yet I love it. The challenge for church leaders is how to remain centered - how to remain faithful to our calling and our biblical examples. The fact of the matter is that we cannot let the business of the church become the business of the church -- the business of the church should be a faithful adherence to the upward call of Christ - and ultimately that is why we (as pastors ... or me, as ministry intern) do what we do.

Thus, perhaps you can understand why it can be frustrating to work in the church sometimes. Are those 6 hours of meetings every week really pleasing and uplifting to God? That's the ultimate goal right? And yet, those meetings are necessary, aren't they? As a church, we must be weary not to fall into the consumer-driven performance trap of numbers all the time. The pressure is constantly there - especially in a church where business people are the majority of the crop. And while numbers certainly can be a sign of successful and vital ministry, a ministry's success and health can never be fully defined by its size -- because size doesn't always represent fruitful, deep, meaningful discipleship ministry.

Yes, it has been awhile since I last wrote --- and clearly, I have had a lot stored up in my head both positive and negative about the Church, but I love being there - and I am ever thankful that I have the unusual chance to see it now and know fully what I am being called to as I enter this next phase in my life. I leave you with this quote included in a book that I am reading right now.

A.C. Dixon said "When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man, we get what man can do; but when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do."