"Why Aren't We Happy"
I am writing this from the ninth floor of Seawatch in Myrtle Beach, SC. This week should be perfect. We are here with our son, daughter in law, three and a half year old grandson and our daughter in law's parents. What can get any better than spending a few days at the beach with family, especially grandchildren. The problem is that I am inside. I am looking at the sea from behind a glass patio door. The reason is the temperature. It is cold!!! Who ever heard of having to wear heavy coats when you go to the beach. It just isn't right.
I have seen this play out in too many churches. You go a long time without a pastor. You go through the process of finding "God's Man". Your long awaited day finally arrives. You are excited, ready to go forward, enjoy the new chapter and all of a sudden you realize that it is not turning out like you had planned.
Sometimes it is because the committee may have overlooked some very important information. Too many times the church family is in such a hurry to fill the position that they put pressure on the committee to hurry up and call a pastor. When this happens the results will not be what you want. The warm body may not be a fit for the church.
Sometimes it is because the committee did not get the information needed to make the right fit for the church. We all have been guilty of sending the "sugar stick" sermon DVD to the committee. One sermon will not give a good picture of the pastor's style, personality or theological depth. It is important to use all tools available to get the greatest information in order to make the best decision for the church and the prospective pastor. One of the best things a committee can do is say to a prospect after going through the process, "We are sorry but right now our church is not a good fit for you". It is better to acknowledge that up front rather than wait until the pastor has accepted the position and moved on the field.
At http://www.ministrytogether.com we use a 54 point matching system to address these problems. Our matching questions deal with theological, contemporary, education and many other issues that will match the prospective church and pastor. When the senior pastor position is entered into our system the questions are answered according to the needs and beliefs of the church. The prospective pastors answer the same questions and the database finds and matches them to each other. It works very well and the outcome is a senior pastor or staff person that is matched to the particular church.
If we had chosen a different date for our trip to the beach or if we had checked the weather forecast in December when it was booked we may have had a different outcome. We might be walking on the beach with our grandson rather than cuddled on the couch looking out the window watching the waves.....Preacherman
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Pastor Search # 8 - "Not Perfect But Good Find"
Today as I put the wagon back together I found one of the bolt heads had some paint on it. This bolt is essential in order for the wagon to move forward and be effective. I had two choices. I could get a new bolt. I thought about that but the trouble of driving the fifteen minutes each way to the hardware store was too much for me today. The other choice was to take a piece of sandpaper and try to get rid of the paint. I found that this worked very well and soon all of the bolts looked sparkling new and the wagon is ready for many trips with the grandchildren.
Sometimes our search for a pastor brings the same types of issues. We find someone who is qualified, willing and ready to go. But when questioned and analyzed there is just something that isn't right. In my case I always want someone who is bald. Other people want certain schools, specific track records, etc.
So the question is "What do we do with those candidates who are not completely perfect for the position"? We have two choices. We can move on to someone else and try to find just the right person. Or we can realize that we will never find the perfect match and look for areas of compromise. There are some things that should never be compromised. Maybe another blog post will be a venue to discuss those. You all know the important ones. Whether a person has a full head of hair or went to a certain school should never stand in the way of calling a pastor.
At http://www.ministrytogether.com we use a 54 point matching system to match churches with pastors. Even though we ask some very in-depth questions we realize that very few times there will be a 100% match. We have categorized the matches into three groups: 85% or better matches are excellent matches. They may be bald but otherwise meet all the matching criteria. 50% to 84% matches have some good matching points but may need some sandpaper in certain areas (compromise). Below 50% match indicates you should look at someone else.
There were a few times in my ministry of 45 years where I needed a little sandpaper. I am so thankful that those churches took a chance on me. We had wonderful ministries, people came to know the Lord better, I grew as a pastor and the Kingdom received glory from it. So, if you are looking for a pastor don't be afraid to do a little sanding. You just might find a great pastor....Later...........Preacherman
Sometimes our search for a pastor brings the same types of issues. We find someone who is qualified, willing and ready to go. But when questioned and analyzed there is just something that isn't right. In my case I always want someone who is bald. Other people want certain schools, specific track records, etc.
So the question is "What do we do with those candidates who are not completely perfect for the position"? We have two choices. We can move on to someone else and try to find just the right person. Or we can realize that we will never find the perfect match and look for areas of compromise. There are some things that should never be compromised. Maybe another blog post will be a venue to discuss those. You all know the important ones. Whether a person has a full head of hair or went to a certain school should never stand in the way of calling a pastor.
At http://www.ministrytogether.com we use a 54 point matching system to match churches with pastors. Even though we ask some very in-depth questions we realize that very few times there will be a 100% match. We have categorized the matches into three groups: 85% or better matches are excellent matches. They may be bald but otherwise meet all the matching criteria. 50% to 84% matches have some good matching points but may need some sandpaper in certain areas (compromise). Below 50% match indicates you should look at someone else.
There were a few times in my ministry of 45 years where I needed a little sandpaper. I am so thankful that those churches took a chance on me. We had wonderful ministries, people came to know the Lord better, I grew as a pastor and the Kingdom received glory from it. So, if you are looking for a pastor don't be afraid to do a little sanding. You just might find a great pastor....Later...........Preacherman
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pastor Search # 7
Getting Rid Of The Rust
I am in the middle of a very interesting project for Christmas. We bought a thirty year old Radio Flyer wagon for my grandson and I have been restoring it for one of his Christmas presents. I have found out some very interesting things about the restoration process. First, you have to get rid of all the rust before you can make it look good. That takes some hard decisions. I had to have the entire wagon sandblasted in order to get all of the old gone before I could start on the new. The second thing I had to do was put a good primer on before I could paint. Without the primer the final product would not have looked as good. Thirdly, I found that there are some things from the past that I could not keep. I was unable to get the exact Radio Flyer decals and some of the bolts are slightly different. So, although the wagon will look new and will have the foundation of the past it will be somewhat different from what it originally was.
Search committees need to realize that some churches are like the wagon. The foundation is extremely solid but some of the surface needs to be repaired. This may mean taking more time than most members want in order for the sandblasting to take place. Sometimes people need to leave in order for the church to be able to go forward. Some churches try to hold on to the past so much that they fail to see the wonderful finished product they could be. Those churches usually are not completely up front with their prospects. They will say things like, “Everything is great in our church family”. “We don’t have any problems”. That is true if they want to stay the same as they were. Where this becomes a problem is when the new pastor comes onboard and wants to follow God into the future and all the rust from the past begins to show up. They resist anything that will make them look different from what they have always been. That is tragic because the new pastor must either try to scale off a little of the rust at a time and pay the price or he gives up entirely and either leaves or settles for less than what God would have him be. It is possible for a church to hold on to some great foundations and still change for the future. I have never been in favor of what I call “Throwing out the baby with the bath water”. There are some things from the past that are great and we need to hold on to them. What is not good is when we stand in the way of doing different things because we have never done them before.
The greatest thing for search committees is to just be honest. Discuss the rust. Consider the fix even when it requires a lot of effort and time. The look on my grandson’s face Christmas morning will make all the time and work worthwhile. The end results of an honest approach to calling your next pastor will be as rewarding and worthwhile to your committee and your church. At http://www.ministrytogether.com we use a matching matrix to bring churches and prospects together that are suited for each other. When they each fill out the questionnaire they will deal with some of the rust we have been talking about……….I can’t wait til Christmas morning…I plan to take pictures…….Preacherman
I am in the middle of a very interesting project for Christmas. We bought a thirty year old Radio Flyer wagon for my grandson and I have been restoring it for one of his Christmas presents. I have found out some very interesting things about the restoration process. First, you have to get rid of all the rust before you can make it look good. That takes some hard decisions. I had to have the entire wagon sandblasted in order to get all of the old gone before I could start on the new. The second thing I had to do was put a good primer on before I could paint. Without the primer the final product would not have looked as good. Thirdly, I found that there are some things from the past that I could not keep. I was unable to get the exact Radio Flyer decals and some of the bolts are slightly different. So, although the wagon will look new and will have the foundation of the past it will be somewhat different from what it originally was.
Search committees need to realize that some churches are like the wagon. The foundation is extremely solid but some of the surface needs to be repaired. This may mean taking more time than most members want in order for the sandblasting to take place. Sometimes people need to leave in order for the church to be able to go forward. Some churches try to hold on to the past so much that they fail to see the wonderful finished product they could be. Those churches usually are not completely up front with their prospects. They will say things like, “Everything is great in our church family”. “We don’t have any problems”. That is true if they want to stay the same as they were. Where this becomes a problem is when the new pastor comes onboard and wants to follow God into the future and all the rust from the past begins to show up. They resist anything that will make them look different from what they have always been. That is tragic because the new pastor must either try to scale off a little of the rust at a time and pay the price or he gives up entirely and either leaves or settles for less than what God would have him be. It is possible for a church to hold on to some great foundations and still change for the future. I have never been in favor of what I call “Throwing out the baby with the bath water”. There are some things from the past that are great and we need to hold on to them. What is not good is when we stand in the way of doing different things because we have never done them before.
The greatest thing for search committees is to just be honest. Discuss the rust. Consider the fix even when it requires a lot of effort and time. The look on my grandson’s face Christmas morning will make all the time and work worthwhile. The end results of an honest approach to calling your next pastor will be as rewarding and worthwhile to your committee and your church. At http://www.ministrytogether.com we use a matching matrix to bring churches and prospects together that are suited for each other. When they each fill out the questionnaire they will deal with some of the rust we have been talking about……….I can’t wait til Christmas morning…I plan to take pictures…….Preacherman
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Pastor Search #6
Finding The Perfect Match
I watched a beautiful sunset yesterday from our front porch. The bright rays reflecting over the lake began to fade behind the North Carolina hills surrounding our home. The fall colors are gorgeous. This reminded me again how wonderful our retirement has turned out. There were unanswered questions about our future. There are always the financial issues. Will there be enough money? There was the social issue. Will we get good neighbors? And there were the personal issues. Will we be happy? I can answer all of these questions with a resounding yes!! These are the types of questions a search committee must deal with. When the decision is made and everyone is satisfied that this is the right person then you wait for the outcome. Will everyone be satisfied? Will the pastor be happy in his new surroundings? Have we missed anything? The goal of the search committee is to do their homework well enough so that there is a perfect fit. There have been times when the new pastor and church fit like a glove and a hand. To often there have been situations when both parties knew right away that it was a mistake. That is tragic. Both the church and the pastor suffer. The job of the search committee is to spend the time in prayer and with leg work in order to prevent this. I speak from experience of being in that situation several years ago. I knew right away that it was not God who sent me but it was a selfish desire on my part. That church suffered and my family and I suffered as well. So, how can this be avoided? First, the search committee must use every tool possible in order to get the right person. It is not unusual for a church to get four or five hundred resumes. How can the committee find the jewel in that pile? There are services available to provide background checks and personality profiles. I talked with one committee who told me one of their candidates attached the “Myers-Briggs Indicator Certification” with his cover letter. The committee said he went to the top of their list. There are other tools available as well. We developed the http://www.ministrytogether.com/ website in order to address some of these issues. We knew there was a great need for a sifting process so that certain candidates can rise to the top rather than be hidden in the stack. We developed a 54 point matching system so the pastor and church can be matched together. We ask theological, psychological, and practical questions. The matches are listed with the percentage of match in order for the committee and the candidate to find each other. Once they have determined their matches they can communicate with each other and continue the process. Our site has become the sifter to sift out those candidates who are not a match for the particular church. The goal is for the search committee to find candidates whom they can seriously pursue rather than spending their time going through the four or five hundred resumes to hopefully find a fit. When it is all over they will see the beautiful sunsets and will be able to say, “The decision was the right one”. That is what we say every day when we look out our front window and see the beautiful view………..Preacherman
I watched a beautiful sunset yesterday from our front porch. The bright rays reflecting over the lake began to fade behind the North Carolina hills surrounding our home. The fall colors are gorgeous. This reminded me again how wonderful our retirement has turned out. There were unanswered questions about our future. There are always the financial issues. Will there be enough money? There was the social issue. Will we get good neighbors? And there were the personal issues. Will we be happy? I can answer all of these questions with a resounding yes!! These are the types of questions a search committee must deal with. When the decision is made and everyone is satisfied that this is the right person then you wait for the outcome. Will everyone be satisfied? Will the pastor be happy in his new surroundings? Have we missed anything? The goal of the search committee is to do their homework well enough so that there is a perfect fit. There have been times when the new pastor and church fit like a glove and a hand. To often there have been situations when both parties knew right away that it was a mistake. That is tragic. Both the church and the pastor suffer. The job of the search committee is to spend the time in prayer and with leg work in order to prevent this. I speak from experience of being in that situation several years ago. I knew right away that it was not God who sent me but it was a selfish desire on my part. That church suffered and my family and I suffered as well. So, how can this be avoided? First, the search committee must use every tool possible in order to get the right person. It is not unusual for a church to get four or five hundred resumes. How can the committee find the jewel in that pile? There are services available to provide background checks and personality profiles. I talked with one committee who told me one of their candidates attached the “Myers-Briggs Indicator Certification” with his cover letter. The committee said he went to the top of their list. There are other tools available as well. We developed the http://www.ministrytogether.com/ website in order to address some of these issues. We knew there was a great need for a sifting process so that certain candidates can rise to the top rather than be hidden in the stack. We developed a 54 point matching system so the pastor and church can be matched together. We ask theological, psychological, and practical questions. The matches are listed with the percentage of match in order for the committee and the candidate to find each other. Once they have determined their matches they can communicate with each other and continue the process. Our site has become the sifter to sift out those candidates who are not a match for the particular church. The goal is for the search committee to find candidates whom they can seriously pursue rather than spending their time going through the four or five hundred resumes to hopefully find a fit. When it is all over they will see the beautiful sunsets and will be able to say, “The decision was the right one”. That is what we say every day when we look out our front window and see the beautiful view………..Preacherman
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Pastor Search # 5
"Choosing a candidate that the church wants rather than the candidate the church needs….."
What does a church want in a pastor? Many churches will create a questionnaire asking for each member to state what they want in their next pastor. Then they compile the list and the majority wins. Wow, that certainly opens the door for lots of issues down the road. Most often the final model for the new pastor will be; twenty-five years old with forty years experience, married with two perfect children, willing to spend ninety hours per week on the church field, great administrator but willing to let the church body make all the decisions, a strong leader but more apt to follow the majority,,,,,,well, you get the idea. When we poll the audience, we will come up with a wish list rather than a true picture of what the church needs. Often, the church needs a strong leader who will cast a vision and move people in that direction. I was speaking to a group of pastors last year about leadership and I pointed out that a shepherd never asks his sheep where they want to graze today. He never sends out a survey to determine what the majority wants. The shepherd knows what is best for his sheep. He knows where the dangerous cliffs are so he keeps them away from those areas. He knows where the predators lurk so he will be on guard if his flock is in the area of danger. In other words, the shepherd will lead his flock. So, the church needs a leader. If the church determines that they have called the person God has chosen to pastor them they should be willing to follow. So, what the church needs is a person who does not necessarily fulfill their wish list but one who has the ability to move them forward. I had a sign in my office before I retired that said, “Spiritual Leadership Is Moving People Toward God’s Agenda”. Most often the church will be willing to follow if they are convinced the pastor knows where they are going.
So, how do you get a pastor that the church needs rather than one they want? At http://www.ministrytogether.com we have designed a matching system based on the characteristics of the church and the pastor. We determine how the church deals with conflict, what they believe, and many other issues and we match them with a pastor who has the same qualities. A pastor who polls the congregation to determine how to deal with conflict will not survive in a church that chooses to deal with it head on. Our database gives a church the top matches as prospective candidates. These top matches are best suited to their characteristics and will have a much better survival rate.
There have been times in my life that I wanted something so badly that I did everything I could to get it. I have to confess that I did that with one of the churches I pastored. I wanted it so badly that I spoke with the right people and made it very clear that I was sure this was for me. Well, I got it and within a very few months I knew that it was not what I needed and I was not what the church needed. It did not last long. I did not want to leave after six months so I toughed it out…It was hard. But, it was just what I wanted. I am sure the church must have felt the same way. So, we must do whatever we can to determine needs rather than wants when calling a senior pastor or any staff member….I know I learned my lesson the hard way….Preacherman.
What does a church want in a pastor? Many churches will create a questionnaire asking for each member to state what they want in their next pastor. Then they compile the list and the majority wins. Wow, that certainly opens the door for lots of issues down the road. Most often the final model for the new pastor will be; twenty-five years old with forty years experience, married with two perfect children, willing to spend ninety hours per week on the church field, great administrator but willing to let the church body make all the decisions, a strong leader but more apt to follow the majority,,,,,,well, you get the idea. When we poll the audience, we will come up with a wish list rather than a true picture of what the church needs. Often, the church needs a strong leader who will cast a vision and move people in that direction. I was speaking to a group of pastors last year about leadership and I pointed out that a shepherd never asks his sheep where they want to graze today. He never sends out a survey to determine what the majority wants. The shepherd knows what is best for his sheep. He knows where the dangerous cliffs are so he keeps them away from those areas. He knows where the predators lurk so he will be on guard if his flock is in the area of danger. In other words, the shepherd will lead his flock. So, the church needs a leader. If the church determines that they have called the person God has chosen to pastor them they should be willing to follow. So, what the church needs is a person who does not necessarily fulfill their wish list but one who has the ability to move them forward. I had a sign in my office before I retired that said, “Spiritual Leadership Is Moving People Toward God’s Agenda”. Most often the church will be willing to follow if they are convinced the pastor knows where they are going.
So, how do you get a pastor that the church needs rather than one they want? At http://www.ministrytogether.com we have designed a matching system based on the characteristics of the church and the pastor. We determine how the church deals with conflict, what they believe, and many other issues and we match them with a pastor who has the same qualities. A pastor who polls the congregation to determine how to deal with conflict will not survive in a church that chooses to deal with it head on. Our database gives a church the top matches as prospective candidates. These top matches are best suited to their characteristics and will have a much better survival rate.
There have been times in my life that I wanted something so badly that I did everything I could to get it. I have to confess that I did that with one of the churches I pastored. I wanted it so badly that I spoke with the right people and made it very clear that I was sure this was for me. Well, I got it and within a very few months I knew that it was not what I needed and I was not what the church needed. It did not last long. I did not want to leave after six months so I toughed it out…It was hard. But, it was just what I wanted. I am sure the church must have felt the same way. So, we must do whatever we can to determine needs rather than wants when calling a senior pastor or any staff member….I know I learned my lesson the hard way….Preacherman.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Pastor Search # 4
Failing to evaluate the church's true condition
Just what is the true condition of your church? Too often churches will tell prospective pastors that they want to grow. They will say things like; “We want to grow”, or “We want to reach new people”, or “We need to get new people into our church”. Each of these is an admirable goal for any church. The problem is that many churches really do not know what it takes to reach their community. Often churches are stuck in the past or just do not know how to reach out to new people. In his book “Comeback Churches, Ed Stetzer stated that each of the comeback churches surveyed got a new pastor. Either they had a pastor that could not move the church to comeback and that pastor left or the current pastor changed his thinking. That is great if the pastor is able to lead the church in the direction of growth. What we are talking about today is the church whose pastor has left and they are looking for the new one who will lead them to the promised land of growth. The church must look inwardly and make an honest assessment of its true condition. It just may be that unless changes are made the church cannot reach new people. James Emery White wrote a wonderful book titled “Rethinking The Church”. James White commissioned a survey of unchurched people who live the in Northeast area of Charlotte, NC. The survey sought to answer one single question; “Why don’t you attend church?”. The results were, 1) There is no value in attending 74%, 2) Churches have too many problems 61%, 3) I do not have time 48%, 4) I am simply not interested 42%. 5) Churches ask for money too frequently 40%, 6) Church services are usually boring 36%, 7) Christian churches hold no relevance for the way I live 34%, 8) I do not believe in God, or I am unsure that God exists 12%. It would be a great idea for any church to look at what they do and see if they are doing anything to help people like those surveyed find a reason to attend. When interviewing a pastor it is good to be honest and say that our church is currently maintaining. That is a healthy statement. It is not necessarily a healthy state for the church to be in but it certainly gives a prospective pastor a better understanding of what he will be up against rather than if the church states that everything is fine and going well. People who answered the question in the survey will probably not attend a church that is maintaining. They are looking for something that is relevant to them. What if you found 100 single parent mothers in your neighborhood who are trying to shuffle childcare, work and social life? Would your church do anything different than they are doing now? What if you found twenty same sex couples living in your neighborhood? Would your church do anything different than they are doing now? You see, when our church is honest with its condition, many times we will have to say, “We are doing a poor job of reaching out to the community”. Any new pastor needs to know that upfront, in order to best determine his future there. It is not a bad thing to be in a condition of not reaching new people. It is a bad thing to ignore it… At our http://www.ministrytogether.com website we use a 54 point matching system to match churches with prospective pastors. When the questions are answered correctly by the church listing a position the database will find and list every prospect by percentage of match. This makes it easy to get prospects that have the same style of ministry. When we find the right match the Kingdom grows. It is very important not to ignore issues such as the condition of the church when dealing with prospects.…….Preacherman
Just what is the true condition of your church? Too often churches will tell prospective pastors that they want to grow. They will say things like; “We want to grow”, or “We want to reach new people”, or “We need to get new people into our church”. Each of these is an admirable goal for any church. The problem is that many churches really do not know what it takes to reach their community. Often churches are stuck in the past or just do not know how to reach out to new people. In his book “Comeback Churches, Ed Stetzer stated that each of the comeback churches surveyed got a new pastor. Either they had a pastor that could not move the church to comeback and that pastor left or the current pastor changed his thinking. That is great if the pastor is able to lead the church in the direction of growth. What we are talking about today is the church whose pastor has left and they are looking for the new one who will lead them to the promised land of growth. The church must look inwardly and make an honest assessment of its true condition. It just may be that unless changes are made the church cannot reach new people. James Emery White wrote a wonderful book titled “Rethinking The Church”. James White commissioned a survey of unchurched people who live the in Northeast area of Charlotte, NC. The survey sought to answer one single question; “Why don’t you attend church?”. The results were, 1) There is no value in attending 74%, 2) Churches have too many problems 61%, 3) I do not have time 48%, 4) I am simply not interested 42%. 5) Churches ask for money too frequently 40%, 6) Church services are usually boring 36%, 7) Christian churches hold no relevance for the way I live 34%, 8) I do not believe in God, or I am unsure that God exists 12%. It would be a great idea for any church to look at what they do and see if they are doing anything to help people like those surveyed find a reason to attend. When interviewing a pastor it is good to be honest and say that our church is currently maintaining. That is a healthy statement. It is not necessarily a healthy state for the church to be in but it certainly gives a prospective pastor a better understanding of what he will be up against rather than if the church states that everything is fine and going well. People who answered the question in the survey will probably not attend a church that is maintaining. They are looking for something that is relevant to them. What if you found 100 single parent mothers in your neighborhood who are trying to shuffle childcare, work and social life? Would your church do anything different than they are doing now? What if you found twenty same sex couples living in your neighborhood? Would your church do anything different than they are doing now? You see, when our church is honest with its condition, many times we will have to say, “We are doing a poor job of reaching out to the community”. Any new pastor needs to know that upfront, in order to best determine his future there. It is not a bad thing to be in a condition of not reaching new people. It is a bad thing to ignore it… At our http://www.ministrytogether.com website we use a 54 point matching system to match churches with prospective pastors. When the questions are answered correctly by the church listing a position the database will find and list every prospect by percentage of match. This makes it easy to get prospects that have the same style of ministry. When we find the right match the Kingdom grows. It is very important not to ignore issues such as the condition of the church when dealing with prospects.…….Preacherman
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Pastor Search # 3
"Leaving"
This has been a month of lasts….I had my last deacon’s meeting at my current church…..I had my last Baptist Life Communities board meeting…..I had my last book study with my friends…..I am preparing my last sermon for New Banklick Baptist Church.
Joy and I have announced our retirement and will be moving in July to our new home in Hickory, NC where we will enjoy spoiling our grandchildren. Pastoring in areas that are far from family is one of the most difficult things to do. We have missed a lot of firsts with our grandchildren. We were not there when they lost their first tooth or came home with the first A on the report card or any number of other very important things. So God is giving us some time to make up for all of those things we have missed.
What I need some of you to help me with is how to deal properly with the lasts. I have to confess that the lasts have been much more difficult for me than the firsts. I was not nervous at all nor did I dread my first sermon at this wonderful church. I did not have any bad feelings about the first deacon’s meeting, first business meeting or anything at all surrounding our first few months here. I certainly did not dread any of the wonderful meals we were fed. But the lasts have been a different story. My heart breaks every time someone hugs me and weeps or just says “I’ll miss you”. I could become a blubbering idiot if I let myself.
This blog is about going to a new church but sometimes we just need some feedback on how to leave a good church. This is something that we have not addressed on our website http://www.ministrytogether.com. Perhaps we should………Well, during the two and a half weeks that we have left I am sure there will be many lasts…I just hope I can make it….Please share your experiences and thoughts…..Preacherman
This has been a month of lasts….I had my last deacon’s meeting at my current church…..I had my last Baptist Life Communities board meeting…..I had my last book study with my friends…..I am preparing my last sermon for New Banklick Baptist Church.
Joy and I have announced our retirement and will be moving in July to our new home in Hickory, NC where we will enjoy spoiling our grandchildren. Pastoring in areas that are far from family is one of the most difficult things to do. We have missed a lot of firsts with our grandchildren. We were not there when they lost their first tooth or came home with the first A on the report card or any number of other very important things. So God is giving us some time to make up for all of those things we have missed.
What I need some of you to help me with is how to deal properly with the lasts. I have to confess that the lasts have been much more difficult for me than the firsts. I was not nervous at all nor did I dread my first sermon at this wonderful church. I did not have any bad feelings about the first deacon’s meeting, first business meeting or anything at all surrounding our first few months here. I certainly did not dread any of the wonderful meals we were fed. But the lasts have been a different story. My heart breaks every time someone hugs me and weeps or just says “I’ll miss you”. I could become a blubbering idiot if I let myself.
This blog is about going to a new church but sometimes we just need some feedback on how to leave a good church. This is something that we have not addressed on our website http://www.ministrytogether.com. Perhaps we should………Well, during the two and a half weeks that we have left I am sure there will be many lasts…I just hope I can make it….Please share your experiences and thoughts…..Preacherman
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