Own It!

I have been a children's pastor at churches for a good chunk of my adult life at this point. It is always an interesting dynamic going into a new church. (This past week has been great, I am just running on information overload.) You never know what it is you are coming into honestly. I have been to places where people have thought you were trying to take over the church because you asked them to improve on weaknesses. I have been places where people were so excited you were there that you wonder how bad it was before. You see God may have called me to lead a children's ministry but I am not there to own it. God may have called a pastor to a church to  

shepherd it, but he is not there to own it. As far as the chain of ownership goes in the church, both pastors and associate pastors are low on the organizational chart as far as ownership.

I worked for one pastor who truly thought he owned the church. He would never have admitted it. He struggled with many different things. It was usually about him. It was usually about how he wanted to do stuff. I don't remember once him saying "let’s pray and find out what God would have us do". It wasn't even that he was a micromanager (some people would have and did call him that) but it felt a lot like he made it about him. He would tell the staff on a regular basis we were not there for our careers but just to serve him. It really was hard because I am totally on board with serving my pastor. I love the Elisha and Elijah principle from 2 Kings 2. Elisha would not leave Elijah's side. He wanted to be there for his pastor or mentor. He wouldn't leave him. Pastor's that make it about them don't get this principle because it is about them. Pastors lead the church they don't own the church. It isn't about them. 

Really, truthfully, only God owns a church. It all has to come from him. You want to follow the vision placed into the pastor’s heart by the Holy Spirit. As a kid's pastor, I want to lead that ministry of the church to follow that vision. Yet, even when the pastor has a vision instilled in his heart, he doesn't own the church. He shouldn't even be second on that list. Truthfully, the Pastor is there to lead and serve not own. 

The owners of the church are the people God has put in that body. A church can never hire enough staff to run a church with paid volunteers. Paid Volunteers?  That makes NO sense. Just like anything that you own, you have to work it. It is part of owning it. Yeah, you hire the pastors to keep it but that's like buying a restaurant and never washing a dish. It is like buying a new car and never changing the oil. It is like joining a co-op and never being a part of the op. If it is your church, you have to own it. You need to take care of it too. Be a part of the system. Teach something. Serve somewhere or someone. Invite people to be a part. Lead a ministry. It is your church. You need to own it. 

I know the idea of people owning the church may not set well with people. God has called us to be the Bride of Christ. I don't know about you but my wife has just as much ownership of my stuff as I do. Paul goes into this in Ephesians 5. So yes, you own the church. I tell kids all the time, "You know so many more kids than I could ever meet". You can jump in and do so much more than one pastor if everyone did something. Own it. God has given you a talent, use it. It really is your church given to you by God. Don't let it go to waste. 

I've been blessed

Well, yesterday was my official last day as the Kid's Pastor at First Assembly of God in SanAntonio, TX. I am moving on to be the Children's Pastor at Trinity Church in Lubbock. We have had a great 5 1/2 years in SanAntonio. We have seen kid's get saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, and called into ministry. We have made life long friends that we will always consider family. I have seen my own kids grow in every way possible. It has been a great place for us. I am looking forward to what God is going to do with us in Lubbock but it has been a great time to celebrate what we did here.  Over the years, I have left a couple of jobs. I have never felt as special leaving a place as I have this time. 

We have partied (2 different ones). We have been honored (allowed to share in "Big Church"  a couple times about what God is doing). I have cried (mostly when I talked with my leadership team and friends). I have smiled reminiscing. I have played golf (A couple different times too). I have been asked to dinner by numerous people. Visited my favorite donut place in Austin with my closest friends. My family has been treated well. My Pastor, Wayne Clark said, "This is something we should celebrate". So, we have celebrated. 

How often do staff pastors leave a church? It is probably more often than what it should be but in instances where God is truly moving someone away it should be celebrated. I think too often we take things personally when it really isn't about us. My pastor could have taken this move as an insult that another church would talk to me or that I have would even want to leave.  He could have just said, "Thanks for your service, you got a week". He didn't. He has been gracious and truly excited about our opportunity. I have had pastors act in different ways depending on the situation. 

When God does something in our lives that creates transition it should be celebrated. It means God is doing something new. I think about the Angels that first Christmas, they knew something new was happening and let the world know about it.  I think about how Jesus started his ministry with changing water into wine at a party. I think about all the times that God did something in the Bible and it was during a celebration time for his people. We have to realize that it isn't always about us. 

When transitions happen it is hard because change is hard. It helps when we celebrate those transitions though. It helps when we realize God is in control and has a plan. Sometimes we have to be reminded it isn't all about us. Thanks Pastor Clark for understanding this, teaching this, and living this.