Reflections

 

 

What you are about to read is a reflection of myself.

So when I set out into ministry I was for sure that I was going to change the world. I just knew that God had called me to be a Moses and He was surely going to depart onto me some tremendous wisdom that no one else had. I just knew that I was destined to be the pastor of a megachurch in some hoppin’ city, with the coolest worship band around. My whole view of this call on my life was built on the necessity to gather more, build bigger. I can tell you that all of these things led me to jealousy, anger, loneliness and even almost leaving ministry all together. (side note: I live in the best city, with the best people, and God assembled an amazing worship band)

Nope now I see myself more like Jesus. I just care about the Kingdom, which includes the broken, the pushed aside, the strays. I don’t care too much for the religious elite, they
think too highly of themselves and just about one outfit out of touch with the real world. These days I am more concerned with expanding the Kingdom. A few weekends ago I found myself getting all giddy over pictures of Rock City Church baptisms. It was amazing! All ages, all demographics, through sunshine and rain they baptized one after another.  What win for the Kingdom! And that was just one church!  Several years ago I would have been jealous and envious, but prayer and Grace change a person.

Recently I had the opportunity to meet a fellow pastor who leads of one of the fastest growing congregations in America and he said something that resonated with me. He said that when people come to ask for support to plant a new church he is turned off by hearing what they are going to build, how they are going to build this empire.  What does get his attention is when they talk about their vision for reaching the world for Jesus and expanding the Kingdom.  YES!

I think we get so caught up in our everyday, every weekend worship we forget we are part of something much bigger. And that is where my heart now resides, is in the bigger. I want to win people to Jesus, not for Sugar Grove, not for Todd, not for the UMC, but for the Kingdom. There is life more abundantly in the Kingdom of God and man I want to see God’s will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, right now.

I had to do a lot of soul searching and still am on this journey, to let God shape my life into what He wants it to be, for His glory not mine. I am often reminded that I was created to be Todd, and as long as I remember who loves me and who died for me that I, am enough just being me.

Learn to be uniquely who God has created you to be, in the church and out.  Because even as followers of Jesus and leaders of the church we can be impostors.

PT.