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.

Well we are one week into owning sheep and I have made some observations.

First, Sheep need other sheep.  So last Wednesday we went to pick up Maddi’s ewe, Dolly.  Dolly is a wonderful 11 month old Natural Colored Breed Ewe, she has fine fleece and beautifully unique coloring.  Dolly and Maddi have a wonderful relationship, from day one it was like Maddi was chosen to be her shepherd.   So anyway, knowing that sheep are social animals the Conner’s suggested we bring one of their lambs home to keep her company.  At first I wasn’t keen on the idea until we loaded Dolly into the trailer and the crying began.  We loaded up Loretta and instantly Dolly was now content.  A week later at home when Dolly gets out for her walks Loretta wants to be right with her and it appears Loretta is learning how to walk on a lead from Dolly.

Second, Sheep need a shepherd.  In our case Maddi is the shepherd, she feeds them twice a day.  Up at 5:30am every morning and out with feed and fresh water before getting ready for school.  Then in the evening they get walked for 30 minutes on a lead and then freshwater.  Around 7:30pm they get fed again and she puts some hay in to give them something to chew on.   It doesn’t matter what else she has going on, the care of the sheep is a priority.  They rely on her for food, water, exercise and general well-being.

Third, lambs are a pain to work with because they don’t want to be led on a harness.  Lambs are just not fun to put on a lead and take a walk.  Loretta wants to be where Dolly is at but she doesn’t want to be on a lead to get there.  You see if it was up to her she would run wild and go where ever Dolly goes even if that meant running through things that are dangerous.  Loretta doesn’t understand that Maddi is leading her to protect her from harm.  It is more like a stubborn teenage child, you want her to go left but she is determined to go right.  But, after a week and regularly putting her on a lead to walk she is beginning to settle down.  We walk a little bit, and then we stop to talk and since I usually am walking her I talk to her and pet her.  Not sure she understands me but I try to speak calmly and give her praises when she is doing her part.

These observations have really helped me make the parallel with church and following Jesus the Good Shepherd.

1. We need each other to make this journey of faith.  Yes we all have shepherds to guide us, but more than that we need other sheep to lean on and walk alongside.
2.  We all need a shepherd or two.  There is a story of a ram that was lost and had not been shorn in over 7 years.  The ram had so much fleece it was killing him, weighing approximately 89 pounds.  We all need a shepherd to helps maintain a healthy fleece, to feed us, and to make sure we are safe.
3. Being a follower of Jesus is so counterculture that it is often painful to follow His lead.  We often need other followers to help us see the way we need to go, and help us to grasp that Jesus is our Shepherd.

Psalm 23 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.