Being new to my job I often find myself being asked what I did before starting there. When I tell them that I spent eight years as a pastor, I always get the same question: “You did what???”
It is refreshing to me to be outside of the church world for a time. It is nice to be in a place where there are not expectations on me to be “pastorly” which I have always chafed at… What is nicer still is the fact that I am able to develop relationships with, and pastor the people that I work alongside of… It is so cool to have people approaching me and asking me to wrestle through their struggles with them… I have greatly enjoyed that.
As we talk about planting a church, and kicking around what that would look like, we have been talking about the importance of keeping jobs in the community… jobs that will give us face time, and will allow us to build into the lives of those that may not ever enter a church, but at the same time still need someone to do life with… I did not realize how much I have missed this opportunity since I left my church in Atlanta, and it is something that I never want to be “too busy” for again….
May God bless you on this new part of your journey, “Thinking outside the walls of the church” is tough for some of us. I am blessed to be in prison ministry without the title or burdens of being a “pastor.” People tend to stiffen up when they here the terms “pastor’ or “minister.” I have always felt for those who have been called to this extremely tough job.
As a church planter, I’ve dipped back into the real work world a few times over the past years. We’ve planted 5 churches regionally from our congregation. Every time a large group would go out, we’d rejoice at the opportunities to spread the work in the surrounding communities. However, two of those plants left me facing a hard reality. “It’s time to go get a job”
I loved it. If my current situation weren’t so demanding (along w/my demanding family), I’d be back out there in a heartbeat. Keep up the good work and enjoy the congregation that God builds around you in the place you’re at.