Clergy Transitions at Resurrection (4 of 9)

This past weekend was the final weekend in worship for fellow pastors Judy Long O’Neal, Connie Wilson, and Nancy Pauls.

Connie will begin ministry at Baldwin City First United Methodist Church on July 1. I have learned a lot from Connie and her ministry at Resurrection. She has a distinct approach to ministry through the lens of spiritual direction that I have found to be helpful in my own life and in the life of the congregation. Wholeness and personal care are integral to Connie’s life and her life in ministry.

Connie, thanks for all that you have done and all that you are going to do.

Guest Blog - A 3-Year Plan

This is a guest post from Kyle Holt of The New Parables and The Bible in Rhyme. From his blog: Each person is called to use the talents God gave us; to be a voice of one calling out in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for Him.”

I turned 30 years old in January, and it’s an age that should make any Christian pause and think. Jesus started his ministry when he was 30 and it ended 3 years later upon his death, but what he did during those three years has influenced billions of people over the last 2,000 years.

So what am I going to do in the next three years?

This is a question that we ought to be asking ourselves every day of our lives, but we get caught up in our own routines and forget this very important question.

I have a two-year old son, and I want to see him grow up. But if my death at thirty-three would bring billions (or even thousands) to God, wouldn’t it be worth it? It’s a scary thought, but Christ tells us that those who love their lives will lose them, and those who give up their lives for him will gain everlasting life. We’re not to martyr ourselves, but it is a call to be in the world, not of it.

Businesses and individuals often make 5 or 10-year plans. In the same vein, I would lobby that Christians should set forth a 3-year plan. The messiah completely redefined the world in three years. He was setting an example for us. As if to say, “I did it, and so can you.” Given, we are not the perfection that Jesus was, but if we strive to be, then we can reshape life as we know it.

If I live to be 75 years old, I have the opportunity to develop fifteen 3-year plans during the remainder of my life. What an opportunity! But in order to maximize that opportunity, I have to start now.

In 2006, I felt called to start working on a project called The Bible in Rhyme (www.thebibleinrhyme.com). It is my hope and prayer that God intends this to be a part of my 3-year plan. I pray that it is something that can work in the hearts, minds, and spirits of Christians and non-Christians alike. I don’t know what will happen, but I trust that God will guide me the way He wants me to go. And I know that it will require a lot of hard work on my part.

Besides, isn’t hard work what God asks from all of us? We are called to love and to believe, but that’s just the beginning. To really make something happen, we have to be ready to get our hands in the dirt and work for Him. To give up our worldly lives do His will here on earth.

So today, tomorrow, and definitely at each birthday, I recommend you ask yourself, “What is my 3-year plan?” Leave 5-year plans and 10-year plans to businesses. Make the 3-year plan God’s.

The Most Important Parts of the Story of Jesus

At the conclusion of the three week study on the Gospel according to Mark I asked the class to reflect on two questions. I found the responses to be fascinating. Each person has a distinct understanding of Jesus. I feel that all of the following are good responses to the questions, but each person may react differently depending on where they are on the journey of faith.

Questions to the Class

• If you were telling someone the story of Jesus for the first time what would you want to make sure and not leave out?
• If you had to tell the story of Jesus to someone in the time that it takes a stoplight to change from red to green (let’s say 1 minute), what would you say?

Responses from the Class

• God loved us
• God sent his son
• We can have eternal life
• Resurrection
• Jesus’ birth
• Jesus took on our sins
• Jesus accepts us where we are
• Loves everyone
• Big picture - connect with the story of the Old Testament
• Invitation to relationship for benefits
• Jesus ministry - inclusiveness, compassion, kindness
• Witness to how Jesus has worked in one’s own life
• Is there anything you would die for?
• Opportunity for a personal relationship

Women Officiating Weddings

I very strongly believe in equal opportunity for women and men in ministry. Sometimes the issue of the gender of a pastor arises around weddings. The following email is an excellent response from a male clergy person to someone who requested that he officiate a wedding ceremony instead of the female clergy person who had been initially recommended from the church. I think that it is a very sound response and will use it as a model in the future.

Thank you very much for your email. While I am flattered by your very kind words, I must unfortunately decline your request to officiate your wedding ceremony. The first reason is that none of the pastors at our church, including the senior pastor, is free to schedule weddings outside of our staff wedding coordinator. This is done to ensure that there is a high level of coordination between facilities, staff, and all of the other elements involved in staging a wedding.

The second reason I must decline is because of my feeling that accepting your request would be to effectively deny the validity of the ministry of my female colleagues. I understand that you have a strong sense of tradition attached to the churches you were brought up in. However, some of that tradition might possibly be rooted in a belief (on the church’s part) that women are inherently not suited to serve as pastors. In my experience, women are not only just as suited as men, but in some cases uniquely sensitized to realms of the spirit that men might be less comfortable with. This is especially the case with women pastors at this church.

I hope you might have the opportunity to re-evaluate your feelings on this subject and proceed with the pastor which the staff wedding coordinator has already recommended to you. Marriage is about mutual growth and compromise and what better place to begin that process than on your wedding day.

Have you ever experienced a similar issue? What responses have you given or found to be helpful in similar situations?

Speedlinking - April 16, 2008

• How could you simplify the information that you collect from the congregation? Michael has a fascinating proposal - E-mail and Phone Only.
• Provocative proposals from young adults to General Conference… Read more from Mark Conard at The Legislative Process–Conferences Committee
• Beyond Solitary Pastoring from Mark Conard.

Seth Godin gives advice to help you Write like a blogger.

• Reflections on Community from Mark Cork.
• Calvinism is Silly Fun is a fantastic set of theology images from deviantmonk.

Speedlinking - March 18, 2008

• Google’s Innovative Edge from Dave Ferguson is a summary of principles that would do well in the local church.
• The Devil Never Takes a Day Off a convicting post on balance from Joseph
• Memory and storytelling - the importance of community from Ben Simpson.
• Great thoughts on being prepared from Craig Groeschel at Ministry with Margin.
• Excellent reflections On Prayer from Ben Simpson.
• Fire the workaholics - thoughts on staff, overwork, and sustainability
• Cell phone spirituality - time change and God’s direction from Dagney Pullin.