A lot of time has passed since I last posted something and
needless to say life has been a bit busy. Not only do I have an energetic and
spontaneous three-year-old, my church has been going through a lead pastor
change through since November 2018. I spent a year as the only full- time staff
member at my church.
Throughout that year there were some ups and downs, as there
are with any job. There were some relationships that needed to be healed and
some forgiveness that needed to be sought, and just some over all healing that
needed to take place. Throughout the past year I got asked one question a lot
in one way or another. The best way I can phrase the question is this, “You’re
going to stay on as the youth director?”
Now this question was never asked with any ill will, and in
fact I completely understood why they were asking. What the mode of operation
usually was, was that when a senior pastor would leave, the youth pastor wasn’t
far behind. I completely understood why people were asking me this question.
I never really thought anything of this question. To be
honest, I always responded in a way that who ever was asking knew I wasn’t
planning on going anywhere and once I had answered said question, I just went
on about my day never really giving a second thought to the question. That is
until someone else asked me a similar question that has stuck with me since the
day it was asked about a month ago.
I was asked, “Why are you still here?” This question came
after a conversation about my ups and downs in the past year and some of the
internal battles that I had faced in the last year. To be honest, I had never
really given much thought to why I was still at Community Grace. I just knew I
wanted to be here and never really thought about why.
After the conversation had ended, I took some time to really
think through why I was still here. Why had I not pursued other opportunities?
Then thoughts of “had I missed my out?” “Was that my chance and I missed it?” came
creeping in. But then as I was looking in scripture I came across Colossians
3:23-24 that says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for
men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your
reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
It was after reading this passage that it dawned on me there
was a reason why I hadn’t thought about why I was still at Community Grace. That’s
because the Lord gave me no reason to want to leave. I had a moment of panic
where I thought maybe I had missed the Lord opening a door in the past year,
but as I looked back on the past year, I realized He did the exact opposite.
The Lord gave me every reason to want to stay, and I can say with out a doubt
that I want to be at Community Grace now more than ever.
This past year, the Lord has shown me what good can come out
of his people coming together and seeking the Lord’s will for their life.
Matthew 18:20 has never been more alive and real in my life than in this past
year as our family at Community Grace has grown stronger and more in love with
Jesus as we have walked through this process. I have loved watching that
happen.
In man’s eyes I have already “served” my time as youth
director/pastor at Community Grace. The average time of a youth pastor staying
at a church is roughly two to three years. I am currently in my fifth year, so
by humanistic terms/standards I have already “run the gauntlet” so to speak as
youth director. I am reminded of that weekly by articles that I read on Facebook,
in emails, and even people telling me that in everyday conversation. In those
moments though I look back on Colossians 3:23-24 where Paul wrote, “Whatever
you do, do it full heartily, for the Lord, and not for men.” The Lord opened a
door that I wasn’t even expecting 5 years ago at Community Grace Brethren
Church in Warsaw Indiana. He has yet to signal that he’s anywhere close to
closing it. So, what does that mean? It means that’s why I am still here.
God isn’t done with Community Grace and He’s not done with
me yet. I have loved serving the people of Community Grace, who so graciously
wanted me as their youth director five years ago. I love being a part of the
community of Warsaw and Winona Lake and I can’t see myself serving anywhere
else at this moment. The Lord has continued to open doors to affirm that when
he called me here five years ago. He absolutely had a plan for me and Alex
here.
So, let me answer that question, “Why am I still here?”
Because I can’t see myself anywhere else right now. I want to be here and Alex
and I love being here. God is moving here and the people of Community Grace are
the best people to work for. The community and love that they show for me and
my family is outstanding, the way a church should function.
I always get the question; well do you ever want to be a
lead pastor or not a youth pastor? My answer always is a shoulder shrug usually
followed by a we’ll see what God has for me. I think that best summarizes why I
am still here. This is what God has for me and I can’t picture my self-serving
anywhere else but here at Community Grace in Warsaw. Our future at Community
Grace has never been more bright, and has never looked better and I am excited
to get to be along for the ride and see what He does with us in the future!
