Having a long resume in ministry leadership you tend to see the truth of our real nature. That without Christ there is no one good. He is the only good thing that is, was or ever will be. The sad thing is that we have a world full of Mini-Hims running around causing so much destruction. Unwilling to see the gift Gods has given in each of us and being satisfied in our skin. Leaders who lead people right into the ground satisfying there hunger for power, (skewed) identity, infrastructure and money.
My last experience as a worship pastor was an eye opener. My wife and I should have seen the signs. We walked into a mass Exodus and didn’t find out till it was to late; where the underlying current hailed from. We left a healthier church community in OC (RH), just to find men doing things in secret, afraid and picking off less supportive hearts to satisfy their agendas. Having nothing to do with loving God as evidence loving each other (and vice-versa). After confronting the board and specific leader I was glad to have paid the price of leaving with my Father satisfied that I had done all I could to love on the broken and His voice was heard, probably in line with many others who cam before me. In this case I hear hardship continues.
Why do I bring this up? Because infrastructure and building churches are not as important, nor ever will be as important as the precious gift found in a person. Hell, we are the church. Uniquely made in Gods image. Yet our pride picks us up and carries us off to mega church mentality. It’s the conquering way. Can’t we be settled with what God naturally does when love is present? Do have to go past the line to get more, because we need it? Is this not why our country is in financial crisis we are in? Wanting more and getting it at a cost!
I remember a month before we came out here to the IE, I received calls from my worship team members balling on the phone because they wanted to leave, but were pressured into staying. I heard all the typical Christian jargon and well determined it came from fearful leaders, doing wrong, contributing to the problem, unwilling to live with there own inadequacies in check and certainly not willing to truly trust God. See, I can get that after many years serving as an interim worship pastor in several different denominations and consulting churches back to health by bringing Love for the people back to center and worship as a co-catalyst for change.
In case you were wondering, it was hard to leave Rock Harbor, and then recommend my future worship team member to go to Sandals. Hearing about Sandals in the beginning it wasn’t to hard to recognize the signs of healthier church mindset. Once you’ve tasted it everything else simply taste strange. And YES, we were ecstatic to finally be able to attend after a long season of heading strait through prides thicket.
Well it’s late and this is my first Blog. There’s plenty more to come, especially after the two years it’s taken me to heal. I see everything from different lenses now. I’d like to say much more true to myself and with honest sacrificial love. I have to give props to Brennen Manning for the support along the way, a few successful young pastor friends of mine and a desire to see so much more in Gods kingdom then many leaders/churches can see at this moment.
If this point intrigues you, feel free to get on board!
If it scares you because you feel unknowledgeable of these points or have yet to experience the riggers of our true nature, as well in churdom, then don’t worry it will come in time. It’s not that it won’t happen, it affects us all and guess what you don’t have to put up a front or put on a face, you can call it what it is. However, for your own health it’s about processing it through (maybe it’s ugly, maybe it’s not) in healthy ways toward the ongoing and ever-changing purpose and mission you were designed for. Don’t be to afraid if you struggle like I did with ideas that seem contrary to churchdom, the entities still have much to learn, but getting through it all, communicating love to others and exercising it in more Godlike character… you’ll be a winner.
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