I’m sure this one may cause some discussion. I can tell you through many years of failing to keep family balance with ministry in my own life, counseling others, consulting churches and onward looking as church leadership continues to struggle with what’s important. My response came after reading my buddy Carlos’ Blog at http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=4673#comment-179624
RAGAMUFFIN SOUL BLOG:
One week ago David Trotter, pastor of Revolution Church in Long Beach CA and a blog acquaintance of mine wrote this
One week ago David Trotter, pastor of Revolution Church in Long Beach CA and a blog acquaintance of mine wrote this on his blog…
Totally Tuesday * Took Emerson to school. * Lots of hang time. * Did the dishes and made the bed. * Leftover lunch from last night’s dinner. * Worked out at Bally’s – 30 minutes of cardio and upper body workout. * While Laura went to a parenting workshop at ROCKharbor with Jenny, I took the kids to “family night” at Chick-fil-a – had the same Southwestern salad as yesterday. * Playing games with Emerson. * Helping Waverly study for her solar system test. * Baths and 7pm bedtime for the kids. * Had a blast song writing with Keith Dickson for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, I already had the chorus, 4 verses, and tune laid out, but he had to figure out all the chords and strumming. I’ll write 2 more verses, and we’ll finish it next week. Really fun to do that with Keith – he rocks.
That was the last post he wrote on his blog. Just 2 days prior he informed his church that he was taking a sabbatical because God was nudging him to figure some things out. Two days after he wrote that post, he left his wife and 2 kids for another woman.
The shock and heartache that this church is going through is sobering. One of my good friends, Bobby, was the worship pastor there for 3 years and I know he is going through a lot.
I share this news for 2 reasons. 1. So we never think we are incapable of being taken down by A Character Assassin. The second you think that this is an issue that you would never fall victim to, you are wrong. Any one of us could fall to something like this. For me, it is another reminder to protect the integrity of my marriage and place more safeguards than I currently have in place. David was a blogger, writer, leader, and is a follower of Christ. I’m sure lots of us can see some of ourselves in him. Reality Check. 2. To pray for Revolution Church, David’s wife and 2 kids, and David.
May this truly Ignite A Movement of Revolutionaries in that church. I believe it will. Los
GREGOR:
Unfortunately the real problem isn’t being addressed here and that is the institution we call Christian Churchdom continues to propagate and indoctrinate us into ministry lifestyles that result in this sickening type of event. Pushing staff and leaders for numbers (people) and $ at the cost of peoples lives. I can see this is the example Christ himself set! NOT!
Few Christian volunteers, leaders, elders, staff members or pastors are saying “Enough is enough, my boundaries are set! I will not spend the overtime in this ministry at the cost of my marriage or my children! Instead I would expect something more. Mentors, leaders, pastors, friends…where are you when I need you to tell me to take as much time as I need to ensure my house is in order?”
Instead we crave leadership roles that make us look good. We lie to each other and say WERE NOT DAMAGED GOODS. We run like lemmings over the cliff of destruction because our pastors are so busy building, what they think is the kingdom.
I will be praying for Laura, the kids and Dave…but realize, that this is the aftermath of one more bad example and frankly disgusting picture of Gods people not putting the simplicity of the two greatest commandments first… Love God and Love each other!
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