When we graduated from Anderson, I was certain that youth ministry was the way I would serve the Lord for all my life (and to some extend, youth ministry still is a big part) and preaching would be occasional at most, and I really had so little understanding of leadership development or how to begin to do that with others. There were only two of us in our family, and we had so little experience with all that we were being asked to do--the youth ministry was not overwhelming, it was the rest. At the time of our candidacy in the spring of 1995, the Pastor who "recruited" us resigned the week after we accepted to come serve--this was unexpected, to say the least, for the church and for us. We literally unpacked boxes and handed the empty ones to him. Within weeks, I was the only full time employee of the church--the music director and I split the preaching duties; within 9 weeks, I had given every sermon I thought I would ever need. The church would eventually hire an interim pastor (who, incidentally, was involved in our invitation to serve a different church 4 years later), but all my 20-something ego and know-it-all attitude were sapped.
God had me right where he needed me to be so that I could learn.
First, in visitation and elder care - weekly, a saint if there ever was one named Bud would come pick me up from the church, drive us through Hardees for 2 Senior coffees, and off to see the "shut-in" members of the congregation. He bought a communion "kit" so that we could offer the sacraments to each after we spent time talking, listening and praying with each. There is not a seminary professor in the country who could have better prepared a pastoral heart in me than Bud. He also encouraged me in the preparation of officiating my first funeral--something that I have had to do more than most people would believe.
Second, in articulating respect and appreciation of those with mental disabilities - of all the people I'm looking forward to seeing at Scott Memorial is Steve. Steve was at least 20+ years my elder when we served there; he had worked the same job at the same store since he was a teenager. He had also been an usher in the church since he was a child--and faithfully, seriously, served that post each week. Steve would share music with me, and we would talk--not deep talks, just real talks. There was also a young lady there named Cheryl who participated in the youth group. She loved sports and games, and she loved the church. Once I took a young man I was encouraging to be a youth counselor to one of her softball games; he was extremely uncomfortable, and I knew it. I kept waiting for him to talk about it, and he eventually asked, "Why does God allow this?" -- "What," I asked? -- "You know," he said, "for her and the others to be, well, slow?" -- In a moment of sheer revelation to me, I shared what I felt God saying in my own heart, "Look at Cheryl--she loves so completely, without reservation. We're not uncomfortable because her feelings are inappropriate, but because she loves more freely than we do. Why has God allowed us to be like we are? We look at her and say she's mentally deficient; but she also shows us that we're emotionally deficient." That's a conversation I will never forget; nor will I forget all the love shown to our family through Steve and Cheryl.
Third, by the time we received Danny and Linda as our Pastors, I was so ready to partner in some ministries and follow his lead. Some of my favorite experiences with Danny were actually on a weekly golfing trip that we would take for our "day of rest", though we were usually more exhausted by the end of day. Danny introduced me to leadership development via John Maxwell and his InJoy ministries. I listened to hundreds of hours of tapes, read more books, and went to several seminars with Danny. All of this really shaped a lot of how I teach, but also in how I view the potential of those around us and how we can encourage them in their faith and service development.
And, finally, it was in Chattanooga that I received a greater understanding of justice and the idea that I often teach, "For God so loved the world, He got involved." Some have heard this story, and it's too long to go into here--but I will never be the same after a drive home shook me to the core of all that I believed about ministry and being God's representatives in this crazy world.
Each of the steps along our path have uniquely led us to where we are in Egypt and what we are doing with the 3W Team in Europe and the Middle East. We wouldn't be here or able to contribute to these things without the steps and experiences in Chattanooga--and we will always look back on those years with sincere fondness.
Today's song, in honor of the Sovereignty of God through steps along our path like Scott Memorial, is "Lead of Love" by Caedmon's Call...
"Looking back, I see the Lead of Love"
Pictures from yesterday...
AND, cheesy 3W video coming soon by Langfords and me :)
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