Monthly Archives: April 2008

CHURCH v. STATE

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I’m going to summarize the background information: “I’m going to present in a JH classroom, and travel with the football team 2 days a week for 10-15 weeks.”

“How do I stay true to my role as a student pastor in a situation that doesn’t allow for me to be overt in my faith? How far is too far in this situation?”

Thanks for the question Dusty. First things first: you’re not really concerned with being true to your role as a student pastor, at least I hope you’re not. I’m sure you are concerned with being true to what Christ as called you toward. I’m confident this is what you meant, but I wanted to double check and make sure to everyone reading that I could care little about you being faithful to a role/job/ministry/whatever. I care a lot about a person being faithful to Jesus.

You are going to do video for a football team. I don’t see any conflict here. I can hardly imagine situations where a conflict might arise. That is to say, I don’t see where the rub would happen UNLESS you’re one of those people who is obnoxious with their faith.

I guess I need a better understanding of what you means for you to be OVERT IN YOUR FAITH. Let’s say the coach says, “stand over there.” you say, “I will, and I’m also standing on the solid rock of God’s Word, you have a good playbook coach, but have you read God’s playbook?” or something like that.

Of course, now it sounds like I’m making fun of you. I’m really not. I don’t know you, and understand your question fully. I AM MAKING SOME ASSUMPTIONS with are exaggerated in order to bring some wisdom to bear on this question. Read this paragraph twice if you are bummed.

The best wisdom is to be normal. All things to all people to reach them doesn’t mean being a freak of nature and/or a social misfit.

The best wisdom is to be normal and be a friend. How would you be overt with your faith to someone you don’t know that well? I hope it’s to serve like crazy (cup of cold water and all) and no on is going to argue like that.

The best wisdom is to be normal, be a friend, and don’t go looking for conflict. As far as it is possible, live at peace with everyone. When you love someone like crazy, it’s tough for this to be criticized. You’re being invited to provide a service, so serve. You’re not walking into a synagogue  or to a public soapbox to teach and encourage. You’re not among a family of believers where it’s your duty to correct and discipline heretics and apostates.

The best wisdom is for you to be normal, be a friend, serve like crazy, and be ready for the opportunities to make a difference with your words. Always be prepared to preach the word, in season and out of season (by the way, I’d consider your video responsibilities as a time that is “out of season” to preach), you may have the right moment to invite someone, or give them a wise piece of advice, or tell them the truth you know.

Do not forget the dangers of the pride that comes with a messiah complex. Salvation and a person’s choosing to have faith is not so fragile that it has to happen right then, in that moment. You can delay a conversation. You can offer a question and say, “consider this and let’s talk at another time.” This is not weakness, in fact it is more difficult, for it requires a mind that has to be ready for more situations than the FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS allows for. It is more difficult because you don’t get to put a notch in the CRUSADER belt… very few delight in a badge of meekness.

Wisdom is a great evangelism tool. It opens a lot of doors. It’s tough, because it’s hard to come by, especially when platitudes are plentiful. It’s easier to judge and preach rather than to listen and question.

Most people aren’t happy, this is an easy door to walk through… anyhow, I look forward to the comments on this one. There’s a lot of issues here, and this time I decided to keep the blog down a little bit.

mattmcgill

if you’re interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state

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How do you know when it’s time to move on from a ministry?

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(I think there was a second part to this question…how do you communicate the change or something… if you wrote this question, email me the stuff I forgot)

1. When you are confident you’re called (by God) to move on.

2. When you can’t support your supervisor, senior pastor, elders, etc.

3. When you hate students, leaders, parents, and/or your programs. (hate covers a lot of negative things…like bitterness, frustration, etc.)

4. When you are constantly without joy, peace, rest and/or Sabbath.

5. When you are no good and ineffective at your ministry.

6. When you are unchallenged and ungrowing.

7. When you molest a student, or have some other kind of inappropriate relationship.

8. When any of the above applies to your spouse.

NOTES

1. Don’t ask me, “how do you know when you’re called,” because I’m not sure there’s much of an answer beyond, it won’t conflict with scripture, and you’ll just know. Now, there’s plenty of people who will tell you how to know if you’re  called…but if you look closely, all they really are doing is telling you how they “knew” they were called and assuming the same will be true for you. This is how most people teach things. Calling is really personal between a person and God. Also, I’m talking about real calling… not the typical fake Christian vernacular that gets thrown around like it’s common stuff. For example, “I’m not called to date you.” Shut up an admit you don’t want to date the person. (replace “date” with just about any other verb that a Christian doesn’t want to do but doesn’t have a real reason, or the will to find one.)

2. This is usually a submission problem…and leaving something because you can’t submit is dangerous, cause you’ll just have to learn at your next place. Everyone has to submit…it’s a SPIRITUAL LESSON, so it will always show up in real life.

3. You may just need a break and step back so you can catch your breath.

4. It’s impossible to pastor, shepherd, care for, minister to someone you hate.

5. Ministry shouldn’t make your life horrible. Even if you’re locked up and being tortured, there should be some encouragement, some joy in the spirit. I’m not speaking from experience, just learning from Paul’s life.

6. If you’re not being challenged in your life, something is horribly wrong with your life. There is no room for apathy and a growing spiritual life.

7. No notes are needed on this point.

8. Don’t be a moron.

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Am I being asked to do too much? If so, how do I say no?

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Here’s the full question from Jacob D.
“Is there an easy way to tell if you are being asked to do too much? And if you feel like you are, how do you tactfully and respectfully say no?” (he then explains his particular situation)

 

The absolute indisputable answer is no, there is no easy way to tell if you’re being asked to do to much.

There is no easy answer, because discernment is never easy. If it were easy then everyone would have it, and there would only be a few morons in the world.

Should you discern poorly to one side, and you’re doing so much that everything worthwhile in your life implodes or explodes. Discern too poorly on the other side and you’re a lazy and selfish sloth, with the only difference being the number of toes.

So, here are some tests that come to mind, (although this is hardly exhaustive as I’ve only spend about 8 minutes thinking about this question)

1. The PEACE test. Jesus came to bring rest to the weary, and his burden is light. If you’ve lost this in your ministry, they something is really, really wrong. Now the opposite of peace is lots of things, and for the sake of simplicity, we’ll measure them in degrees. Those who have lost their peace for a short while are restless, meaning it’s a major effort of WILL to slow down and turn off. Think flipping through the channels at 2AM. Worse than this is discontentedness, a continual state of anxiety and pressure that covers everything you do and influences everything you think. This is like a TV filled with loud scratchy static, and it’s just over your shoulder, just on the peripheral of your vision at every moment. Finally, the extreme lack of peace is bitterness or resentment, every little problem is a big problem. The ugliness within is all consuming and you can think of nothing but, “I’m a victim and someone ought to pay.” Disclaimer: there is no one opposite to a lack of peace… it has a thousand ugly heads. 

2. the LOVE test. If you are serving in a ministry and this service has caused you to sacrifice your spiritual life, then something needs to change. You are either doing too much, or you’re doing it the wrong way. Loving God is a greater commandment because it always leads to the second greatest commandment. The reason why the are not “equal” commandments is due to the simple fact that loving others doesn’t lead to loving God.

3. The SKILLS test. If you are doing something that’s way outside of your skill set, then you’re probably doing something you shouldn’t be doing. Yes, I know that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, but this is a reference to our failings our sin. We are still created with gifts, and a foot needs to be good at being a foot. Close to this test is the results test. It’s so close that I’ll not even give the results test its own number. If nearly everything you do totally sucks, then you’re probably being asked to do too much. I know, I’m really smart for being able to say this.

4. The PASSION test. Everyone likes things and has compassion for things and sees things in a unique way. God has made us all different in many, many ways. Yea! (although I’d be cool with a few people like me) If you’re doing something that’s far outside of your passions, then you’re in trouble. There’s a time to do things out of duty and servanthood; a time to step up and take one for the team. However, this time ought to be limited, as serving outside of your passion makes as much sense as a “caution hot!” sign on a coffee cup. (it’s just stupid)

5. The FAITH test. Don’t forget what ministry is: God is doing something great in you while you do something great in the world. Therefore, faithfulness in the moment is more important than results. If you’re CONSUMED with doing good looking good, etc. then you’re probably doing too much. Stop it you moron. get off that high horse so you can wrestle with your messiah complex.

6. the GROWTH test. Now all of these things need to be seen in light of what God is doing in your life. Discernment in anything requires a healthy spiritual life. If you’re not walking with God, then start doing that before you make any decisions or judgments about what you should and shouldn’t be doing. You need to be keeping in step with the Spirit before all of these things because God is growing you… so the boundaries on all of these tests may be pushed, and that’s ok… God is trying to grow you. Perhaps the answer is for you to “handle” it all…or the answer is to let go of some things. This last test includes all the practical things like having a regular quiet time, taking a Sabbath, not cheating on your wife, etc.

 

SO, let’s say you’ve discerned (or “felt,” if you must) that you’re doing too much. Well, the best way to approach your senior pastor is to be open and honest. Collect your thoughts, write them down, share your heart and see what happens. Ask for help… when you have too much, perhaps you can keep the sane responsibilities, but scale them all back. You can share the results of each of these tests:

“Dear Pastor, I have little peace these days, my faith is drying out, I’m doing crap work because I don’t know what I’m doing, my heart just isn’t in it, it’s difficult to be faithful, and I think I’ve learned all that God has for me in this season, and it’s time for a change… I either need to do things better (asking for help) or I need to do less things (asking for less).”

There, isn’t your life all figured out now?

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