Last Sunday I had someone else preach even though I was there. He is a ministry student, and he told me he needed to preach some sermons for a class, and how hard it was to find places to preach, because the pastor at his home church wouldn't let him preach there (it's a big church, and "not just anyone can be in the pulpit"). That's not exactly what he said, but that's how I took it. So I told him he could preach at our church if he wanted to.
Part of the reason I did that is because I kinda know how he feels. I have never been asked to preach at my home church, and I have to admit, it kinda hurts. I guess I did preach there once, right after I got done with seminary. But I've never been asked after becoming a preacher. I think I've changed a little between then and now. This was the church where I became a Christian; where I was baptized; I was a member of the church; I had served on the board; Jane and her family attended there their whole lives; I lived in this town my whole life; my parents now attend there; they paid for part of my seminary tuition. And it's not like it's a big church either. I mean, it's bigger than the one I pastor, but it's just a couple hundred people. I dunno, it's not a real big issue, but when this guy told me how disappointed he was that his home church wouldn't let him preach, I didn't tell him, but it got me to thinking how I've always been disappointed about that too.
Although, I have to admit... I kinda had an attitude when I left our home church and went to seminary. I thought I was better than them. I didn't like how things were done, and I wanted to pastor a church that "did things right." Yeah... we all know how much of an idiot I can be. I was, and I'm sure there were some people who knew it; so I don't hold it against them. It took me quite awhile to realize just how nice of a church it is. Live and learn.
I haven't been very good about helping people develop in their preaching lately. It's been awhile since I've asked Jane to preach (she's done it 2 or 3 times), and one of our council members has a couple times. I once had a goal that I wanted to preach no more than 35 times out of the year. The rest of the time would be filled with a couple of "good" preachers, some developing preachers (or students), and maybe do some other stuff now and then too. I kinda forgot about that. [reminding self]
I dunno. I'm just rambling...
3 comments:
So much for non-parenthetical, scary-world defeating mrrfrrkin' songs.
That was a good one, I hope you tweek it back in somewhere. But I understand the burden of being an author.
Yeah... maybe. It suddenly seemed really idealistic and I didn't know if it sounded stupid or not.
the definitive opinion: it didn't.
Besides, do you think *I* go around worrying about whether I sound stupid?
...there you go.
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