You Don’t Think Like a Minister

November 11, 2002   8am   Study

This is what the counselor said to me back in the late 70’s.

At that point I tried to move ahead and find another vocation. I put out my fleece, looked at a few jobs, resigned at the Briggs Church in 1980 and then proceeded to dabble at a few different things.

I went to work for the Williamson group with little success. Then went to work for myself…doing some business training consultant work with some success but not enough to keep me going financially.

Then I went to work for the Job–Find group…mostly in sales. It was a hard sell and I sure didn’t make enough to get by.

Ultimately I moved to New York and took the job with the Bible Society. It was a disaster. The people I worked for were awful. Also I realize that the job probably would never have been a fit for me, even if I would have worked for people I admired and respected. I resigned.

After months of sweating and getting more and more broke, I came back into ministry with the position here at MABC.

Did necessity drive  me back into ministry? I needed money bad. I felt I had to have a job so I jumped back in.

So now here I stand in my study at the computer. The candles are lit. I am journaling again. I look on these last 17 years with thanksgiving and mostly excellent memories.  I have thrown myself into the work here. Truly accomplished some things like the releasing and renovation of the Roger Williams, developing into a pretty good preacher, touching some through the years, starting the Kid’s Clubhouse, working actively with PWA’s especially at Flemister House,  helping start AWAB, developing more creative worship services and increased work with children, working with Student Interns in their maturation and development.

When I think through these parts of the ministry in this place I feel a sense of thankfulness, joy and even a sense of pride.

So……how come the sanctuary was virtually empty yesterday?  How come there’s only a very small number who respond to the ministry here?

We advertise some.

Our worship center is attractive.

We have decent facilities.

Our music has been mediocre at best, but I feel the rest of the service is strong…the preaching…the prayers….the hymns. I feel that both Susan and I are attractive, appealing.

Our community ministries program has been strong.

Our education and childrens program has been weak but that is definitely changing.

Administratively we have a long way to go, but I don’t think this has had a negative effect on our appeal as a church.

And yet, with all of the pluses, all of our strengths, only a handful of people show up.

Yesterday at Worship I preached a pretty good sermon, Susan did a good job with her part of the service, James played and sang well….but it was all offered to a virtually empty room.

Earlier this week I met with a young woman who wants to join the church.

After worship yesterday I met with a bright young man who wants to join.

In the Advisory Council we got some things accomplished …not only that, we really seemed to enjoy each other…young and old…straight and gay…male and female. When the meeting concluded most still hung around and kept talking.

Yesterday, everything was done well and enjoyable…just no one showed up.

What is it? Is it the congregation we have? Is our diverse, largely unsuccessful more elderly group not appealing to most? Is our program so weak that it has little or no appeal?

Is it me? Does my thinking and theology and preaching put people off?

I am not a promoter.

I am an introvert.

Does this put people off?

The man said to me once…Mike you can probably do ministry. But you don’t think like a minister.

As I look at all of the work I have done here in this place with these people…and see how little numerical growth there has been…and how few new leaders the church is developing…I can’t help but wonder if I made the right choice in jumping back in 17 years ago.

Did I make a mistake?

Did I go back into ministry for primarily economic reasons? And If I did, was that OK? Did my economic situation drive me back into the vocation I needed to go back into?

Was it Life’s way of herding me back where I was meant to be?

Or, was it a mistake?

Was it unfair to MABC?

Is it unfair for the church if I stay here much longer…considering the empty pews which are in our sanctuary Sunday after Sunday?