30 in 30: Celebrate the Honeymoon

This is part of a blog series that has 30 practical tips for the pastor looking to start or restart well. You can get the entire series as a Kindle book. The landing page will be updated with each new post.

Ah, the honeymoon period, that time when you first come on staff at a church where everything is positive and hopeful. Everyone seems to be on board with your vision for the church and you can’t believe how friendly everyone is, the honeymoon period can be a beautiful thing.

The length of this time varies but the first time you experience the end of the honeymoon period it is jarring. It is jarring because it is unexpected: some negative feedback from a superior, a cutting comment about something you worked very hard on, even personal attacks about you or your family.

Since we have experienced this negative feedback previously or heard the horror stories we spend our honeymoon period bracing for the end of it. However as we dreadfully wait we miss the positive period we find ourselves in and in turn ignore how important it is.

The honeymoon period should be celebrated and embraced as much as possible. This time is about excitement, looking forward, and really does give you a glimpse as to the potential of the community.

Celebrate the honeymoon and don’t worry you’ll know when it is over.