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Some Traditions You Need

Man Weekend.

That’s what my wife calls it.

Sometime in April I’ll get an email from one of my friends addressed to me and about 10 other guys. Ideas will be exchanged, dates set, and excitement builds for another weekend spent with some forever friends.

Ministry doesn’t lend itself to forever friends.

It is hard to get close to people on a truly friend level when you are their pastor. It shouldn’t be difficult but we all know that life long friends are hard to find when you pastor them.

You might have better luck with other pastors. Perhaps in an ideal world you are always sending your best staff person to start something new for the Kingdom. Realistically we know that this ideal happens but people move on for any number of reasons from the understandable to the heartbreaking.

Or perhaps it is you. Rooted long-term ministry is something I desire, but I understand why it is less and less common.

We need forever friends.

Friends who knew us before. Friends who won’t take our cliches. Friends that force us to be ourselves.

If you don’t have a standing tradition of connecting with forever friends create one.

Traditions usually make a Rookie Pastor’s stomach turn, but some traditions you need.

Tonight I’ll be eating junk food, playing poker, and talking about things I can’t share here or on a Sunday morning.

June 1, 2012 in Encouraging, Practical with 2 Comments

Finding a Church Job: Don’t Give Up

This is part 12 and the final installment of a blog series called Finding a Church Job.

Several friends in my life are currently looking for a church job. They are qualified, passionate, and available but they haven’t been able to find anything remotely close to the right fit.

I keep telling them to go through the process. That being told “no” is another step in the right direction. I tell them these rejections are somehow valuable.

I tell them this and understand why they want to give up.

So I’m telling you what I’m telling them.

Don’t give up.

Very simple, but very important for you to hear. If you are a pastor, be a pastor. To your family, or your neighbors or your co-workers at the coffee shop or in the cubicle next door. Be a pastor to those who haven’t asked for a pastor until a community of people asks you to be their pastor.

Calling is this odd sort of trump card we like to play. If we are called we assume that we will have immediate gratification. Your calling as you articulate it is more of a destination or at least a few steps past the formative steps of humility and service that first must be embodied.

There is no secret formula. A search agency (head hunter) may call with an offer, a friend at a healthy church gives you a heads up on an opening, someone above you moves on, whatever the situation you will fail without first knowing who you are.

Pastors give up when they forget who they are.

Pastors take the wrong job when they didn’t know who they were in the first place. Continue Reading…

May 31, 2012 in Challenging, Encouraging with 3 Comments

Finding a Church Job: Culture vs Title

This is part 11 of a blog series called Finding a Church Job.

Like many of these posts this is a pretty personal look at the process.

When I was leaving my first ministry and before I landed in my current community, I had pride issues. In leaving my first church part of me felt like I was now deserving of a somewhat perfect job. Now this was the time when I was leaving a full-time job with nothing to go to and ended up part-time.

Interviewing has a way of forcing humility.

Last week’s post might have made it seem seamless but the process was tough. Not because I didn’t have options but because I didn’t like the options.

A great church wants me, for 20 hours a week. I didn’t want to be a part-time Student Pastor. All the other full time options though weren’t good fits and that is putting it nicely.

So I had to figure out whether or culture or title was more important.

Continue Reading…

May 25, 2012 in Encouraging with 10 Comments

I Love My Job Video

HT:JG

May 18, 2012 in Encouraging with 0 Comments

Josh Hamilton, I Am Second

May 16, 2012 in Challenging, Encouraging with 1 Comment

Josh Hamilton on PTI

Humble.

HT:MH

May 11, 2012 in Encouraging with 1 Comment

Guest Post: Cure for Apathy

A husband to Janine for 20+ years and father of 3 amazing daughters, Gregg serves as a pastor at Shelter Rock Church (www.shelterrockchurch.com) on Long Island, NY, loves to write (www.gpfarah.com), and is quite fond of pizza. He writes books to remind us God is big and faith is fun.

Gregg is publishing two spiritual growth books. Visit www.indiegogo.com/52series to learn more and to get a copies for yourself or a group.

I’m Cured!

Good news! Comedian George Carlin reports that scientists have found a cure for apathy. Apparently, no one has shown the slightest bit of interest in it.

My guess is you’re not apathetic about your spiritual growth. You want to grow spiritually and you’re open to doing something about it. But, if you’re like me, you might be a bit intimidated. I’ve been motivated to do other things in the past, without success. I’ve set goals, I’ve purchased equipment, I’ve publicly declared my intentions…only to revise my goals, return the equipment, and ultimately avoid everyone I told. And because it’s not easy to make an entirely new set of friends, I end up eating yet another slice of humble pie and try not to get excited about anything…ever again.

But we can’t live that way. Especially when it comes to life with God and pursuing all God has for us. Look at what the Apostle Paul teaches:

Let your roots grow down into Christ and draw up nourishment from Him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the faith” (Colossians 2:7, Living Bible).

Strength and vigor anyone? I’m in. I’d love to have my faith described that way. And I’d relish the opportunity to know God and the Bible intimately. Yet despite my good intentions, I end up frustrated and assume “spiritual giant” status isn’t for me.

May 11, 2012 in Encouraging with 0 Comments

Rookie Pastor, Rookie Dad

I’m in the homestretch. Baby showers have commenced. Books have been read. Nursery is painted.

Fatherhood is bearing down on me as we are about 2 months away from the due date.

So I need your help for two reasons:

I’m Ignorant

I think Rookie Pastor works because we learn from one another. And I could definitely could use some teaching in this area of being a dad, especially as it relates to also being in ministry.

Not only am I ignorant I am a bit freaked out. We all know the crazy pastor kids, the angry pastor kids, and even the weird pastor kids. Compared to the first two I’ll gladly take the third option. Ideally though I’d like some kids who love Jesus and don’t resent their parents or the local church. That’s what I’m praying for anyway.

Good vs Great

I love writing this blog. It is life-giving, encouraging, and a ministry. As good as this is it absolutely does not compare to the greatness and importance of being a father. With our son on the way I have to prioritize some things in life and the goodness of Rookie Pastor comes after my own time with God, family, and ministry in the local church.

So to coach me up, help in the transition (particularly right after he gets here), and for the benefit of others I am looking for contributors to this new series called Rookie Pastor, Rookie Dad.

I am looking for male and female perspectives on raising kids (at all stages) and being a pastor. Long or short, general or specific, I’d be happy to post it.

Comment or send me an email: josh(at)rookiepastor(dot)com and I’ll give you more details or guidance if you are looking for more direction.

Thanks.

May 4, 2012 in Encouraging, Practical with 3 Comments

30 in 30: Don’t Change Anything

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.

Don’t Change Anything

It doesn’t matter how painful it is to watch or how obvious it is to you that change is needed you have to tap the breaks.

The cynics and those who are leery of you just because you are new are expecting that you will come in and change things and they are prepared to resist you. This small handful of people is only really a threat when they are able to rally others to their foregone conclusions. So don’t give them any ammunition.

You may have just read that paragraph and are now thinking that I am a combative cynic that is contributing to the problem rather than the solution.

In part you are right. I have been burned before and it hurts. People resisted my leadership not because of what I was changing, but because I was changing something. And what I have learned is that the only real solution is trust.