On December 27 I will be on a plane headed for Nairobi with the entire Young family. We will be living among our impoverished brothers and sisters in Christ for four months - and I simply cannot wait. It's going to be a radical sabbatical. There are many great benefits to this pastoral sabbatical. This is an opportunity to be refreshed, to pray, to study abroad, and to serve the church in a different capacity. But I think the greatest benefit is the one most overlooked. This is an opportunity for Calvary Church to grow. What? Yes, you heard me. It is an opportunity for the church to grow - to grow up and to grow deeper. I personally think that too many churches are too dependent on the Senior Pastor. (And that's why so many of them burn out or leave!) Don't misunderstand me, the Senior Pastor (called a "bishop" in the first century) has an important role to play, but he is not the church. As I look around me on Tuesday mornings at staff meeting I see some awesome talent - a guy who was a television sports anchor who now has a Master of Divinity degree and a good deal of pastoral experiece. I see a guy who can relate to youth (and adults), teach the word, and play a mean guitar - not to mention that he's a classically trained cello player! (Ask Joe about his week at "cello camp" in high school. Cello camp?) Then there's a guy with a degree in arcthicture who loves people, worship, technology, computers, and most importantly God - and can work a 55 hour week like nobody's business then jump in to play guitar or piano on the worship team with five minutes notice (I'm not exagerating). Did I mention the lady with a masters degree in voice instruction who runs her own voice studio and recently turned down an offer to teach at Notre Dame? And then there's this lawyer's wife who knows how to work - and how to organize - and she loves kids. Solid. I haven't even mentioned our great secretaries none of whom works here for a paycheck. Then there are our gifted lay leaders none of whom ever recieve a paycheck. We've got lawyers, builders, doctors, bankers, professors, engineers, finance people, managers. And yet these people are some of the most humble people I have ever met. And I'm not finished - I look out at our congregation on a Sunday morning in both services and see 500 of some of the most awesome people in our community. (Yes, there are lots of really good churches in our area - but this one just happens to be my favorite.) Really, when I think about it - I wonder what I do around here. Don't you think its unhealthy for a church to hide all that talent? Don't you think that one of the greatest things about a sabbatical is that it gives our church an opportunity to really grow up - and grow deeper - to fully use that talent? What are we afraid of people? We are a body. Let's start acting like one. We are a team. Let's start thinking like one.
4 comments:
i have to admit it's pretty amazing to wake up in the morning and WANT to go to work. having worked for a variety of bosses over the last few years (one freakishly perfectionistic, one barely organized enough to find her keys, the list goes on)...it's truly a joy to work for LY. (no sarcasim intended).
Isnt it interesting that the very computer that the end times crazies were so worried about ... would end up being the tool to be used by God to further the development of his people?
In China, the computer and internet will actually lead to mass evangelism.
In churches today, there is no way a pastor or bishop can "control" thoughts and keep the word from doing its work.
The blog and all its ancestors to come are just God's way of reminding us that when we communicate honestly and in love, he ... not we ... will change the very nature of the world.
Lionel, keep up the challenging nature of your ministry. Don't lose the edge or the haircut.
I love that Calvary is committed to the growth of the local and universal church enough to allow Lionel this radical sabbatical. I agree with the statement that too many church are too dependent on the Senior Pastor and that we must continue to train and equip BELIEVERS for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12.) This sabbatical is not only a good thing, but i believe a necessary thing for the continued growth of our church. Thanks Calvary for believing in your Senior Pastor and Staff, thanks Lionel for trusting God to continue to work. May we see Him do just that through this next year in ways we have never seen before!!
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