“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you,” 1 Peter 5:2a
As a child, I never wanted to be a pastor, lead a church, or give my life to the teaching of God’s Word. I can remember wanting to be like my Dad. Often, we desire to emulate a vocation that we first see lived by those who influence our lives. My desire changed as I began college, and quickly I started down the path of veterinary medicine. But then God…
In my college days, the Lord began working in my life and sovereignly placed me on a path of ministry and service to the local church. As a part of the local church, I found purpose, a place to belong, deep friendships, and the chance to engage with people around me to further the Kingdom of God. I quickly dropped the dream of becoming a veterinarian. I embraced, by faith, a path ordained by my Heavenly Father that has brought joy mixed with sorrow, thrill, curiosity, fear, and faith above all else. My emotions, experiences, and interactions have led me through valleys and mountaintops. However, the one thing that has always been there is joy. I have experienced joy in the sorrow of ministry, the thrill of ministry, the mountain top experiences, and the lowest valleys of this wild calling to shepherd the flock of God. I have seen how frail and finite I am. Wisdom can be described as doing the best you can with the information you have, which has been my experience. Ministry is not figured out with a crystal ball or an assortment of mystical expressions and practices to unlock God’s mysteries. Proverbs 16:1 states, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” My wife and I often say there is no formula you can plug in as you commit to ministry. There is no handbook or course you can take that buttons it up, making all the seams crisp and the corners tidy. Hopefully, it’s done with integrity, faith, and conviction that Jesus is the hope of humanity. A pastor’s life is devoted to telling of God’s marvelous deeds among the nations. Yet, amid all of my twenty-plus years in ministry, I have experienced one emotion that has carried me through, and that emotion is joy. This fall, I will take another step of faith as I close out ten-plus years as one of the pastors at Fellowship Community Church to shepherd the flock of Westover Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. As I reflect on countless days and nights in the ministry, I am reminded of why I find so much joy in the call to pastor.
The Joy of the Word of God
In Psalm 19, the Psalmist writes, “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.” This verse describes how the Word of God impacts man’s heart and soul. It is one of the reasons I love being a pastor. Week in and week out, I experience how powerful the Word of God can be when rightly divided, as it genuinely revives the soul of man. At FCC, I have served with a fantastic teaching team comprised of pastors and staff, and I have found them to be talented, passionate, and well-equipped to divide the Word of God so the soul of man can soar to know and love their Creator. Time and time again, as I read the Word and prepare to preach, it settles into my soul, reminding me of a covenant-keeping God who will never falter and abandon me to the grave. As the Word takes root in our soul, it points us to the way to live and the man we are to follow – Jesus. This year, I had the privilege of starting a podcast to help our church grow in its love of Christ entitled the “Jesus Everyday Podcast.” Every episode started with the line, “Welcome to the Jesus Everyday podcast, where every word, thought, verse, and chapter points to Jesus.” The Word paves the way to the Shepherd of our heart, the One named Jesus.
The Joy of the People of God
Many who do not attend a church use the excuse, “the church is full of hypocrites.” True, every church has flaws. Yes, you will get hurt more than once when you enter the community of the people of God. Yes, things get messy, and words are said, actions are taken that hurt those the church desires to help. Yet, even with all the dysfunction, scandal, and allegations against church leaders and members, I still believe the best of humanity is connected to a local church. The best part about being a pastor is the people you get to shepherd. From a first-time guest to a veteran children’s volunteer, I have had the privilege of pastoring some of the kindest, most generous, and most gracious people imaginable.
The church is not perfect, and its people are not perfect. I have had conversations with rude, insensitive, and often cruel people, but for the most part, the people in the local church have encouraged, cared for, and loved me from the start. The Overstreet family took me in as a young student intern and cared for me as their own. I still consider TJ and Ivan as brothers and Marilyn a spiritual mother during my college days. When the Lord led me to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Overman family took me in and cared so sweetly for me as Kristina and I prepared for marriage. The Smith family came into our lives when I pastored Emmanual Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Kristina and I spent many nights with Marsha, Dennis, and Angie watching episodes of 24 and waiting to see what Jack Bauer would do next. My time as a student pastor was so sweet as families like the Taltons, Callahans, Parks, Jones, and Pierces walked with Kristina and me as the Lord added two sweet children to our family. For the past ten-plus years, we have called Virginia home. During our time ministering to the sweet people of FCC, Katy and Eugene Eng have been our “Priscilla and Aquila,” as we have enjoyed one of the sweetest friendships I have ever experienced. The best part about the church is not her buildings, influence, or programs. The best part of the church is the people. After ten years, the Lord is moving us from Fellowship Community Church to pastor Westover Church, and my family has been flooded with love and care from people we barely know. But, that’s the church, it’s not perfect, but it’s good.
The Joy of the Grace of God
One of the tragedies of the Christian life is how few believers understand, live, and thrive in the grace of God. I have met some of the kindest Jesus-loving people, but often there is a shadow side, the inability to accept and give grace. My friend, we all have flaws, make mistakes, sin, and deal with sinful people and messed-up situations. But oh, the joy when we embrace grace. Embracing grace is seen in the widow finding her life and the ability to go on after a loved one is present with the Lord. Grace is the young man or woman who finds forgiveness and stability after years of dysfunction because someone doesn’t see them as broken but as a trophy of God’s grace. Grace is the person who can be themselves, no matter where they are, and feel like they are loved and cared for by the community of believers. Grace is found in how sin is approached when a brother or sister is confronted in love and gently restored through time, patience, and faithfulness. My prayer for myself and the local church is to see the joy of the grace of God each day and extend that same grace this side of eternity. I love being a pastor, and I am thankful God has entrusted me with the care of His flock.