Here I Am Lord

What's up all?

Just a few thoughts about transitioning to ministry.

After three years of intense, engaging (for the most part), and enlightening study and field work, I felt prepared to begin doing that which I was called to do - ministry in a congregation. I am ready, I am excited, and I am called. I am also very, very frustrated. After following God's call for Jessica and I to be in Oakland, I have found nothing but dead-ends everywhere I go. Because of the choppy economic conditions here in CA jobs of all kinds are sparse...and "pastor" is no exception. Despite our lengthy education and preparation for ministry, it appears that I am unqualified for many of the positions in the area. Though I know God is absolutely faithful, there certainly are times when my perception of that fact is lost amidst loneliness, boredom, financial worries, etc. This is one of those times.
There is only so much cleaning, preparing, reading, organizing, and unpacking one can do. Eventually everything becomes tidy, prepared, read, organized, and in its proper place, and then there is no more fooling yourself into keeping yourself busy while God leads a needy congregation right to your front door. It doesn't work like that, nor should it. Despite reaching out and announcing my intentions to a number of churches and church ruling bodies, the response has been very intriguing: silence. In a time of such social and economic distress as today, one would think that free, extra ministry help from someone passionate about it would be welcomed. Despite all my frustrations, questions, confusion regarding this issue, however, I always come back to the fact that God is indeed faithful....
As I was writing the above comments, my mind was quieted and I felt God nudging me from the deepest parts of my heart that sometimes receive a lower priority than they should. "If you are called to be a pastor and spend your life serving Me by serving My people, what is more beneficial than being able to truly identify with the stresses of joblessness?" "Perhaps you are not looking in the right places." "Who told you that you must work through pre-existing entities?" And finally, "Patience...."
Goodbye friends, I will blog again soon. Join in the fun.