Six Down

Six years ago today we began our ministry here at GCC in Prince Albert. Six full years.

It's hard to believe we've come as far as we have in that time. And, looking back I am glad that God did make the calling to this place and people as clear as he did.

The church had gone through some most difficult circumstances in the previous years. The denominational Bible school which had been in Prince Albert for many many years, was moved to Alberta in the mid 1990's. This took out so many of the leaders and younger families, that it seemed to gut the middle cross section of families here.

This vacuum created tension and struggle; who would be the new leaders?

Add to this the recent past of a pastor who had been unfaithful to his marriage vows and his calling, and you have a group of people who are hurting and broken.

I remember my first year here was mostly about shell shock. I remember many leadership meetings I had to attend to. It seemed that everybody was involved in leadership in some way or another. There wasn't trust in people, but more of a sense that "I have to be involved in the leadership so that the other group wouldn't get it's way" kind of thing.

I remember people yelling at the meetings, and I mean yelling. I recall people walking out on meetings out of anger and frustration. I recall this thick air of tension as people would rise to speak, or just start speaking out of turn. I remember Annual meetings that had to take all day.

I remember how small groups would form around certain issues, and they would begin to meet and plan and strategize ways that they could accomplish their agenda.

These are the things I feel free to share, because they are common knowledge to our church. I won't mention the hundreds of contacts a pastor has that are even more stressful than these public times.

I read through minutes and talked with previous pastors. I read the history, looking for clues. I became a student of these people and their history. What I saw didn't surprise me.

I saw that over the past 50 years, three Covenant churches had joined together, or been forced to join together out of necessity. I saw that only two pastors in those fifty years, in those three churches, had ever stayed longer than nine years. And that the average stay of the pastors had been three years.

It was like a child that had been hoisted around from foster home to foster home.

That's when God showed me that if I was to make any difference here, I would have to stay for a long time. He told me to love them. That was all. No big plan to grow a large numbers church. No great insight into solving all the problems, just to love them.  And He did say not to expect a lot of new people for a long time.

I was a bit miffed. That sounded too easy, too simple. (Laugh here!!)

So, I worked hard to love them. I tried to bless them, to encourage them. I didn't join sides but tried to walk and live in the middle of the DMZ, the no man's land. I tried to show them Jesus, and how to love him, thinking that if they could love him and grow closer to him, they would grow closer to each other, and experience the healing that comes from loving God.

I tried to encourage trust in people, more than systems and structures. I emphasized relationships over programs, having coffee with someone over sitting in a business meeting. And we have worked hard at loving them.

The results have been, good.

I would love to say it's all done a 180, that it's all better and the past is past. But if I could say that I'd probably be tempted to write a book and a video series on how to get your church whole, by Randall Friesen, and do seminars in warm climates. That's the kind of schmuck I am!!

But, I am enjoying the ride. I love walking with people through the rhythms of life and death. I love showing them Jesus. I love seeing them get whole, and healthy. I do really love them.

And before you even ponder for a second the thought; "What a good man", or "What a faithful pastor," let me assure you of my fickleness.

I am by nature a very impatient man, just ask my children. Any patience you experienced from me came to you direct from heaven. And I don't find it easy to express my love and affection, ask my wife! (Well maybe sometimes!!) Any love you felt from me came to you from God's own heart, just for you.

And my impatient heart dies a thousand deaths each week as I seek to challenge you to go deeper with Him, to not get hung up on the incidentals.

Not everyone has enjoyed my approach. Some wanted a powerful leader with a big stick to come in and clean house. The kicker is that those who like that approach are often the one's who would need to be the first to be "Cleaned up." :-)  Some didn't like me not choosing their side of things, and I understand that. But, the most painful of all, is that some choose to remain in their brokenness. By so doing, they reject healing, and life, and yes, even forgiveness.

So, some have left, some have considered me a failure, and some continue to try!  Even today, as we worshiped God and he was present in some amazing power, some challenged me that we are heading in the wrong direction, and that my leadership is quite ineffective.

I suspect they are right. If the plan of God for this church was to grow big and large with lots of people and programs and a budget that reaches the world, we have utterly failed.

But if the plan of God is life and health and peace and hope and plans for a future, then I think we are doing ok. If He desires truth in our hearts, and grace in our relationships, we are moving in the right directions.

And, apart from the shots across my bow, and occasionally through my skin, I really do love it here. There is a level of contentment in my often discontented heart, and I'll enjoy the fruit God gives me.

So, let me remind you to pray for those who pastorally care for you. Depending on the situation, they often grapple with issues that many know nothing of.

Oh, and do something nice for your pastor. Take them out for lunch, or buy him or her an Ipaq or the latest U2 DVD, so that she can crank it up, and forget a few of the days events.

And enjoy being blessed, that God loves you enough to put someone in your life who will love you, with skin on.