Confessions of a Middle Aged Pastor

With the celebration of yet another birthday this week, I have officially started on my third year past the half century mark.  I suppose I am complimented by the term “middle aged” because I have reached that central season of life with exceptionally good health, with my sanity intact, and I am still enjoying attempting to fulfill my calling.

However, it does occur to me that the way I see life and faith and church through the lenses of a middle-aged pastor is rather unique.  I am neither a militant traditionalist or a rabid post-denominationalist. I was mentored by some of the great pastors of the 1950’s and 1960’s.  And I appreciate many of the innovative and creative non-traditional approaches to pastoral ministry that I see working in suburbia and around the globe.

In the rural context of my home church, I “felt the call” to ministry at age sixteen and preached my first sermon two weeks later.  I started serving part-time on a church staff at age 18 and was serving full-time by age 19.  This year I begin my 34^th year in pastoral ministry.

If nothing else, thirty four years of service on the staff of Baptist churches means that I have a little durability.   Although there have been hurdles and a few monumental challenges along the way, overall I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve alongside some great, yet imperfect churches.

Supposedly everyone entering middle age goes through a stage of re-thinking life.  For some, it is a painful agonizing struggle, often second guessing important decisions made along the way.  For some, it is a time of re-direction, often resulting in a change in vocations, hairstyles, automobiles, and occasionally, even spouses.  For me, however, middle age, so far, has been a time of reflecting, thinking about how I’ve changed and how much more room I have to grow.

If confession is good for the soul, maybe I will be more healthy if I confess where I am and what I believe about church and ministry at this point in my life as a middle-aged pastor:

• Other churches and other ministers as my colleagues, not my competitors.
• Being the church is more important than going to church, but I cannot fathom how we can do one without the other.
• Authenticity as a pastor is more important than the authority of the pastor.
• Ministry energizes me.  Trying to keep others focused on ministry exhausts me.
• What we do inside the doors of the church should make a drastic difference in who we are outside the doors of the church.
• I continue to discover the family of God to be much more inclusive and much less exclusive than I previously imagined.
• An open Bible and an open mind always trump a closed Bible and closed mind.
• As a pastor and a Christian, I am to be priest and prophet, not judge and jury.
• Church should be a clearinghouse where talents and gifts are blessed and sent, never a warehouse where talents and gifts are counted and stored.
• In the Christian life, I believe the local church is where the action is… where faith is nurtured, where community is cultivated, and where missional service is launched.

Actually my pastoral confession of faith is much more lengthy.  At this point in my life, I have more questions than answers.  I get frustrated far too easily with petty complaint and criticism. Yet I realize that I have far more to learn than I already know, and far more to do than I’ve already done.

Even during my middle age years, I love serving as pastor.  I have the privilege of walking alongside folks from the moment of birth to the moment of death and all seasons in between.

Paul summed it up this way: “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

Although I have not arrived, I am intent on enjoying the journey of growing forward.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study as we dig into the resurrection story in John 20:11-18, 24-31.

(Check the pastor’s new blogs at http://www.barrysnote.wordpress.com/ and http://www.fbcpnotes.wordpress.com/.)

Celebrating the Good Things

One of my goals for 2012 is to spend more time celebrating the good things and to spend less time worrying about the trivial things.

Our church family has a lot to celebrate in 2012.  Last Friday, we made the final payment on the Paul Royal Recreation and Outreach Center.  This means that we paid off this $3.4 million renovation and expansion project in less than five years in a pretty challenging market.  Thank you for your generous and faithful giving.  Now, let’s utilize the ROC as a prime gathering place for all ages.  And let’s make it a place where we are continually “sharing the story.”

And speaking of giving, we ended the first quarter of our fiscal year in December above our budget goal. You may recall that our church adopted a rather aggressive budget goal for 2011-2012 so that we could continue to grow our mission giving.  With all of our folks “giving the firstfruits of our labor” as we bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse, we can surpass our goals for giving to missions and ministry during 2012.

Our First Baptist Family continues to be blessed with dozens of guests and prospective new members.  Even through the holidays, we have continued to meet new residents in our community and new faces in our congregation.  As followers of Christ and members of FBCP, we are called to be greeters and recruiters for the kingdom and for our church family.  Join me in providing a friendly welcome to those who visit worship services, Bible studies, and other activities on our campus.   Many of our guests are looking for a word of good news, and we’ve got a story to tell.

I continue to hear good things about our series on The Life and Times of Jesus. This Sunday we are looking at Luke 9:18-27 and “The Great Invitation.”

For many this is a holiday weekend, so I urge you to make it a priority to be in worship and Bible study. 

And this year, let’s focus on sharing the story and celebrating the good things.

When the Church Comes to Life

Last year I re-read a book that was written in 1987 by one of my seminary professors at New Orleans, Dr. J. Terry Young.  The book is titled The Church: Alive and Growing and it begins with this assessment:

There are churches of all kinds, mediocre churches, indifferent churches, “average churches,” big churches, little churches.  And then there are effective churches. Nearly any church can be an effective church if it will do three things:

• Maintain a vital, faithful relationship to its head, Jesus Christ.
• Have a proper self-understanding of what the church is, and what it is to do.
• Follow sound principles of conducting its ministry.

In describing what he means by effectiveness, Young contends that “size alone is a poor measure of effectiveness.”  Rather, he says, Effectiveness is…

• Doing an excellent work of ministering in the community where the church exists.
• Adequately meeting the needs the church sees within its membership and its community.
• Doing well what that church ought to be doing. (For example, using our unique strengths and our gifts.)
• Producing a steady stream of converts who are guided into maturity and led into productive service in the work of the church.
• Make a telling impact on the community surrounding the church so that it is a better place because of the presence of the church.

As we begin 2012, I am excited about life and ministry at FBC Pensacola, not because we are doing all of the above to perfection, but because we are making progress in many of these areas. 

I am also excited about our emphasis on Sharing the Story.   I believe that knowing the story motivates us to live the story, and living the story gives us credibility to share the story.

As we continue our joint Bible study and sermon series on “The Life and Times of Jesus,” I want to challenge each of us to do three things:

• Know the story.  Participate in worship and Bible study each of the 13 weeks of our series.
• Live the story.  Ask God to help you put  these teachings of Jesus into practice in your daily life.
• Share the story.  Engage a friend, classmate, or colleague in conversation and share with them what you are learning about Jesus and how Jesus teachings are at work within you.

First Baptist Church is a good church, a friendly church, a caring church, and welcoming church.  In 2012 I am praying that God will grow us into a more effective church.

Rekindling Hope

Christmas is a time to reclaim the hope we have in Christ. Our hope in Christ reminds us that through the ever-changing circumstances and seemingly insurmountable challenges of life, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

During the Carols and Candles Service, which begins at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and our Sunday Worship Service, which begins at 10:30 on Christmas morning, we will be revisiting events surrounding the birth of the Christ child, which is the ultimate story of hope.

As our nation emerges ever-so-gradually from a recession, economic uncertainty has become a global concern, with many European countries either re-organizing or teetering on the brink of financial collapse.

As we prepare for a crucial election year, the rhetoric of the campaigns already sounds more indicative of superficial political posturing than substantive problem-solving.

A general cultural malaise that is saturated with complaint and almost devoid of optimism seems to be contagiously infectious, not just around the nation, but around the world.  And to make matters worse, that sense of hopeless discontent has infiltrated the church.  If the community that has been called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), the very bastion of hope, forfeits hope for hopelessness, we may find ourselves rushing toward an apocalyptic future.

Real hope is neither blind nor naïve.  Real hope motivates us to rise above despair and deal with challenging circumstances proactively, constructively, and collaboratively.

A few years ago I read of a rather profound exchange between two clergy who were working together during a season filled with monumental changes.  In 1960, John Claypool began his tenure as pastor at the Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville.  Shortly after his arrival, Claypool became friends with a Jewish rabbi who was forty years his senior.  Their friendship grew deeper as they worked together in the civil rights movement. After a tense and unproductive meeting one day, Claypool looked at his Jewish friend and said, “I think it is hopeless. This problem is so deep, so many-faceted, there is simply no way out of it.”

The rabbi asked Claypool to stay a few minutes after the meeting and said, “Humanely speaking, despair is presumptuous. It is saying something about the future we have no right to say because we have not been there yet and do not know enough. Think of the times you have been surprised in the past as you looked at a certain situation and deemed it hopeless. Then, lo and behold, forces that you did not even realize existed broke in and changed everything. We do not know enough to embrace the absolutism of despair. If God can create the things that are from the things that are not and even make dead things come back to life, who are we to set limits on what that kind of potency may yet do?”

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:28-31

Like the stoking of warm embers to re-awaken the flame, hope can be rekindled by stoking the fire in our bones that propels us “to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8) in all of the seasons of life.

This year, let us embrace Christmas as an occasion to rekindle our hope and to renew our strength, a hope inspired by God’s perspective and strength that motivates us toward God’s plan, realized on earth as it is in heaven.

I look forward to our celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together as a church family.

Pastor’s note:  If you are not currently following @FBCPensacola on Twitter, I encourage you to start following this week. On Sunday January 1, we will have our first Tweet sermon.  We will “tweet” the scriptures, quotes, and major points of the message during the worship service.  Bring your smartphone, IPOD, IPAD, or other devices to worship with you on January 1 and “follow” along.

Celebrate With the Joy of Giving

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7 NIV

For most of my life, I have heard it said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”   Those words are actually in the Bible (Acts 20:35), recited by Paul and attributed to Jesus out of the oral tradition of Jesus’ teaching.

A few days ago, USA Today published an article entitled, “Does Tithing Buy Happiness?”  While the title sounds a little too much like it was taken from a page in the “prosperity gospel,” the article itself makes some great points about stewardship and the joy of giving.  Research shows that those who give generously have a higher degree of satisfaction and peace about life.

Interestingly, the article also commends the practice of tithing as a discipline that fosters community:

 
This importance of social ties brings us to the particular brilliance of tithing. Done as most people envision it — that is, giving generously to your local church — tithing helps build the ultimate social network: a thriving community of people who will care for you, pray for you and help you in tough times. People who have close-knit networks are happier and healthier than others, too.
Many in our First Baptist Family are living examples of the joy of giving.  During this season approaching Christmas, FBCP members are giving generously above their tithes to support missions through the Global Missions Offering.  Many are giving an extra contribution this year to pay off the remaining balance of the ROC.   And in addition to these gifts there are a variety of other missional projects including Samaritan’s Purse Shoeboxes, Warm Friends Hoodies and Gloves, Shoes for Weis students, and our annual Luncheon for the Homeless.

Yesterday morning, I was privileged to volunteer at Weis to assist in delivering hoodies and gloves, and to help the students try on shoes that were provided by our Median/Senior Adult Sunday School Departments.  I experienced the joy of giving all over again.  Because of the generosity of members of FBCP, the students at Weis had warm hands and happy feet. It’s no wonder that God loves a cheerful giver. 

This Sunday the festive music of the season continues as we talk about “A Song Worth Singing” from Luke 1:39-56.  On Sunday evening, we will meet in Chipley Hall at six o’clock for a Christmas Concert presented by members of our Praise and Worship Team.

Don’t forget that there are no Wednesday activities or dinners on December 21 and 28 so that you can spend quality time with your family. 

Our annual service of Carols and Candles begins at 5 p.m on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas Day we will meet at 10:30 for worship.  Come dressed casually in your Christmas colors.

Especially during the holiday season, I count it a privilege to serve alongside generous and joyful givers.  May the joy of giving become more and more contagious, and may our community of faith continue to become happier and healthier.

Pastor’s note:  If you are not currently following @FBCPensacola on Twitter, I encourage you to start following this week. On Sunday January 1, we will have our first Tweet sermon.  We will “tweet” the scriptures, quotes, and major points of the message during the worship service.  Bring your smartphone, IPOD, IPAD, or other devices to worship with you on January 1 and “follow” along.

In Excelsis Deo

Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
                                                            Luke 2:14 NIV

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!  That phrase is Latin for “Glory to God in the highest!”  Across the years, worshippers in liturgical traditions have sung the Gloria Patri, also called the “Minor Doxology” or “The Angelic Hymn,” which is based on this text.  During the Advent and Christmas season we often sing the more familiar hymn, “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  Whichever version we sing, the message is profoundly clear:  In our music, our worship, our offerings, and our lifestyle, we have an opportunity to bring glory to God who has provided for us the greatest gift ever given.

Each year during Advent, worship features candles and carols, prophecies and promises, friendship and faith. On recent Sunday mornings we have lit the Prophecy Candle, reminding us of the messianic promises rendered by prophets long ago, and the Angels Candle, highlighting the angelic announcements to Elizabeth and Zechariah, to Joseph and Mary, and to Shepherds watching their flocks by night.  This Sunday we will light the Shepherds Candle, which commissions us with our responsibility to spread the good news about the child born in Bethlehem.

    

This Sunday as we gather amid the colorful seasonal décor, we will sing the carols of the season and hear a message from Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11entitled “The Lord of the Ring.”  Then on Sunday evening, we will gather at six o’clock for In Excelsis Deo presented by our Festival Chorus and Orchestra.

By the way, this week, in addition to our tithe, Amanda and I are writing our check for our annual Christmas Offering for Global Missions.  We invite you to join us as we prayerfully and financially support those who serve as missionaries around the world. You can designate your Global Missions Gift for any combination of the Baptist World Alliance, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Southern Baptist Convention, or our Locally Directed Missions Fund.  

Also, as you prioritize your holiday and end-of-the-year giving, I invite you to join the Howards in giving a gift toward the final payment on The ROC.  Thanks to your faithful contributions we are close to paying off this $3.4 million project in less than five years.  Working together, we can finalize payment by the end of December.

Advent is an opportune time for spiritual reflection and spiritual commitment.  This season is also a great time to invite a new friend or a long-time neighbor to join you for a worship service or a concert.   

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.  Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

Advent: A Progressive Journey toward Christmas

When observed faithfully and progressively, Advent can prepare us for a Christmas celebration filled with mystical wonder and deep meaning, a spiritual communion that far exceeds the buzz of shallow commercialism.

In the rural church of my upbringing, we didn’t observe Advent. We jumped directly from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  A few years after I became a pastor, I was introduced to the colors and candles of Advent and my journey toward Christmas changed drastically.  Today, I am convinced more than ever that as mission-driven Christians who live in a market-driven culture, we need the reflective disciplines of Advent to keep us alert to stealth forces like materialism, busyness, and greed, illusive grinches who would love to steal away the real message and gifts of the season and replace them with superficial slogans and glamorous counterfeits.

For the Christian, the season of Advent calls us to a progressive journey toward Christmas. When our days are soaked in prayer and saturated with expectation, we think about Christmas differently than the rest of the world.  Advent has a way of rescuing us from the busyness and the relentless anxiety caused by hyper­materialistic expectations.

This year our church family will count down the days until Christmas by re-visiting the prophets, singing the carols, re-reading the gospels, and lighting the candles that refuel our peace, hope, love, and joy. Then we will be better prepared to sense the anxiety of Mary and Joseph, to feel the labor pains of God, to celebrate the birth of the world’s most renowned newborn, and to hear both the singing of angels and sobs of Rachel weeping. This gradual journey of Advent culminates when the Christ candle is lighted and the Christmas Star shines over the manger in Bethlehem.

If we dare to journey through this season one day at a time, to reconsider the promises of the prophets, and to revisit the nativity narrative of the gospels, we may discover that we are more than ready to follow Christ from the cradle to the cross and beyond.

To enrich your Advent journey get a copy of the Advent Devotional Guide written by our FBCP members and compiled by our Children’s Ministry.  You can download a copy that is compatible with the PDF, Kindle, or E-Reader by going to http://www.fbcp.org/.

This Sunday we will light the Shepherds Candle and explore Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 as we ask, “Can You Hear the Rolling Thunder?”   Children’s Church also begins this Sunday for age P5 through 3^rd grade.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study as we continue our progressive journey toward Christmas.