Saddened

I heard about Pastor Steve’s resignation today and it deeply saddens me.

I personally have learned a great deal from his teaching and preaching. Through his missional vision my eyes have been opened to a way of living as a Christian that is much broader than I could have imagined and fills a long felt void even though I am still only just taking some tentative first steps. Further research into this missional approach has unveiled that there is a definite movement afoot, and not just the musings of a single man.

I have never understood the ferocity of ill feelings toward Steve? When these ill feelings (I’m being kind) started, I went to Steve to discuss them. I found a man truly in love with Jesus and passionate for the path he was walking. Yes, I also found a man that is occasionally less than diplomatic and sometimes so focused that some social graces were misplaced. Misgivings we all have. But I saw nothing that deserves the ill will I’ve seen expressed? Steve, I’m sorry you’ve been treated so poorly.

I do not blame Steve for leaving and I wish him and his family well! But his leaving solves none of Faith’s problems and we are still a congregation divided!

Faith has much work to do before we will be able to agree and call on a new minister. As sometimes happens, perhaps Steve’s presence (not Steve himself) has become the ember that keeps a fire burning and his leaving will provide the opportunity for things to cool down and recovery to begin? I have my doubts. Following Faith’s Relational Covenant will be imperative if any real reconciliation is to come about. The covenant is a simple set of rules of conduct. In general, I would say reconciliation is possible but the road is going to be long, hard, and paved with prayer.

My optimism for a good outcome has been severely damaged. As I understand it, a sizeable group of folks have opted to withhold their pledges until Steve leaves. I personally find this misguided and I pray I have misunderstood! This seems to fly in the face of pledging by faith in God and disagreeably uses worldly mammon to force an outcome rather than working through it in a Christian manner? This type of action that risks the existence of Faith church to exact a particular outcome rattles my trust to the very core! Right now I am disappointed and I am having a very hard time seeing a way toward forgiveness, restored trust, and reconciliation! This is not the Faith church that “loved me like the child of God I didn’t know I was.”

I’m sharing these feelings in the spirit of rule seven from the Relational Covenant; “Share our personal experiences about the subject of disagreement so that others may more fully understand our concerns.”. I have not yet figured out what to do with these feelings other than lay them at Jesus' feet. I know God is sovereign and the Spirit has been and will continue at work at Faith. It is going to take a great amount of praying for me to find God’s way through this. I will continue trying to follow the Spirit’s guiding to help Faith find its way and see my 2009 pledge through. But I’m not sure what the outcome will be?

Relying on Him, His will be done,
Dave

These are my personal opinions and are not associated with any particular group or groups.

Multi-Generational

In the last year we’ve had a lot of discussion about connecting with the emerging culture. Those that got into the study will tell you this wasn’t about dis-connecting from the older culture! It was about conveying an understanding the emerging culture is different and the need to make some concessions to reach them. Concessions that are really very superficial because the real message of God’s love is conveyed through our love as Christ’s followers.

So there has been a lot of emphasis on connecting with the younger culture. However, with the deaths of six of our older members this year along with the fact that most of our new members lately have been older (I believe), we’re also reminded of the need to carry the message to the older generation. This older generation includes folks that are becoming isolated because of the deaths of their contemporary friends, or because of health restrictions. It also includes aging Boomers that may be starting to face their own mortality for the first time. Life isn’t like the retirement commercials!

So when we talk about caring for the elderly and aging, are we talking about taking care of our own? Or are we reaching out missionally to all those in need of Jesus’ message?