Two years ago, October 4th, 2003, I conducted my first service as senior pastor of The Journey Church. It is amazing to me how time flies. I still remember that service - we had some of the people from GSBC with us, and some of our core people that are still around today. Margarite, Chuck & Donna & Kay & Pete, Tim & Flo, Sue - and a few others. I preached on "When the Church Comes to Town" from Acts 2, and led the music (I misunderstood and thought GSBC was bringing their praise team up...we ended up using Worship DVD's - "Trading My Sorrows" was the first song we sang). My mom and dad were with us, along with my grandmother and uncle and my step-father Harry and my dad's then-girlfriend, Patti. After the service, my family and I went out to eat, trying to find our way in the fog and rain down to Dover. The next weekend, the church had a welcoming dinner for us.
But when I stood before God and my wife and my parents and led my first service as pastor, it was one of the proudest points of my life. I felt like I heard some applause from heaven from my old pastor, Floyd Paschall, and my grandfather, Fred Oates. I could see my wife beam with pride, and my parents listen with pride as they watched me begin the dream of my lifetime - pastoring a new church here in New England. I will never forget how I felt as I stood up there.
Two years have passed - we've added a few more people (about 120 more); we've remodeled the house, the auditorium, the classrooms; we replaced the roof. We've passed out thousands of fliers, washed numerous cars for free, helped many people enjoy Christmas and Thanksgiving; we have contributed at different community events; we have seen 60-70 people come to know the Lord in our services, and baptized about 25 of them.
I have preached so much, yet have barely scratched the surface of what the Bible has to say. I have helped people to laugh and cry, invited them to look deeply and also to look outward. I have helped heal marriages (and I have tried to help heal several more). I have tried some things that have worked, and successfully tried several things that did not work :)
I have made people mad at me, have had people curse at me, have had people be ungrateful towards me, and I have offended my fair share of congregants. I have had others bless me, bless my parents, bless my children, bless my wife, and bless God because of me. I have motivated some people to pursue God harder. I have pushed others away because of the high cost of following Christ.
I have prayed hard at times and prayed too little at others. There have been times when I have never been more prepared for messages and flopped while delivering, and there have been times when I have never been less prepared and experienced the freedom of the Spirit in my delivery.
I guess two years is only a splash in the bucket. I love what I do. I love the people God has given to me. I don't always love leading them (I mostly do), but I do love them. I am so grateful that God has entrusted me with this ministry. May His Kingdom continue to come forward in this area. Thank you, church, for allowing me to lead you. I am privileged and blessed by you.
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2 comments:
2 years ago the Lord brought you and your family here to Rochester New Hampshire. Wow! God still thinks about Rochester New Hampshire.! It was 14 months ago that the Lord spoke to Brenda and I to go to the Journey and "stand" with them.The Word says that He places us or sets us in the body as it pleases Him.I am so thankful to the Lord and so glad that it pleases Him to place us in this fellowship. I love the hunger and thirsting after God that I see in you Rob and I feel a kindred spirit with you in that respect.You are so right when you say we have barely scratched the surface of all that God would say to us and do through us.Our God IS an AWESOME GOD !!
Anyway, Just wanted to say thankyou for hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord and I confirm that you were created for such a time as this. We stand with you to see the Kingdom of God established on this earth.
Thank you, Ed. I receive that. Having people like you and Brenda stand with us has made all the difference in the world. He has called us together for some marvelous things that have not yet been revealed.
I quote our theme verse for the 40 Days, Habakuk 3:2 “Lord, I have heard the news about you; I am amazed at what you have done. Lord, do great things once again in our time; make those things happen again in our own days.”
I don't want to ever become a church that talks about the "good old days." Rather, let's talk about the exciting days to come, our better yet, the incredible day that is here.
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