On becoming a pastor

If all continues on the current course, I will become a pastor by the end of September.  These things do not happen quickly!  I left the United States Coast Guard in July of 2003 and finally accrued enough hours to earn my Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary (I graduated in May of 2007).  Since November, I have applied for roughly 60 pastoral positions in nearly every state in the continental United States and a few in Alaska.  Most have rejected, many never even replied, and a handful have interviewed me on some level.  3 have made me a finalist for their positions.  One was an associate pastor in a small church in New Hampshire – they went in another direction – may they be blessed.  The other two are still in process.  One is for Pastor of Discipleship in Anchorage, Alaska and the other is for Lead Pastor in Curtis, Nebraska.  Both of these processes started in early May and will wrap up some time in the next few weeks.  Amazingly enough, the ball will probably be in my court.  No offers and now, I’m going to have to make a decision.  Isn’t that just like God!

But, all that being said, I began this post to talk a little about why I wanted to become a pastor in the first place – besides the fact that God called me to do it.

Because . . . I truly had that haunt you, chase you down, while walking along the Alaska coastline, telling God, “I’m just going to stay in the Coast Guard” and Him telling me “It’s time to go to Seminary” experience.  I distinctly remember laying in my bunk a few weeks later on the ship,  up very late, couldn’t sleep, wrestling with God and finally calling Emily to tell her, “honey, I’ve got to get out of the Coast Guard and go to seminary.”

Here’s some things I will enjoy about being a pastor:

• Being creative
• Teaching
• Public Speaking
• Leading/visioning
• Creating infrastructures
• Studying a lot
• Setting goals for myself and for others as a community
• Counseling
• Mentoring
• Resolving conflict
• Evangelism publicly and individually
• Leading retreats
• Leading people in worship
• Creating liturgy
• Leading teams
• Marrying people
• Grieving with people

I mean, that list could go on, but I get excited just making the list.  That’s why I laid awake that night in that bunk on that ship.  I wanted to do this stuff for a living.  And, it makes me almost start crying to think God is going to release me to go do it.   The funny thing is, I think a lot of people would look at a list like that and it would make them nervous or sick at their stomach or at least put off – probably just the public speaking part.  But, that’s why God chased me down the waterfront that night.  Let me tell ya – the road to here is not and was not easy.  I’m sitting in a basement full of books and full of hard knocks right now as I type this.  Emily and I have paid some dues to get to August of 2007.  I’m hoping to be able to faithfully reflect on them at some point, so those that come after me can do so with out scraping their knees as badly.