What If?:

For a long time the trend in Pastoral Ministry has been to move from church to church over the course of your career. The trend used to be spend three-four years being an Associate Pastor and than move on to a Senior Pastor at a smaller church for 2-3 years, than begin to work your way up moving to a bigger church each time. I have talked with Pastors who recommend always having your resume up to date and circulating around to other churches just in case you lose your job at the church you are at.

I don't know about you but that just seems wrong.

What if we did Pastoral ministry differently? What if students graduated from Seminary and planted their life in a community and at a church? What if instead of moving into a parsonage Pastors purchased a house and set down roots in a community?What if Pastors invested their lives among a church body for 10, 20, 30 even 40 years? What if instead of looking for a bigger church Pastors stayed at their church through thick and thin? What if Pastors stayed on in a church during the bad times when people were leaving and deacons wanted them outed? What if Pastors stayed on in a church during the good years when the church was growing and other churches were offering him a job? What would the ministerial impact be if Pastors stayed at their church for decades instead of years? What would the trust look like between Pastor and church members if all of the church members had been dedicated to the Lord when they were babies by there now Senior Pastor? What would our cities look like if Pastors didn't move in and out but had built up a great reputation in the community?

God has been doing a work in my heart. God has been laying within me a burden to invest my life... not just five years at FBC Stanleyville but my whole life.

What if I raised my family in FBC Stanleyville? What if I stayed long enough to marry my daughter within the walls of FBC Stanleyville? What if I did life with the members of FBC Stanleyville for the next 40 years?

What if?