The Onset of August
August, the ‘work month’ has led to several things happening in my life both physical and spiritual. It is certainly the time of the year when things start getting busier. My child started Kindergarten, and I started seminary. But it doesn’t end there, read on.
Seminary Starts
Today marks my first day back to seminary since the Spring. I greatly enjoyed the Summer off and it provided me a lot of time for personal reflection and for simply enjoying life at a little less frantic pace. I believe that I will continue to take off the summers since it gives me a much needed break and time to catch up on things. Furthermore, since my sweet daughter started going to Kindergarten this year, that means she will start being out during the summer. Of course, there will still be daycare for work hours but this will give me more time to connect with her on my downtime.
The first class I will be taking, B Term, is “Spiritual Formation” which will focus on growing myself spiritually and increasing my discipline for prayer, bible time, and further enhancing my spirit for the work of the ministry. The second class will be “Pastoral Counseling” which will aid me so much in learning how to ease the spiritual pressure felt by those God calls me to pastor to, whomever they may be. I look forward to God’s plan changing courses now that I am at this junction.
Chruch Changes
I have eluded to this before but now I will make it much more public. Tiffany and I, after trying several other churches, felt that we simply did not feel as much at home as we did at Northwest Baptist Church. The church is vibrant, missional, and always reaching out and serving those around it. That being said, we decided we simply wanted to go “home” after our brief vacation. I certainly enjoyed some aspects of serving as a youth pastor but I think God wanted to show me that I wasn’t ready to be “THE GUY” as in, the head of an entire branch of the church, that is what caused me to fail against the spiritual warfare. However, I am not at all objected to serving in other capacities where I am serving under another until God refines me enough to stand up on my own again.
After only a few short weeks back, Tiff has already been called in to work in the 2 year old class which is rather funny because she has already worked with these exact kids when they were in her Creepers class before we left. I ended up being called to work with my original ministry passion – kids. I work in the Kindergarten class now and have the same story as Tiff, most of these kids (including my own daughter) have moved up from the class I used to be teaching in and are now in this class. The only exception is that there is no such thing as “extended” for these kids, they go up to ‘big church’ once Sunday School is over. Tiff and I don’t like this too much as although our sweet child will sing at the top of her lungs to the music, once we start listening to Dr. Ben, she starts getting bored and restless. We have given her coloring books, toys, and other quiet things to do but she is still relentlessly bored.
That being the case, we have been inspired to pursue creating Children’s Church for the kids aged K-5th grade or so. Dr. Ben has been preaching lately about missionary work in other countries but reminds the congregation that there may be missions right here in our city. Both Tiff and I feel that this might be something that we can do to aid the church as it has been requested by members even as long ago as when we started which is over 6 years ago now. Clearly, there is a need in the church and Tiff and I have gifts that can help fill it. Now, the question remains, can we get the pastoral staff and the deacons to approve it? That is what we have asked Dr. Ben about now. Keep praying that God will guide the church and Tiff and I towards the goal He has in mind.