I used to be smarter than I am now. I used to know the name of every person that attended our church. I used to know where you lived and where you worked. If you had children, I knew their names, and more than that, I knew them. I used to get to everyone's living room. I knew your dog's names. I used to be smarter than I am now.
In my old age, I am no longer able to know everyone. It has been a difficult adjustment for me. It has been painful to grow to the point where I can't know everyone like I used to. I have to keep reminding myself, and you need to remind yourselves, that all of this is because we wanted to win more people to Jesus Christ. We voted for this. This situation is the byproduct of something that we have worked hard to accomplish.
Over the years there have been many changes. People used to just wander in to see me. Now, you need an appointment. A few years ago I got a personal assistant, then that person became a gate keeper. The phone no longer rings into my office without going thru someone else's hand. There were just too many calls that were either sales calls or calls that really needed to be dealt with by another staff person. We have had to change my cell number. I had the same one for 8 years, and I was getting calls on it at all times of the day for reasons that would make you smile. I am not the point person for hospital calls anymore. We have someone on staff that is doing that. I can't do all the weddings or all the funerals. It's kind of sad, some of the changes, but we have brought them upon ourselves by winning more people to Jesus Christ and his church.
Please understand. All of these changes are not designed to keep us apart. They are not designed to make me feel uncomfortable, although I grieve some of the changes. All of these changes are designed to take care of my soul. To manage my time so that I have the time necessary to prepare a sermon, pray about the vision of the church, and do the other things that I need to do.
I am sorry for the moments when these changes are difficult for you. Be sure to know that they are often difficult for me as well. Life was simpler when our church was smaller. Looking back on it all, I am still glad that we have grown. I would rather deal with the changes that we face than to have stayed where we were and not won the last 5-600 people that attend our church.
I hope you feel the same way.
Its a beautiful day in God's world, even if the preacher has a gatekeeper now. Be sure to see the good.
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3 comments:
One of your strengths, Jeff, is the way you reach out on Sunday mornings and also through this blog. It feels very personal, you come across as being in touch with yourself and with others. I think of leadership as setting the tone, not doing all the work! While you can't connect with everyone now, what seems important is that you let yourself shine and enjoy the connections when you do have them. In that way, you are a guide for the rest of us who never have enough time to connect with everyone we would like to reach out to.
Jeff,
It is important for all of us to remember that you cant possibly be effective if you are pulled in 2,000 different directions. With a Church family this size, you have to set limits to continue to stay sane. I would like you to be sane.
It sort of helps on Sunday morning.
Ha. I am glad you have such an ambitious vision and I share it with you. I am 110% behind you.
i think its really great that your church is making an active and conscious decision to reach out into the community and to bring people in. my home church has a major phobia with outreach and change in general. it's so amazing to see God working in so many different ways through your church.
i have been reading your blog for a couple weeks now and i absolutely LOVE it. (a friend who is a member of your church showed me it) its now one of my homepages on my laptop so that I can read it everyday. Thanks so much for the time you take out of your day to write this blog. It's much more appriciated that you know. :)
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