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This is probably more for my pastor friends, but here goes.......

I am speaking to some pastors today about pastoral care issues.  One of the things that I have watched over the years is what happens when pastors are protective of "their" turf.  Yes, it is "their" church.  They are in charge.  It is "their" pulpit.  The Bishop assigned them to that church.

You are going to get requests to have some other pastor perform the wedding.  The family will want someone else to do the funeral.  It may hurt your feelings.  You have the power to tell them "no."  But just because you can, does not mean that you should.

I have watched many pastors shoot themselves in the foot by insisting that the floor was theirs, the pulpit was theirs, the attention was theirs.  You cannot insist that people love you.  It just does not work.

Once upon a time, a teenager was killed in a car wreck in a particular town.  The Methodist pastor was brand new.  The family asked if the new pastor would allow the old pastor to come do the funeral.  That new pastor said, "no."  The family move the funeral out of the Methodist church to the school.  Someone else did it and after it was over, 5 families left the Methodist church.  That pastor was only there one year.  It was a one moment disaster for that pastor.  One bad decision ruined that appointment.

Bottom line, it is not my pulpit, not my church, not my ministry.  It all belongs to Jesus.  I need to be willing to share.  It is healthy to share.  Share the moment, share the love, share it all.  It is the best way.  It is the only way.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.