Pedestals

We had the incredible opportunity to hear Evangelist Jason Stidham preach both our Sunday morning and Sunday evening services over the weekend. I encourage you to look up his ministry @ www.jasonstidham.com.

In the midst of a powerful, challenging and anointed message was a great dose of humor and a touch of reality that hits a little close to home.

"It humors me that people call us for marital problems" -Jason Stidham
(as if marriages of those in ministry didn't have their own set of "issues")

The dose of reality? For the few times that I wondered if I was to be a pastor, especially when the thought crossed my mind, post-wedding... I've thought, with some of the arguments we get into, there's no way I could do church ministry...especially if it happens shortly before or after church.

The follow-up to Stidham's one-liner was made during the evening service.

"Your Pastor is not perfect. You are not perfect. Which makes you a perfect match." - Jason Stidham

What an incredible challenge. To invest in your ministry. Your family. Your marriage. Your community. Then to be there for 10's and 100's of other people when problems arise in their career, family, marriage and more. How incredibly naive of us to think they don't have problems. God help us for the conversations we have when gossip and rumors arise regarding possible problems.

Pastors need our prayers and support, if for few other reasons than they are able to offer valuable insight, proper perspective and Biblical advice when we actually do seek their advice. Then again, as was one of the main points of the morning service; why don't we just go to God first, with the perspective, if anyone can do something about anything, it's God.

That said, on this #seniorPastorMonday, pray for the marriages of Pastors, and those in ministry. Pray that they would remain complete and healthy. Pray that ministry would not overshadow and overtake their responsibilities on the home-front. Pray that love and respect would dominate their home and the strength of the marriage would be honest and genuine to all who witness it. Pray that together, their ministry would be more effective than if they operated apart. May the advice they give when they are ask, not be from a position of higher ground, greater skill or simply better than, but a true testament of commitment, hard work, sacrifice, deference for each other and love. May it be clear to all, that their marriage is not strong because they are perfect, but because God is at the center of their lives as individuals as well as central to their marriage.

For the glory of God. For the betterment of the church. For the strength of the community.

-PNC

---