A Church Job?

The holidays have left me a bit behind on the latest developments. I'm looking forward to catching up a bit and am sneaking a few minutes on my dinner break to write this post.

About two weeks ago, Hal told me about a music job at a Wesleyan church here in town. I decided it wouldn't hurt anything to apply and sent my resume in a few days before Christmas. In the process, I was able to check out the church's web site and see that there was a strong Marion, IN connection as three of the staff, including the Senior Pastor, have a degree of one kind or another from IWU. The Senior Pastor, Bill, is actually from Marion and his folks still live there.

I sat down with Bill last week and we had a nice conversation about my background, the work that I've done and the position that the church is looking to fill. I had lunch immediately afterward with Hal and we discussed it a bit. The word "interesting" was the word we kept gravitating to. The church is currently using a blended worship style and is wanting to transition to where they would have traditional, blended and contemporary (insert your definition of "contemporary" here) as three separate service styles by the end of the year and they want somebody who can lead them through that transition and onward.

I know some of you that know me are probably surprised that I would consider such a position given my more "progressive" tendencies. Well, I was surprised at how seriously I was considering it as well. In looking at it, I know it is something that I could do. It certainly has its own challenges, but the tasks are things I have done before and I wanted to give it a complete look before making a decision in case it is something that God would have me do.

(Several hours and a drive home later...)

Today I was able to sit down with Bill, Steve (Youth Pastor) and Jeff (Outreach Pastor) for about 90 minutes. It was another good conversation. They are each guys that I enjoyed meeting and talking with and I was better able to get a sense of where the church has been and where it is headed through our time together. The picture that I see is of a church that is poised to do more of the same kind of ministry that they've been doing with slightly expanded programming and a little more varied methodology in terms of worship styles. I don't see a lot of innovative, God-sized challenges though (at least by my definition) and that may be why I find myself reluctant to get too excited about the possibility of working there.

Please don't get me wrong. I think that it is a church that is doing some great things and has some great ministry ahead, I just don't know that it would be the right fit for me or me for them. It feels like a position intended for someone else whose passions and vision are more in line with that of the church.

As I've thought about it, I can't help but wonder how effectively I could lead in a direction that I'm not really going myself. Maybe the church and I both need to be challenged by a season spent in service together, but it feels like a forced fit. I am very much reminded of how God provided "outs" for us when He called us to Hanfield by offering us opportunities more in line with what we were comfortable with and closer to home. This feels like the easy way out, which makes me very suspicious.

I have not made a decision yet and feel that we are to continue in the conversation, regardless of whether a job is offered or accepted. Who knows what God has in mind through the conversations we've had or those that are to come. We could find ourselves partnered together in ministry endeavors down the road whether we go to this church or not.

It's also given me more opportunity to think about church planting. It's an idea that I've been hesitant about, but seem to find myself more strongly pulled toward all the time. It's not that other churches aren't good enough, it's just that God has wired me in a unique way and given me a strong desire to pioneer and be an innovator in what church looks like in a post-Christian culture. I don't see a lot of that kind of ministry happening here and can't help but wonder if God didn't call me here to blaze a new trail that helps to establish a viable church for the next generation in this community.

It may be delusions of grandeur, except for the fact that I know I am not smart enough or gifted enough to pull it off. Now, that's a God-sized vision.