My Church

When does a church become more than a church for a pastor? Like any relationship, it takes time. Like any relationship, it happens during the good and the bad times. Like love it sneaks up on a pastor if he's not careful. How can he love the church, the church that God's called him to pastor and care for more than God Himself. In truth, he can't. But a pastor might just dare to love that church, he might just unwittingly find himself caring for that church, he might even go so far as to refer to it as His Church.

The Church I pastor, First Baptist Advance, is just that church to me and my family. We have shared in life and I am forever grateful to you. You have helped restore my faith in God's church and the work He continues to perform thru you. 

I vividly remember my drive to our home in Oak Ridge years ago. I met Teresia on the sidewalk, our eyes met and we both knew God was calling us to serve in Advance. There were a few tears shed at that moment. We were both nervous about moving our family, would they adjust, how would we fit in. All the normal things Parents and spouses worry about before a big move. We didn't want this move to be for a short time, we wanted to commit to the church and to this community.

What I didn't expect was how I looked at you changed over the years. As a PK, I've been around pastors my entire life and from their stories formed an image of what a Pastor was to a church and how a Pastor's relationship to a church was to look. Looking back and having been here for a while it strikes me how cold a pastor can be in his relationship to the church. I've even heard some say they've washed their hands of church life or the reasons they moved was because "The church didn't want to make a change". Hmmm...what about the people? My dad gave my the best and simplest advice to be a pastor, "Love the People". That advice guides me even today.  

In my time here I tried to focus on you, not YOU as a church. You as individuals you who make up this church. That was my undoing, I fell for you as God's Church. I began to realize and understand His work in your lives. I began to see why God finds the church a beautiful place to be and why He calls it His bride. I began to understand why God wants to add others to His church.

In the past several years you have reciprocated that love time and again. Teresia and I have been humbled, we have been strengthened, we have been taken in by you. 

This is My Church, This is Our Church, You are My Church. I don't own this church. I am part of this Church. I just happen to be the Pastor. Thank you First Baptist Advance.