I’m not necessarily God-discouraged as much as church-discouraged. There are certain expectations I have for the church that are continually being challenged.
I believe God deserves the best. In other words, if you can’t sing, you should not be leading worship. If you’re a terrible administrator, you should not be given that job. Why is it that in the church, we forget this fundamental principle. We say “but they are doing their best.” Great! In the mean time, God is not getting the best because a lid has been put on that area of ministry. Why instead do we not move that person to a place they can actually flourish which will both encourage and be fulfilling to that person and allow God to be glorified by excellence in both areas of ministry.
I believe integrity stands above all. Integrity does not mean everything is always done right. Integrity does not mean we are not human. Integrity does not mean we have it all together. I don’t expect perfection, I do expect integrity. I do expect an apology when things are handled wrongly. I do expect leadership to make things right and to do the right thing.
3) I believe people matter. People come to church needing what they can find no where else – the knowledge that they matter. They long for the touch, the word, the acknowledgment that they are important. I was greeting at the main doors to the sanctuary for several months and worked hard at learning a name and matching that name with their favorite type of candy (I also passed out candy). It was amazing over the months those that began to search me out simply because they knew I would remember their name and have their special piece of candy ready. In a group of thousands, they needed that word that said, “you are important to me.”
I’m not looking for a perfect church. I realize once I step into the room, we are no longer perfect – no illusions there. And I was far from the perfect pastor/leader. I just had certain expectations of myself and my leaders that I’m having a hard time seeing in the church today. I am trying to be a support to the leadership. I’m not walking around looking for faults, not questioning the authority God has put in place, nor in any way thinking I know leadership or how to have church. I’m just trying to understand church from this place God has me.
“What we do reveals who we are”. If I want the culture of the church to change, I first need to realize that it doesn’t start with other people, other leaders, or other pastors. It starts with me. What I do reveals who I am. Do I start by giving God my best? Do I live with integrity? Why am I at church? All questions I must answer to move from church discouraged to a place of becoming the church the world of today needs.
. . .to be continued
~ Michael D Simpson
