Yesterday we said farewell to some of our best friends in real life. Bob and Michelle Veach, and boys, are leaving Cooper Ave Baptist Church after 9 and a half years of serving as Associate Pastor of Students, or whatever Bob’s title ended up during the time there. It was a wonderful time filled with stories that made us laugh and cry. I was standing near our families usual seat in the sanctuary when Dr. Tom Stringfellow, our associations Director of Missions came up to me and asked a simple question.
“So what do you want to be when you grow up Mike?”
At face value one could get a little insulted at such a question. Especially when you are forty years old. I mean, shouldn’t you know what you want to do and be doing it? But Tom was not asking in order to insult, he was asking to find out what he could do, as an equip-er, to help. He knows, exspeicaly with the emotional air around Bob leaving and heading out into the unknown, that the wounds from my leaving First Baptist where fresh. And honestly for the past few months I have been floundering back and forth wrestling with God on what it is he desires of me and my family.
I have come to the point that I know that the only thing I can do, the only thing that I am truly good, or gifted at, is serving God. So I told Tom just that. I want to do what he can use me in. Now . . most would say, what a cop out. Not sure eh? Some might expect someone to say, “I want to be the senior pastor of (fill in the name of a huge successful church here).” But honestly I have always wanted what he wants. I have no aspiration to be top dog, I just want to serve. Mind you I am aware of the gifts he has given me, in leadership, teaching, connecting with people. But Tom pushed the subject, and it led to a little bit of discussion between us, as much as standing in the middle of a rapidly filling auditorium could allow.
To be honest with myself and with you, part of my hard time answering the question is that God has shown me some wonderful things in how to truly connect with people. The frustrating part is that when I begin to talk to someone around me in the real world about how cool it was to hang out with 9 other people online, working together to take down a enemy together in order to pass out some loot that it drops that most likely goes to someone in our group that needs it. . well.. imagine a deer in the headlights look. Facebook, Twitter, Email, Computer games, Coffee at Starbucks, texting back and forth on your cell phone, just a few examples of how people are connecting, and where people are today. So part of the reluctance might be not wanting to be looked at like some loon.
Not limiting the possibilities is another reason to possibly not directly answer such a question. If I say, yes, I want to be a Worship Pastor, then what if he wants to show me a senior pastor position, or even a custodial job that allows me to shine in his kingdom? I have always been a sort of jack of all trades master of few, or even none. I love to learn, I love to teach others about what I learn, I love technology, innovation, relevance. I don’t want to pin him down and lose out on something.
So my answer was, “Whatever he wants of me.”
Then as the service went on, Tom brought the message, my mind was going over what I was going to say about Bob since I had been asked to join the group of people getting up to speak about him and say something nice. My mind raced as I saught our families life verse when it hit me.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you” —[this is] the LORD’s declaration—”plans for [your] welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ” (HCSB)
God has gifted me with some unique talents. He has given me a desire and hunger to reach people that, for the most part are not sought. He has shown me that it is possible. I turned to Tanya and said, “Hun, I think I just need to put down that He has called me to be a tech pastor.” Instead of the look of frustration with me for having my head in the clouds she said, “then that’s what you put on your resume.”
So, what do I want to be when I grow up? I still want to be someone that God can use for what he wants. What that entails is working with technology, computers, media, sound, video, facebook, twitter, computer games, phones, computer software, whatever it takes to reach people and be a friend.
For those who have a mindset that the church is to look like, or feel like it was in the 50′s, well, thank you for all you have taught me, thank you for all you have done for us, and thank you for how radical you where then. But please, remember that society is changing and the best way to reach people is to be where they are.
So, Brother Tom, what do I want to be when I grow up? A Tech Pastor.
One of the most interesting things I get to see from time to time is what I call the tilt head and look oddly into the distance look when I tell people about Redeemed Point. Some assume right off the bat that because we are streaming “church” online, and because, at the moment, don’t use pews and a “standard” seating arrangement, that we are some sort of strange radical group or trying to do things in a completely new way. If you get nothing else from this post please at least get this:
