Interim Pastor

Philosophy of Ministry: The following elements of my personal philosophy of ministry include the foundation for my values and priorities in ministry. They determine what I instinctively perceive, focus on, and attend to, even though my day includes much that is necessarily less instinctive. These are a few areas that are the basis from which I operate.

Over the past 25 years, three major values not only describe what I do, but who I am. My first value and priority for ministry is that Jesus Christ as revealed in his Word and experienced in my life, is the reference point for my work, relationships, and my inner life. He is the authority for changing, directing, and empowering me.

Submission to God's will brings life to my spirit. Especially during the uncertainties and turmoil of difficult situations that arise from time to time in the church, my practice is to remain still before the Lord, spending much time in prayer and meditation on His Word, and in His presence. I have learned to wait on the Holy Spirit's timing rather than impulsively rushing in to apply quick fixes. It is during these times of living in the crucible of pain that the Lord brings transformation to our lives.

Second, God has given me the motivational gift of organization. Whatever I do - managing staff and committees, planning, overseeing projects, problem solving, leading worship, preaching, counseling - I do as an organizer. This gift is empowered by the Spirit and bears the fruit of providing structures that can grow with changing needs. One of the joys of my life is to help groups of people and individuals find the appropriate leadership and resources for moving toward common goals.

I have a passion for equipping others so that they may identify and use their gifts in ministries which advance the Kingdom of God, and, as a result, experience great joy in their walk with God. Another aspect of the equipping process is my powerful interest in helping people find the vision that God has for them. I teach specific principles related to the process of discovering and maintaining a vision to anyone who will listen, especially to church leaders.

My third value and priority for ministry is that God has given me a heart for reaching out to fellow pastors, staff, and church leaders. I enjoy being a catalyst to helping them utilize their full potential in their areas of ministry, thereby expanding the scope and effectiveness of their work. I find myself being a resource for helping pastors explore new projects, and provide wisdom and direction regarding their current ministries.

Without this mentoring process, pastors tend to isolate themselves and experience burn out. Most experienced, seasoned pastors I know tend to operate as wounded warriors with few relationships where they can feel safe enough to be open and transparent about their struggles. In an accepting atmosphere, I encourage them to verbalize their feelings of frustration, share their fears, express their doubts, and confess their sins. It is in relationship that we are healed; it is in the Light that we change. I have found that it takes a fellow pastor to nurture and motivate another pastor.

The focus of my ministry includes these values and priorities: that my relationship with Jesus Christ undergirds everything I am and do, that my motivational gift of organization is the filter through which I am energized, and that my vision is to work with pastors, staff and leaders to maximize what the Lord is doing through them.