Pouring and Progressing
I want to begin by giving a bit of insight into my first six years of pastoral ministry in hopes that it will help you understand my approach to this sabbatical and guide your prayers. When talk of planting Westview started in 2019, I began to feel the weightiness of the pastoral calling, and nothing has encouraged me to pray and know the Word more than this calling (except possibly the weightiness of being a father and husband). The Lord has graciously filled me with a desire to follow Peter’s example to “devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).
However, being a non-staff pastor means I am also devoted to working full-time as a veterinarian while leading my wife and three children. I’ve tried to see my divided time as a feature rather than a bug of the non-staff pastor role. I hope to be an encouragement to the church in its devotion to Christ and to be a light in the world.
You see, when I was deciding on my career, I briefly thought of pursuing ministry. Yet, when I imagined myself as a pastor, I knew I would end up pleading with the congregation, “Follow Christ radically in every area of life! Let the New Testament, not other American Christians, be your standard. Ditch the screen and meditate on his Word. Be a missionary in your workplace and neighborhood.” I imagined pleading with the “normal American Christian” not to be a “normal American Christian.” I also imagined people responding, “That’s easy for you to say, pastor. You get paid to read and pray and can make your own schedule. You’ve gone to seminary, and people expect you to be spiritual at all times. You don’t know how hard it is to come home exhausted from work and then choose to pray and evangelize rather than watch TV.”
I believe that is an unbiblical response, as we are all called to do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12) and have a pure devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). But it is an understandable response. So, I thought, “If I am going to plead with the church to do the work of the ministry in the world, why don’t I just go do the work of the ministry in the world myself and practice what I would preach?”
But as devoted as I hoped to be as a non-pastor, the biblical expectation put on pastors has made me feel a whole new level of desire to progress in my faith. This weighs on me daily. The following verses and quote have played a huge role in this urgency I feel.
Put those quotes in a pot, and I essentially feel this weight: Faithfulness as a pastor means fervently progressing in holiness and ability in order to care for God’s people ... even if I am “merely” a non-staff pastor.
Although becoming a non-staff pastor was not originally on my radar, I love it. It aligns with the same need I sensed to be an example to Christians and the unbelieving world. I love discipling and counseling brothers and sisters at Westview. Exhortations, sermons, and prayers give me great joy in Jesus. Planning the music and liturgy for Sunday worship has matured my understanding of true worship. But I often feel limited in my ability to grow in faithfulness because of my work and time constraints.
So, I see this sabbatical as a sweet opportunity for devotion and to assess how I can be most faithful over the next seven years. More or less veterinary work? More or less pastoring? Where should I specifically try to grow to bless the church?
So, how do I assess and grow in faithfulness during these two months? I have two broad categories: pouring and progressing.
Pouring: As the responsibilities of pastoral ministry are removed, I can pour into family, work, and other ministry opportunities. This will allow me to assess the effect the pastorate has had on these areas. If the Lord reveals any needs that I have been missing, it will be informative about potential changes for the future. I especially want to assess how well I am caring for Sara, Cadence, Elliot, and Phinehas.
Progressing: I believe nothing will help me be faithful as a pastor like nearness to the Lord. The stated goal for the sabbatical is to “promote the spiritual health of our shepherds by granting them an extended break from normal ministry for their enrichment, rest, renewal and personal growth.” Nothing will bring me rest like time with Jesus. This sabbatical will allow me to devote unhurried time to soaking in the Word and knowing the Father, Son, and Spirit more intimately, as well as to make progress in my pastoral abilities.
Progress as a pastor:
Pour into the family:
Pour into work:
Miscellaneous buckets that have been on hold:
Finally, nothing would encourage me more to press on for seven more years than to come back to Westview and hear of true spiritual growth and faithfulness in the church. So, as I am seeking to be strengthened by time with the Lord, please pray for me and continue to fervently seek him in your life. "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek'" (Psalm 27:8).
However, being a non-staff pastor means I am also devoted to working full-time as a veterinarian while leading my wife and three children. I’ve tried to see my divided time as a feature rather than a bug of the non-staff pastor role. I hope to be an encouragement to the church in its devotion to Christ and to be a light in the world.
You see, when I was deciding on my career, I briefly thought of pursuing ministry. Yet, when I imagined myself as a pastor, I knew I would end up pleading with the congregation, “Follow Christ radically in every area of life! Let the New Testament, not other American Christians, be your standard. Ditch the screen and meditate on his Word. Be a missionary in your workplace and neighborhood.” I imagined pleading with the “normal American Christian” not to be a “normal American Christian.” I also imagined people responding, “That’s easy for you to say, pastor. You get paid to read and pray and can make your own schedule. You’ve gone to seminary, and people expect you to be spiritual at all times. You don’t know how hard it is to come home exhausted from work and then choose to pray and evangelize rather than watch TV.”
I believe that is an unbiblical response, as we are all called to do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12) and have a pure devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). But it is an understandable response. So, I thought, “If I am going to plead with the church to do the work of the ministry in the world, why don’t I just go do the work of the ministry in the world myself and practice what I would preach?”
But as devoted as I hoped to be as a non-pastor, the biblical expectation put on pastors has made me feel a whole new level of desire to progress in my faith. This weighs on me daily. The following verses and quote have played a huge role in this urgency I feel.
- "Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching… Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress." Paul wrote this to young Pastor Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15.
- "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).
- "And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28).
- This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2).
- Scottish pastor Robert Murray M'Cheyne famously stated, "My people's greatest need is my personal holiness." (Essentially, I can do no good for anyone if I am not first holy.)
Put those quotes in a pot, and I essentially feel this weight: Faithfulness as a pastor means fervently progressing in holiness and ability in order to care for God’s people ... even if I am “merely” a non-staff pastor.
Although becoming a non-staff pastor was not originally on my radar, I love it. It aligns with the same need I sensed to be an example to Christians and the unbelieving world. I love discipling and counseling brothers and sisters at Westview. Exhortations, sermons, and prayers give me great joy in Jesus. Planning the music and liturgy for Sunday worship has matured my understanding of true worship. But I often feel limited in my ability to grow in faithfulness because of my work and time constraints.
So, I see this sabbatical as a sweet opportunity for devotion and to assess how I can be most faithful over the next seven years. More or less veterinary work? More or less pastoring? Where should I specifically try to grow to bless the church?
So, how do I assess and grow in faithfulness during these two months? I have two broad categories: pouring and progressing.
Pouring: As the responsibilities of pastoral ministry are removed, I can pour into family, work, and other ministry opportunities. This will allow me to assess the effect the pastorate has had on these areas. If the Lord reveals any needs that I have been missing, it will be informative about potential changes for the future. I especially want to assess how well I am caring for Sara, Cadence, Elliot, and Phinehas.
Progressing: I believe nothing will help me be faithful as a pastor like nearness to the Lord. The stated goal for the sabbatical is to “promote the spiritual health of our shepherds by granting them an extended break from normal ministry for their enrichment, rest, renewal and personal growth.” Nothing will bring me rest like time with Jesus. This sabbatical will allow me to devote unhurried time to soaking in the Word and knowing the Father, Son, and Spirit more intimately, as well as to make progress in my pastoral abilities.
Progress as a pastor:
- I have scheduled times of prayer and Scripture throughout the days when I would normally be busier.
- I will be taking an 8-week Old Testament seminary class on Monday nights at Bethlehem College and Seminary to get a taste of seminary education and grow in knowledge of the Word.
- Take voice lessons to be able to sing better and learn to harmonize.
- I will take a short trip alone to Kansas for a time of prayer, reading, worship, and meeting with an older friend.
- Read—I have a running list, including Desecration of Man by Carl Trueman, Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, and The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbs.
Pour into the family:
- Travel with family to South Carolina for Sara’s parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary in August
- One-on-one time with family: lots of play, take the boys to a Twins game, daddy-daughter dates, Sara dates
- Overnight prayer retreat with Sara to seek the Lord’s guidance for the next season of ministry together
- Continue in our rhythm of family worship and discipleship of my nephew
- Visit a variety of churches as a family on Sundays and praise God for the variety in the Body of Christ
Pour into work:
- I will have much of August off at my veterinary clinic, but in September I plan to spend at least one week not multitasking at work: not prepping for church, checking emails or Slack, but hanging out where the assistants are (no doctors do this, and it will be interesting).
- Pursue a guy at work who showed openness to Jesus.
- Schedule devoted hours to an Olympic lifting app we are creating.
Miscellaneous buckets that have been on hold:
- I have slowly written songs over the years, but I am forgetting more than I remember. I would like to assemble finished versions of my songs, so I can easily access and play them.
- Accomplish a list of house repairs.
- Also, Sara is having shoulder surgery on August 5, which is providential timing as it will allow me to help her specifically during the first four weeks post-surgery.
Finally, nothing would encourage me more to press on for seven more years than to come back to Westview and hear of true spiritual growth and faithfulness in the church. So, as I am seeking to be strengthened by time with the Lord, please pray for me and continue to fervently seek him in your life. "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek'" (Psalm 27:8).