CALLED TO A "PLACE"

It has occurred to me recently that those of us involved in Christian ministry may have missed a very obvious lesson. And, in doing so, we have miscalculated the true value of that ministry. Again and again the Scripture clearly speaks to this matter, but we have somehow ignored the obvious and as a result have misunderstood "the call" to minister.

Many years ago… in a land far, far away… I was attending a Minister’s Conference. In attendance were several hundred pastors and their spouses. Also attending were missionaries and evangelists, along with District administrators and presbyters. These Conferences were always promoted as a time for ministers to relax and refresh themselves physically as well as spiritually. But… as can be the case with any large organization, what I observed was that it was also a time for showing off… for chest thumping… it was, at least in part, sadly little more than an opportunity for big-boys to see how far they could spit (some of you will understand that I cleaned this up a bit).

I watched over the years as time and time again honors and recognition were bestowed upon those deemed worthy. Ministers would be paraded across the platform… shiny plaques and trophies were given. Applause would be given from those below. But one particular event still to this day haunts my spirit. It really wasn’t an event, as such… it was nothing more than an introduction. And, before I get to the details of this "introduction"... here is the disclaimer... my point has nothing to do with the individual people who were (or were not) being introduced. I have no ill will toward any of the specific players involved... I too have been caught up in this deception and my prayer is this: Forgive us Lord for we know not what we do..."

Introductions are a moment when an otherwise very ordinary person can be lifted up in a manner that really exceeds the truth. If someone is going to be granted access to the dais, all others should be dully notified of the accomplishments that have made this person worthy… ordinary souls should be made to clearly understand that not just anyone can have such a high privilege.

A young and well known pastor was being introduced as a “great” church planter. He was being introduced as someone who “knew” how to grow a church. The problem was that I knew the “rest of the story”. I sat in my seat deeply saddened as I listened to the glowing recitation of the accomplishments of this young pastor. Why? Because the details of this story took place in a city to which I was very familiar… and, I knew there were a lot of details that were being omitted.

I knew that one of the initial “sparks” that lit the momentum of numerical growth came as a result of not a bunch of new converts to the Christian faith, but rather from a “split” (a group of disgruntled Christians) from a Church across town. A numerically small little church on one side of town seemingly overnight exploded with growth. The city was now made curious to see how it was that a tiny little building could suddenly… somehow… become packed. What was all the excitement about? The effect of “one Church’s loss becoming another Church’s gain” cannot be overstated. I dare say that this young pastor’s entire career is connected at least in part to the troubles of a Church in another part of the city, and his just happening to be at the right place at the right time to catch the exodus.

Please do not think that my comments are intended to diminish the hard and faithful work of this young pastor. I clearly understand the sacrifices of him and his family. Likewise, I think I understand that we must also fully acknowledge the larger work and timing of the Lord in bringing revival to a city. I am aware of many that were saved during the period of time in which this young pastor served that Church. To better understand my point... please read on.

I also knew that in attendance at the Conference sat an elderly pastor and his wife who had previously shepherded that little Church in that particular place. I knew this guy… this now forgotten and overlooked minister. He was one of the most faithful and godly men I have ever had the privilege to know. And now, as one minister was being given all of the credit for what had happened in this particular city… the elder minister, who had spent years preaching and praying and believing and helping… and doing all that a pastor can and should do, and yet never seeing any immediate result… this minister wasn’t even being given an honorable mention. No one seemed to know or care.

One man saw the victory in the realness of faith... the other experienced the victory in tangible, countable, reality. But, should either be commended alone? Were both men called to a place (a city), or neither? Or, was one called to a place, and the other just happened to be at the right place at the right time?

It has taken me too long to get to my point but here it is. I believe that in the Church today, we no longer care about the calling to a place. We no longer recognize the significance of what it means to being called to a “place”. We talk about being called to a “people” but seldom do we speak about being called to a “place”. And, therein, I believe is a root of a very ugly weed that flourishes in the Church today.

This person is called to “youth” ministry. That person is called to ministry to the homeless… to the military… to the prisoner… to the elderly. That’s all well and good, but where is the calling to a “place”? A geographical place? A spot on the globe?

When Jesus spoke to the disciples in reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it’s recorded in the first chapter of Acts that he said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Likewise, the Apostle Paul was called to “Macedonia”. Notice that these are all “places”. In fact, does not the most widely memorized verse of Scripture say that, “God so loved the world”? Is not the “world” a place?

Some will argue with me that, since a place is not devoid of people, I am just playing word games. But, I would contend that there is a subtle but very powerful change that comes into our lives and our ministries when we recognize the calling to a “place” as opposed to a “people”. If we are called to a place, then we will be happy to minister to whoever is in that place. They can be rich or poor, trailer park tenants or gated community residents, university degreed or high school drop outs. They can be pimps and pushers or professors and professionals... black or white... white collared or blue... republican or democrat... and here is the important one… many or few! It will not matter, because we are called to a place!

What about the pastor who is called to Podunk Hollow, West Virginia? What about the one who is called to pastor the people of Rusted Bucket, Arizona? I have heard for over 20 years the phrase: “Oh, that city has great potential.” What do we mean by that? What about the unlucky Pastor that is called to a city out in the middle of nowhere? A city with very little “potential”… whatever “potential” is.

I once heard it said that the evangelistic vision of the Methodist Church many years ago was to plant a Church everywhere there was a Post Office. That’s what I’m talking about here. They didn’t first weigh the “potential” of a place. If it had a Post Office, that meant there were souls to be won in that location. It didn’t matter if the cows outnumbered the people. There were people in that place that needed faithful, loving Christian ministry. It didn’t matter that there would never be enough people in that place to form a congregation with enough resources to properly fund a full time pastoral ministry. What mattered was… Would there be a pastor willing to serve faithfully in that place… the place where he was called to go?

When will we (especially we who call ourselves the Assemblies of God) stop evaluating pastoral success by the size of congregations and paychecks? We say that we don’t, but our actions betray us. I’m longing for the day when I go to an Assemblies of God Conference and the keynote speaker pastors a church of 20 people in Boondoggle, Louisiana. I long to hear from someone who has been faithful in the hard places… who has been faithful in the tiny, overlooked speck on the map places… Why have they been faithful? What has kept them going? Because that is where the Lord called them to go. I long to once again hear the song sung, “I’ll go where you what me to go, dear Lord…”