Truth Confessions

As you have been following my blog this year, you probably have gathered that I've been learning a lot about the journey of ministry. Mostly, I've written about the new technical skills I've acquired: how to do funerals and weddings, how to pep myself up to go on youth mission trips, how to survive a week of Vacation Bible School. I've even shared with you many of my adventures in the craziness of youth ministry-- the messy side of things, in particular.

However, I've rarely talked about how the first year of ministry has affected me, my outlook on the world and my thoughts on God. It's hard to be this personal in a public forum such as a blog that is not anonymous. Walking lines of boundaries is what being a healthy pastor is all about. While people need to know me as much as you need to know them, everyone doesn't need to know everything about me, I believe! It is what my youth call "TMI" (translated: too much information).

But this has been a part of my struggle. I am such a people person who loves to know people deeply and for them to know me too. Yet daily, I'm called to remember that things changed for me on November 4 of last year: I'm a pastor.

Being a shepherd of a congregation comes with responsibilities. This means that I am to be respectful of others' theological, political and moral beliefs. Wherever a parishioner is on the theological spectrum, it is my job to encourage them while challenging them toward spiritual growth as opportunities to do this arise. (The goal is NOT to make everyone in my church be like me!)

What happens when your views about different non-salvation issues are different than your congregation?

Now that's a hard one . . .

You remain silent.

For right or for wrong, this has been my approach.

As I've talked with colleagues and interacted with church folks my whole life, I know that I'm not alone in this struggle.

Congregations really do expect a lot of "sameness" with their pastor. But, it is not really fair.

What might happen I wonder if congregations showed more willingness to agree to disagree with one another without damnation?

What if our communities were places where members were accepted on the basis of who they really were, not on a "don't ask, don't tell" level?

What if we were people who willing spoke truth to one another without fear of judgment?

What if love was our primary virtue?

I think we'd might just be living the Gospel.

This is the type of church I'd would like to invest my whole life in. The few experiences I've had within these types of communities have changed my life. They've been living examples to me of what it means to love others without regard to gender, race, nationality or sexual orientation.

But, change in this direction is scary! It is difficult work to truly accept our brothers and sisters as they are. However, being this kind of people is what a community built on truth is all about.

Maybe this is why Jesus said: "And you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free!"