Some Great Advice

I was once told by a mentor that the best advice he could give me was to "be myself wherever life took me."

Seems simple enough, right?

But, now as I've been out of seminary for two, going on three years, I have found this simple truth of "be yourself" to be some of the most profound ministry advice I've ever received.

There are so many people, organizations and pressures that would seek to pull me away from the person that I've been created to be.

Especially when it comes to forming an identity as a woman pastor:

I've been told by many: "Thou shall not wear_____ in the pulpit." At first I followed the advice, but soon learned that I was a good as judge as any to discern what was appropriate for my congregational setting. I have a pretty standard pattern for what I wear on Sunday mornings now. I often don't think about it very much anymore. (And from what I can tell, I'm doing ok in this department).

When I was looking for my first call position out of seminary, I was told by many how to find a job. I was told to send resumes to places far and wide, even if I already knew that I didn't want to go to a particular place. I was told there were certain people I needed to be friends with if I wanted to make it in my field. At first, I followed much of the advice, but soon learned that what I knew in my heart was right-- building relationships with people and churches I respected (even if they weren't with people who were among the "who's who" in denominational life) was the best move. And as a result, I found a congregation to serve (where I am now) in the area of the country that I wished to be in without doing anything that made me feel weird.

When I took preaching class at school, I was given a lot of instruction about the way a sermon must be constructed and how important certain points of emphasis needed to be. And, I got a lot of feedback from peers of mine from seminary and beyond about what a sermon needed to be and how I needed to deliver it. At first, I followed much of this advice, trying my best to do what "good preachers" do. But, soon I learned that my own personal style and voice were among the best tools I had to offer my own preaching development. For the more I come to understand myself and the people around me, I believe, the better preacher I become (even if I'm not doing everything I was taught in seminary to do). Preaching is a very personal thing that comes as I encounter God through the words of a text every time I sit to write. I must bring myself to the sermon, nothing less. I believe people are drawn to authenticity in a way that they aren't anything else.

I say all of this not to declare that in any way that I've got life and ministry figured out. I'm still learning all the time (if you were to compare a recent sermon to one from three years ago you'd see how much I've changed, I think).

But, what I do want to share with those who come behind me to know is that "being real" makes ministry have life. The more we are ourselves, the more we have to offer the world. This kind of confidence takes a lot of courage and conviction. I hope I never lose the passion for these virtues. I'll need them in the long journey ahead called being woman in a man's field.