Comments on: I Think In ’09 I’ll Try And Work At… http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/ Carlos Whittaker's Weblog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:05:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: steph http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238484 steph Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:22:17 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238484 just wanted to acknowledge gretchen's wisdom up there... to not think so much about opportunities that come up but whatever God is speaking into our lives. our faith is in him, not our circumstances! just wanted to acknowledge gretchen’s wisdom up there… to not think so much about opportunities that come up but whatever God is speaking into our lives. our faith is in him, not our circumstances!

]]> By: Will http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238390 Will Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:38:53 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238390 I want to comment to Zack bout half way up. If you have to as a staff member rely on your pastor/leader/whatever you call him, to feed you week in week out and make sure that you are growing both as a christian and leader, then you are in the wrong "business" my friend. Are pastors supposed to help push their staff? Sure. But if you are waiting for him to make you grow in those 2 areas you might want to look for different work. As an under shepherd, which you are, you are responsible for growing yourself. Don't get me wrong I have been in the same situation as you. Kinda felt like I was on an island or something. There are people out there and even around you who will be a mentor to you, to hold you accountable, to pray with you, cry with you, work with you, make you better. You just have to find them. They may not be your pastor though. I agree with you though, he could have done a better job, from what I have read of your story here. Ultimately we are all responsible for our own growth both personally and professionally. I want to comment to Zack bout half way up. If you have to as a staff member rely on your pastor/leader/whatever you call him, to feed you week in week out and make sure that you are growing both as a christian and leader, then you are in the wrong “business” my friend. Are pastors supposed to help push their staff? Sure. But if you are waiting for him to make you grow in those 2 areas you might want to look for different work. As an under shepherd, which you are, you are responsible for growing yourself.

Don’t get me wrong I have been in the same situation as you. Kinda felt like I was on an island or something. There are people out there and even around you who will be a mentor to you, to hold you accountable, to pray with you, cry with you, work with you, make you better. You just have to find them. They may not be your pastor though. I agree with you though, he could have done a better job, from what I have read of your story here. Ultimately we are all responsible for our own growth both personally and professionally.

]]> By: Lathan http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238370 Lathan Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:59:38 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238370 I personally have been at 4 church's in 10 years. I am finally at a church where I can stay for a long time. In my experience I have learned that you have to hold hte same values that your Church and senior pastor's hold. For me, I was stuck in a system of church's that held very different values than I held. I grew up in that denomination and it was very painful to finally separate from it but it had to be done. I am now effectively ministering to people and growing spiritually in the saddle of full time ministry. I think if we look very closely we will see that there is a generation of young men and women who have completely different value systems than the leaders around them and perhaps have bigger visions for the community around them. Unfortunately we all know that young people in ministry very seldom get heard or have the chance to lead in vision development in their church's. They are islands to themselves in youth ministry or what not. Hope this makes sense. I personally have been at 4 church’s in 10 years. I am finally at a church where I can stay for a long time. In my experience I have learned that you have to hold hte same values that your Church and senior pastor’s hold. For me, I was stuck in a system of church’s that held very different values than I held. I grew up in that denomination and it was very painful to finally separate from it but it had to be done. I am now effectively ministering to people and growing spiritually in the saddle of full time ministry. I think if we look very closely we will see that there is a generation of young men and women who have completely different value systems than the leaders around them and perhaps have bigger visions for the community around them. Unfortunately we all know that young people in ministry very seldom get heard or have the chance to lead in vision development in their church’s. They are islands to themselves in youth ministry or what not. Hope this makes sense.

]]> By: Jason Harper http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238265 Jason Harper Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:44:46 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238265 Los. Been at the same church for 15 years. Crazy. Who stays for 15 years... Thankful JHARP jasonharper.cc Los.
Been at the same church for 15 years. Crazy. Who stays for 15 years…
Thankful

JHARP
jasonharper.cc

]]> By: D.Lake http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238203 D.Lake Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:29:34 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238203 It seems to me that churches with great systems in place tend to have less turnover. No stats on this just a generality. Confident, secure, and healthy (emotionally) leadership that give others room to grow and lead also minimize people leaving. I believe most of us would do anything for those who believe in us and are committed to our overall health and development. For what it's worth ... It seems to me that churches with great systems in place tend to have less turnover. No stats on this just a generality.

Confident, secure, and healthy (emotionally) leadership that give others room to grow and lead also minimize people leaving. I believe most of us would do anything for those who believe in us and are committed to our overall health and development.

For what it’s worth …

]]> By: Ronni http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238134 Ronni Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:30:30 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238134 we run churches like businesses now instead of close families. It's not a family, intimate thing for most people anymore so its treated like a biz. My pastor won't leave, this is his family. I'm not going anywhere either. Took me a long time to leave my old church. I was trying to build a family there but they didn't want to. They fought tooth and nail. Those who wanted that, we all left. Some are still leaving. Just had friends leave a few weeks ago. It's sad. But then this church is the biggest most known church in our area... granted people come and go and nobody ever knows they were there... I guess my heart is just broken for them right now. I'm so grateful I am where I am now. we run churches like businesses now instead of close families. It’s not a family, intimate thing for most people anymore so its treated like a biz.

My pastor won’t leave, this is his family. I’m not going anywhere either. Took me a long time to leave my old church. I was trying to build a family there but they didn’t want to. They fought tooth and nail. Those who wanted that, we all left. Some are still leaving. Just had friends leave a few weeks ago. It’s sad.

But then this church is the biggest most known church in our area… granted people come and go and nobody ever knows they were there…

I guess my heart is just broken for them right now. I’m so grateful I am where I am now.

]]> By: johnny rotten http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238129 johnny rotten Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:19:04 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238129 wow. can't even begin to read all of the comments. amazing. i am a change guy, not a a professional manager or stay the same kind of person. i am wired to come into a situation, assess and bring my previous experiences to bear, build teams and make the changes the ministry needs to move forward. still, my shortest tenure at a church position has been 4 years. i'm actually at a church now that i pray that God will release me from, but i know i am called by Him to be here and do the work that needs to done in the ministry area i lead. i want to leave AND i want to be here until i retire....weird. wow. can’t even begin to read all of the comments. amazing.
i am a change guy, not a a professional manager or stay the same kind of person. i am wired to come into a situation, assess and bring my previous experiences to bear, build teams and make the changes the ministry needs to move forward. still, my shortest tenure at a church position has been 4 years.
i’m actually at a church now that i pray that God will release me from, but i know i am called by Him to be here and do the work that needs to done in the ministry area i lead. i want to leave AND i want to be here until i retire….weird.

]]> By: Crystal Renaud http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238125 Crystal Renaud Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:53:24 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238125 it upsets me greatly, actually. i can somewhat understand it in terms of a young leader find their barrings in ministry. but what upsets me is when grown adults do it. especially when the ministry they start out in invests in them so greatly, and may even pay for seminary... and the moment "something better" comes along, they flee. i've seen this too many times in the ministry i am currently in and if someone reads this from there, i am sorry. it is just how i feel. absolutely, follow the Spirit's leading... but from where i sit -- i see leaders following their ego to the bank. it upsets me greatly, actually. i can somewhat understand it in terms of a young leader find their barrings in ministry. but what upsets me is when grown adults do it. especially when the ministry they start out in invests in them so greatly, and may even pay for seminary… and the moment “something better” comes along, they flee. i’ve seen this too many times in the ministry i am currently in and if someone reads this from there, i am sorry. it is just how i feel. absolutely, follow the Spirit’s leading… but from where i sit — i see leaders following their ego to the bank.

]]> By: amykay http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238120 amykay Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:29:10 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238120 crazy, i was just talking about this today-- i think it's so important when taking a ministry job that you are comfortable enough with the people, place, and vision that you can commit to a certain amount of time. i am in youth ministry, so i feel that for me it is 4-6 years minimum-- one entire cycle of kids. less than that and i don't think the work i do can make a huge difference, because i wouldn't have deep relationships or a real understanding of what the community needs. i passed my 3 year mark at this church about 6 months ago, and it was like a lightbulb turned on and i finally felt effective. was it hard? abso-frickin-lutely. but i think if you follow your calling, choose carefully, and hang on--GREAT things come from that faithfulness. crazy, i was just talking about this today– i think it’s so important when taking a ministry job that you are comfortable enough with the people, place, and vision that you can commit to a certain amount of time. i am in youth ministry, so i feel that for me it is 4-6 years minimum– one entire cycle of kids. less than that and i don’t think the work i do can make a huge difference, because i wouldn’t have deep relationships or a real understanding of what the community needs. i passed my 3 year mark at this church about 6 months ago, and it was like a lightbulb turned on and i finally felt effective. was it hard? abso-frickin-lutely. but i think if you follow your calling, choose carefully, and hang on–GREAT things come from that faithfulness.

]]> By: Los http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2008/10/i-think-in-09-ill-try-and-work-at-cool-church-x/#comment-238110 Los Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:39:18 +0000 http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/?p=5963#comment-238110 I love that you guys are talking about this civilly. We all have been on both sides. I just like it when we look at them with both sets of eyes. You guys rock I love that you guys are talking about this civilly.
We all have been on both sides.
I just like it when we look at them with both sets of eyes.
You guys rock

]]>