Being someone who's naturally prone to over-working, this interview was especially important for me.
After graduating Zion Bible College in '90, and getting married in the same year, Pastor Shawn Bentley jumped around a number of places in ministry (from working alongside a DYD to being a youth pastor in Rhode Island). He landed in New York, against his better judgment, to accept a position that was able to pay for all his needs. He was working as a substitute teacher in his community as well as being a pastor, and renovating the parsonage that they gave to him; he ended up putting in about 65-70 hours before even getting to renovating the house. He and his wife began to drift apart.
'I'm going to live with my parents."
These words shook him, and Pastor Shawn took a look at his priorities, resigned, and moved two weeks later to Lancaster, PA.
All this to say that the lesson that he was taught is one we can all take to heart - when we get into a place of ministry where God has not led us, and we go anyways, we can get lost in the busywork.
Regardless of how we end up being so busy that we ignore our other priories, we are in a dangerous place.
[Often God's solution is to, as C.S. Lewis puts it, 'shout in our pain']
God then helped Shawn to 'detox' from ministry. How gracious our God is? In spite of not following God's directions, He still provides a time of rest and healing. Despite not having a degree, he got a job as a carpenter, and even found one within walking distance of his house.
God, I pray that you guide me in hearing your voice, but that you always have a back-up plan for me.
All in all, I loved his kind heart, and desire to pastor people in an area with no church - I pray God blesses him in all he does and that his church kicks butt and takes names for Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment