Confessions of a Pastor: I love these people.

May I make a confession? Pastors sometimes joke with one another about how great the ministry would be if it weren’t for the people. I’ve done it myself. We really shouldn’t do that. I am going to stop those jokes.

The truth is, if you really want to know it, that I love the people in my church. I receive more joy that I deserve by serving my brothers and sisters at Mont Belvieu’s First Baptist Church. I love them when they let me hold their babies and kiss all over them (the babies). I love them when they show up early just to be with one another. I love when they pop into my office to get candy from the jar on my desk. I love watching their faces as we worship together, and I love getting to see their faces as I preach (yes, even the faces of the older gentlemen who gently nod off).

But there’s more to the truth about how much I love the people in my church. I love them when times are hard. I love that I get the phone calls at midnight asking for prayer. I am humbled to be the one who gets to walk through people’s dark times with them. I love them as we strive to grow in grace together – all of us failing often – all of us rejoicing when, by God’s mercy, we get it right. Even when I have to face situations that make me anxious, scared, angry, and full of doubts, I love getting to pastor God’s people.

This is a miracle. To God be all the glory for this great thing He has done. When I first felt called into vocational ministry, the last thing in the world that I wanted to do was pastor. I wanted to teach at a Christian college or university or seminary. But pastor? Do funeral, moderate business meetings, make hospital visits, sort out benevolence requests, and shake dozens of hands every week? Sounded horrible to me 7 years ago. Preach the Word? Yes. But pastor?