The past 2 years of ministry have taught be SO much about what friends really are. Who are your friends when you are in ministry. I heard a mentor say recently, "when you are pastoring a growing church you are loved by EVERYONE and known be no one." My aim use to be to make friends and build deep friendship with everyone. I now realize that is the wrong approach.
Today I pastor the congregation through our staff and key leaders. Then I have deep friendships with a few staff members and pastors from the K.C. area and abroad. We get together and laugh, cry, challenge each other and go deep. I can trust them. I love them. I learn from them.
WHO are you building friendships with today? You need a friend! You need someone that can be there for you.
This is just another lesson that I learned while in the mountains of North Carolina.
1 comment:
Pastor Chris, while you cannot befriend everyone in your church, it may well be a dangerous mistake to only befriend those in "the ministry". Please do not make the mistake of thinking plumbers, housewives (and husbands), school teachers, factory workers, etc have neither depth nor value as friends. In fact, it may be more important to have friends from other fields so you do not get tunnel-visioned.
Remember your first call is not as a leader but as a disciple. You are part of the group. Do not keep the precious people in your church at arm's length. They (and you) deserve better.
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