SEVEN THINGS YOUR PASTOR ASKS OF YOU

May has always been a favorite month of mine. There is something about the full-on arrival of spring that, unlike April, one can trust not to have days of cold, wintery reversion. As a kid, May would mark the end of school and the beginning of summer. May always harkens me back to anniversaries of meaningful mileposts. I graduated college and was ordained on a first day of May. So was the day Lisa and I bought our first new car together. It was Derby Day in Louisville and no one else seemed to be shopping for one; so, as I recall we got a particularly good deal. Princeton conferred a doctorate upon me on May sixth of ‘06. In ’17 later we were made grandparents for the third time on the 17th. May always feels good.

For me, “May” is also a favorite word. Being an optimist and forward thinker – as opposed to a pessimist looking back – I like to think about what “may” happen. What is possible. What, with imagination, intent, and clear focus, what could be. Things that with a little good luck and a strong tailwind might conceivably come to pass.

As a pastor, I am called to look in a lot of directions. I look back to understand our heritage and the immutable truths of God. I live in the moment, especially in the sacred times when I walk with you through life’s special moments; from the dedication of a baby, baptism of a new Christian, to the committal of a seasoned saint. Those sacred occasions give me the most joy. But as your leader, I also look forward. I am called to envision a promised land that we can walk towards and into together. To clearly communicate that vision and what that both offers and demands of us.

To that end, this May is the month I will roll out “Seven Things Your Pastor Asks of You.” It is both a personal and a collective ask. These seven things are not the whole of what will make our best congregational self, but it breaks some things down into doable doses that, if we all did our best, could dramatically transform our church culture. These seven requests will have as much to do with who we are as what we do. But once we are clear on that, and resist the ways that can easily beset us, we will be better poised to boldly move forward to be just the kingdom-minded force that God intends for us to be.

Look and listen out for the seven things your pastor is asking of you. Consider them. Commit to them. Commend them.

MAY IT BE SO.

Dr. Glen Money

Senior Pastor

NUMBER ONE: KEEP THE FOCUS ON JESUS, AND JUST LIKE HE DID, LEAD WITH LOVE.

It was Jesus who famously said, “You have not because you ask not.” A lot of folks have done a lot of good and a lot of harm with that scripture, but I am going to take it at face value and let it – and Him – direct my path on this one.

I have a habit of assuming that folks I love and lead pretty much know what I desire, and even sometimes expect, from them. For a lot of leaders, that can be a faulty assumption. I have spent the last seventeen months getting to know you and watching our ministry relationship grow. Thankfully, we are also seeing growth in a lot of other areas: attendance, giving, development of our children and youth, spiritual formation, impactful care in and beyond our church. The seven things I am asking of you will help us advance in all these areas in one way or another. But most of all, they can serve to make us more like Jesus and the faith community He wants us to be.

So, let’s start with Jesus. Let’s own up front that He alone is the reason we exist. Jesus, by all accounts, is the perfect object of our shared identity. We are, after all, Christians. Read all about Him from the source. Pay attention to His teachings. Notice what He valued. How He treated people. What made Him happy. What made Him mad. What broke His heart. Then get busy being as much like Him as you can be. (Fortunately, through a living relationship with Him, we will also get some help with that from the Holy Spirit and the Father who art in heaven.)

When we do that, we will stand out, because, if you haven’t noticed, the world is not like that. Sadly, neither are a lot of churches. But He wants it to be, and He wants to use His people to make it that way. And how can we do that?

KEEP THE FOCUS ON JESUS AND, JUST LIKE HE DID, LEAD WITH LOVE.

I’ll have a lot more to say about that and the other six things I will implore of you. But that’s enough to get us started. Individually and collectively, let’s just agree to that as a more than worthy pursuit. If FBC is going to be all that I dream it can be, that’s the foundational value we will build it all on. Let’s get busy.

Dr. Glen Money

Senior Pastor

NUMBER TWO: BOLDLY AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY PRIORITIZE OUR MINISTRIES TO CHILDREN, STUDENTS, AND YOUNG FAMILIES

Jesus seemed pretty out of step with His culture when, as a man with considerable notoriety and authority, He suggested to His followers that perhaps children should be treated with respect far above their societal status. He told the adults in the room to step back for a second and let the little children come to Him. And if that wasn’t enough, He declared that even the most powerful among them would do well to become as humble as the neediest child if they really wanted to get a glimpse of the kind of kingdom He had in mind.

At FBC, I am asking our church to commit to making the most of our opportunities to engage, care for, and minister to children, students, and young families. Why is this so important? Well, one could say because that will help secure the future of our church. And that would be right, but wrong. Having a particularly strong presence of young families does bode better for future viability. But if our motivations lead with institutional security and survival, not love, we have missed the point. We do this because we value the legions of children and young families in our community. We believe that, in the name of Jesus, we have something to offer them, as they do to us. We are convinced that our last and only hope for generations to come will be built on the foundation of lives, families, and churches committed to being faithful followers and imitators of Jesus. And that is worth sacrificing for now.

What will it cost? It will show up in a budget that does its best to resource these ministries in staffing and other ways. It will take a church culture that rejects any idea that “We have done our part,” and “It’s time for the young folks to do their part.” We are all in this together, just as others were for us and our families years ago. It takes trusting that just because our leadership is prioritizing ministry to these groups, older adults are not valued and cared for less. They – I guess I should say “We” – are not. It means not abiding any notion of entitlement based on age, tenure, or giving. That’s what Jesus was saying to his disciples; that’s what your pastor is saying to you.

Acts of ministry in these areas have the capacity to shape lives when they are the most moldable, strengthen families when they most need the help, direct paths when the stakes are the highest, and bear fruit for decades and generations far beyond our numbered days. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. It’s the faithful thing to do. And it’s what your pastor is imploring us to do. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was right and urgent, or if I didn’t believe my people were of a mind and heart to embrace the challenge. I know you are. And I know you will.

Dr. Glen Money

Senior Pastor

NUMBER THREE: CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT SOMETHING

NUMBER FOUR: PRACTICE BOTH RATIONAL AND IRRATIONAL GENEROSITY

NUMBER FIVE: TALK UP OUR CHURCH AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS

NUMBER SIX: FIND A NEW AND MEANINGFUL WAY TO BE ENGAGED IN THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF OUR CHURCH

NUMBER SEVEN: HANG IN THERE WITH US AND BE PATIENT, BECAUSE GOD IS DOING GREAT THINGS AND WE'RE GOING TO WALK INTO THE FUTURE TOGETHER