Why I left the local church and why I returned

This one could be a series. And honestly, it is one I am quite sure I do not yet know all the answers to. Many who read this blog know that I served as a local church pastor for 12 years. Then I went to LifeWay where I ministered in a completely different world for 10 years. Almost one year ago (May 1) I returned to pastor a local church (ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, TN).

The church I came to out of seminary (I pastored for 2 years in seminary) was in suburban Atlanta. We relocated and experienced some significant numerical growth. So, why leave and go to a denominational role? In reflection, there were several mixed reasons. Some were for the right reasons and some were not.

Why I left ...
1. I felt I could have a broader impact by leaving the local church and taking a role that allowed me to travel and touch many ministers. I have always had an interest and a passion for leadership development. Going to LifeWay (then known as the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) was an invitation to do this on a national level.

2. A chance to work with pastors. My dad is a pastor and I had pastored for 12 years at that point. I just love pastors. They (we) are a strange breed. I admit. But I don't know of a group of people that, as a whole, are more passionate about what they do. Most pastors (despite the few that might make the headlines) are committed to The Mission. They (we) come in all shapes, sizes (no preacher jokes here), ages, and personalities. Most do what they do because they believe God has called them to do it.

3. I was tired. I went to the church in Atlanta in my mid 20's with all the energy and strength of somone that age. I ran at an all out sprint for 10 years. We relocated the church. We physically built a 28,000 sq. foot building volunteer over a year span of time. We transitioned a church from the 1950's (I arrived in 1988) to about 1980 (I left in 1997). We added a lot of people (In the last 6 years we went from 70 to over 500 in average attendance). That's a lot of change to manage for a kid (remember, mid 20's to mid 30's ... I was a kid). That's messing with alot of people's world in a short period of time. It truly felt like changing a flat while traveling at 60 mph. Some didn't like it and I just didn't know that was normal. I really didn't realize just how tired I was until the first day I sat down in my office at LifeWay.

But God blessed the church in ways I would never have imagined. And He taught me things I would never have learned otherwise. He then provide rest and a learning experience during my 10 years at LifeWay I could not have gotten any place else on earth. I will forever be grateful for the people and the opportunities I encountered while there.

But there was always that "song in my heart" (phrase I borrow from my friend Ralph Hodge) that would not go away. The song to pastor again. I was not sure God would ever lead me back to the local church, but heart really never left.

Why I returned ...
1. Seeing lives changed. This really is the big one. To see someone come to Christ and sell out. To see them begin to understand what it means to follow Christ and live their faith out loud. What a rush! There is nothing like it in the world.

2. It is who I am and what I was made to be. The "song in my heart" turned out to be what many refer to as "the Call". At the core of who God made me to be is a pastor.

3. Turns out, the local church is the best place to base the broader ministry I was seeking. During my time at LifeWay I had the opportunity to study churches. Churches with a Kingdom mindset helped me understand, it is from the local church we could best launch ministries with broader impact than the local church.

4. The right church. God made it possible for me to spend time with the people of ClearView before I was asked to serve as pastor. I served as their preahing interim for 8 months. It gave them time most churches don't get to take a close look before they felt God leading that direction. It gave me time to fall in love with the people before taking the leap back into the only role for which I was made. Thank you ClearView for allowing me back in the game!

This is a subject I come back to in my mind often. I'm sure there will be more ...