just got back from our "denomination's" district council. it was a positive experience overall. a chance to connect with other ministers and find out what is happening within the assemblies of God movement.
it is also a frustrating experience as well. i try not to engage in too much of the political business at the councils. but. but. yes, that is two buts. when there is an issue that strikes at a principal that i believe in, it is hard for me to just bite my tongue. and so i didn't. the issue had to do with something seemingly insignificant- allowing associate pastors and not just senior pastors to be allowed to serve as the secretary of their section. the secretary does nothing more than take minutes (sometimes, although i have yet to see any in 10 years of ministry) and they send out postcards reminding everyone of when we are meeting. to me, this is a no-brainer and it allows younger ministers and those who might not have been called to be a senior pastor the opportunity to serve their section. but in the AG, there is a long history of a top-down mentality where you haven't arrived until you have become a senior pastor. it is a little bit of an old boys network and that sort of thing dies VERY hard (a la Augusta national). anyway, i spoke and was belittled for one of my statements. the resolution failed and the status quo won out.
i don't feel animosity but i do feel a sense of sadness. i am sad because times like these show you what you are made of. what i saw at this council was a segment of the council who desires to move forward and realizes that it will take a plurality of giftings for this to happen. many privately congratulated and say "keep the fight" and "change will come about, you are just the prophetic voice". but the majority still desires a return to the golden age when what the pastor says goes and where command and control is the choice of this generation. the problem is that the world has passed them by and any missional impact is lost on this romance of the past. but i wait, hopefully with patience for the day when we will not even debate such issues. when they will become the no-brainers that i believe God thinks that they are.
many of you will have no idea what this rant is about. that is ok. this was a rambling journal rant for me. and i needed to get it off my chest. thanks for reading.
