One Pastor's Perspective

As I sit here with my ankle propped up, some of the events of the past few weeks are catching up to me. I’ve been sitting here thinking about my interactions with different people this past month and how different some of the interactions have been.

Most who know me know that I am basically a gentle person (at least, I HOPE that is what they know). I try to lead with encouragement and kindness. Yes, there are many of you who’ve seen me at my best and at my worst, and some of you might not agree with me. But that is the approach I take from the inside.

I know I am getting older (this ANKLE thing is enough proof of that). But I am constantly reminded that different people seek and require different modes of leadership. Some of those are kind of against my nature. But, in leadership, sometimes you have to force yourself out of your comfort zone to get things done.

What I am talking about is a basic awareness that there are some, no matter how kind or gentle I try to be, that WILL NOT RESPOND to that kind of leadership. There actually are some who desire a firm hand, a firm tone. And I find it strange how quickly I can fall into that role. Because that really is NOT ME.

I consider myself a student of people … that is part of my job. And, I DO NOT like it when people take the drill instructor approach with me. So it really blows my mind when others WANT me to take that approach with them. That puzzles me!!

Yesterday I did something most all of us must do: Bought tires. Now that Nu Tire is closed, I found myself searching for a new tire place. Thought about Sams, which I’ve done before. But at the prompting of a friend I went to Creel Tire in Florence. A local business, and service IS something they specialize in.

I called these guys and their quote was just a little higher than Sams, but the service they offer was worth the difference. So we took Diana’s van there and dropped it off at lunch. When she got off work, we went back to pick it up.

After paying the bill and gettin the keys, we walked outside and, low and behold, we ran into Chris Reeder! Chris is one of my Twitter and Facebook friends. We had only met once or twice before and never had a chance to talk, but I took some time yesterday. Chris and I have several things in common: I used to work in IT, Chris still does, and we both pastor! Chris is the Lead Pastor of a new church start in Florence called Revolution Church.

We took some time and talked a little about what’s going on in each of our churches. Chris has a good problem, and one unique to an upstart church that is doing the RIGHT thing: Their goal is to reach the unchurched in Florence, and he and his wife are finding themselves in the position of needing to disciple a bunch of young Christians. Lots of work, but WHAT A CALLING!! They recently asked churches in the Florence area to commit to pray for them. There are (and will be more) people at EBC praying for them. What they are doing is awesome, and I am proud to call them our sister church!!!

That’s what building the Kingdom of God is all about. I’ve seen church starts that are more interested in building a church (by targeting members of other churches to bolster their numbers) and I am thrilled to support a church that really is trying to reach the lost!!

Pray for them!! Revolution Church of Florence and Chris & Susanne Reeder!!!

To make a long story short, yesterday I heard my state insulted. Won’t go into details. But it got me thinking about WHY I love SC. Would you like to hear it??? Here it goes:

Is it the rolling hills and mountainn views of my beloved hometown, Greenville?? Diana, Krissy, and I were all born there. (Drew is our ragin Cajun, born in New Orleans) I will never forget how sad I was the first time Krissy saw the Blue Ridge Mountains over the horizon. She was 18 months old when we moved to New Orleans. She was probably three when we were riding up to my mother-in-law’s house when Krissy, from the backseat of our Bronco II, proclaimed “Look at the pretty clouds!” It was a cold, clear December day. The sky was as blue as the UNC away jerseys (I had to) and there was NOTHING in them. Diana asked her “What clouds, sweetie? The sky is clear!” She kept insisting, and finally pointed to the clouds on the horizon … The Blue Ridge Mountains. We had to explain the concept of a mountain to her (you know there is only ONE hill in New Orleans, and it is man-made in a park). That day, I was sad. I love Greenville.

Why do I love SC? Is it the tradition and history of Charleston. I love to visit Charleston, because you can just feel it. If you ever have the urge to visit the French Quarter in Nawlins, just imagine the downtown area of Charleston, but much less well-kept. And it is not only a city of history, it is a city of tomorrow. I love that place.

Why do I love SC? Is it the beaches of the Grand Strand, Charleston area, and Hilton Head?? I’ve been to beaches all over the U.S.: Both coasts of Florida and the panhandle, Mississippi, and Southern California. And there are no beaches like our beaches in the whole US! (I haven’t been to Hawaii, but if anyone wants to fund such a venture, I THINK I could clear the calendar!)

Why do I love SC? Could it be my HOME, Florence?? Yes, I used to call Greenville my home. But after almost 15 years of living here, Florence IS HOME. And we love it! I think it has the best of everything: Close to the beach, not too far from Greenville, steeped in history, and filled with potential and a future. And home to some of the greatest people I’ve ever known.

Why do I love SC? It’s all of that and more. I cannot actually put a finger on it, but I know I love it. I know I don’t appreciate it when it is insulted. I know it is the greatest state in the nation!! And I am proud to call it home!

Anyone who has known me for the past ten years knows that coaching baseball at Maple Park here in Florence was once a great part of my life. I loved the opportunities I had to minister to kids and to families as a coach out there, and was able to do this for six seasons. At one time, people used to joke about me being the “Pastor of Maple Park.”

Then some dark things happened. I was never a fan of the politics of MP, and the older Drew got, the more aware of them I became. And, quite abruptly, it all ended for me. On the evening before draft day at the beginning of what would’ve been my seventh season, one of the board members called and explained to me they no longer needed my services as a volunteer coach. I’d been to the meetings. I’d been certified. And suddenly I was no longer needed.

Not to dwell, but I took it pretty well until I was told by several of plans to remove me. One guy came to me and told me how he was drafted at the last minute to take a new team because they did not have enough coaches. Another told me how he was asked weeks ago if he would be willing to take my team if they could get rid of me. Then a church member told me why I was removed: A board member told her I was removed because I was too nice and not cut-throat enough.

That really hurt me. When I looked at some of the men who were still coaching out there, and how some of them were ANYTHING but positive role models, I was offended. (I will never forget the day I heard one of those coaches offer to buy his team of 9 – 10 year olds a beer if they would beat their opponent.)

Even worse, guys I thought were my friends orchestrated it. I was angry and lost all confidence in a lot of folks in Florence, especially around the realms of organized recreation. And the bitterness grew to the park … Even though Drew was still playing (and he played for three seasons after this), I hated going out there. The pit of my stomach would churn when I saw those board members, former friends of mine who would not speak for the most part. I carried a grudge. And what good did it do??

Years later, something hit me. Something good and positive. I will be honest about the fact that there are a couple of men from that incident I still DO NOT TRUST. And, thank God, we don’t really walk in the same circles anymore. But this morning I reached for an old shirt and it was an OLLLLLLD Maple Park shirt. I love old t-shirts, but Diana will not permit me to wear them away from home. This particular shirt had an old logo from MP on it that reads “Where Sportsmanship Begins.” And it hit me: Those guys could trash me, could take coaching away from me, but they can NEVER TAKE the Godly influence I invested into the lives of those kids away. They could never take the ministry to families I had away.

God continues to use that everyday. He used it last year as I walked into McLeod Hospital and was stopped on the sidewalk by a young man who asked “Aren’t you Coach David?” I answered and discovered his father was upstairs and not doing well. I prayed with him on the sidewalk and went up to see his dad. Sadly, his dad passed away not long after that. But I got the chance to minister to that kid and his family. This year I am driving a morning carpool to WFHS of guys that I coached at Maple Park. And I have a relationship with them that I wouldn’t have if not for being their coach.

So, this morning what hit me was this: I had six years to make a difference at that place. And God allowed me to do that. And maybe I helped sportsmanship begin for twelve kids every year for six years. And, after many years, that made me proud to wear that shirt again.

But Diana STILL won’t let me wear it out of the house.

Mary, Lisa and I were talking about events through the years at Ebenezer today. It was over 14 years ago when Ebenezer moved my family here from New Orleans to continue work in youth ministry at EBC. A little over four years later, events thrust me into the pulpit and my life would never be the same!!

Yes, I realized today it was a little over 10 years ago when I began preaching weekly at EBC. At first, it was just until an interim pastor could be found. They asked me to preach for eight weeks. Ten weeks after that, I finally asked someone on the committee, “When are you guys gonna find an interim?” Two weeks later the church voted to ask me to be the interim! A little over a year later, EBC voted to call me as their pastor. And my life (AND THEIR LIVES) have never been the same!!

A couple of weeks before Wallace Fulmer died, he was talking to me from a hospital bed. He looked me in the eyes and told me how much he loved to have me as his pastor. But he also reminded me “You know those first few sermons were pretty rough. But I knew you had it in you.”

Wallace was right!! And there are still probably more rough ones than good ones. And I am thankful for a church like Ebenezer that took a chance on someone like me. Once again, it’s another picture of God’s grace and mercy!!!

I am thankful and honored to have been in this pulpit for ten years. And, Lord willing, we might have many more!!!

The Flu Shot … Never been a fan of injecting a strain of flu into my bloodstream to help my body fight upcoming attacks (even if it IS an inactive strain). I used to take it when I was in seminary (as I remember, it was either strongly encouraged or required). I haven’t taken it since.

Fast forward to 2009. H1N1 is NOT a Star Wars character, and probably garners 30% of our national news and is much talked about. Much feared. The vaccine for H1N1 is not even available yet, but I think I will take the flu shot, and if my doctor recommends it, I will go back and get the H1N1 if it is available.

And I dread it … I hate shots!!!

AKA – Another reason why Facebook can NEVER replace real human communication!

After being involved in a few Facebook conflicts, and being pulled in to many more, something revolutionary has come to my attention. Something we all need to realize when we are posting statuses or replying to things on our FB newsfeeds … Here it is:

There is NO voice inflection OR facial expression when we write stuff on Facebook. GET IT?? When we write the stuff we do, we might have an intention that is completely UNCOMMUNICATED when others read it!! In other words, something I might mean as a joke might be read by a friend, like Dean Lisenby, and he might interpret it completely differently!! OR, he might read it and laugh but another friend, say Michael Lotts, might read it and think I am being a jerk or that both Dean and I are insane!!! (Sometimes both of those are true)

How did I come up with such brilliance?? Hours of thought?? Days of intellectual reflection?? No … My wife, who really IS brilliant, said it. She said “David, do you realize when you joke with some people they might not realize it?? Or others that don’t know you might take it the wrong way??”

Personally, I believe this to be a MAJOR CAUSE of Facebook conflicts all over the world. So, now you know …

Go and Facebook WISELY!!

A Cajun was stopped by a game warden in Southern Louisiana recently with two ice chests of fish, leaving a bayou well known for its fishing.

The game warden asked the man, “Do you have a license to catch those fish?”

“Naw, ma fren, I ain’t got none of dem, no. Dese here are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?”

“Ya. Avery night I take dese here fish down to de bayou and let dem swim ’round for a while. Den I whistle and dey jump rat back inta dis here ice chest and I take dem home.”

“That’s a bunch of hooey! Fish can’t do that!”

The Cajun looked at the game warden for a moment and then said, “It’s de truth ma’ fren. I’ll show you. It really works.”

“Okay, I’ve GOT to see this!”

The Cajun poured the fish into the bayou and stood and waited. After several minutes, the game warden turned to him and said, “Well?”

“Well, what?” Said the Cajun.

“When are you going to call them back?”

“Call who back?”

“The FISH!”

“What fish?”

(From www.mikeysfunnies.com)

No, as much as my wife would enjoy it, I am NOT blogging about the store. Although I do like the store. Today I blog about something they never told me about in seminary.

To all of my friends, don’t worry about me! Krissy is doing well and everything is looking up.

And this morning I wrote this long blog entry about having a target on your back. About how some find it easy to love their pastor, and some find it easy to be angry at their pastor. And then I edited it before Diana had the chance, cuz there is no way she would’ve let me post that. And I do love her for it!!!

I promise one day I’m gonna start an anonymous blog about being a pastor where I can write such things!