This Is Who I Am

In our society most people are identified by their work. For us men it is rare that our position or title will not come up in a conversation. For many years I worked in the insurance industry. I loved my job, the company I worked for and had what I would have called a bright future. I felt like I worked hard, was very loyal and had the privilege to work with some great people. But… It was what I did to earn a living… It was not who I was.

The particular employer I worked for happened to be one of the most recognizable companies in the world and it seemed that everyone I met had had some sort of experience with it. Also, simply being in the insurance industry made it rare for me to walk away from any conversation that did not involve someone sharing their own personal horror story or hatred for the whole industry. Because of these types of encounters I quickly built a defense mechanism that would have me at some point throw out the words, “That is just what I do for a living… It’s not who I am.”

Since going to work for NewSpring Church back on April 1, 2005, I have learned many things. The worlds of ministry and production have proven to be a great challenge and incredible thrill. Rarely does a day go by where I don’t learn something new or face a challenge I had never faced before. I love it and pray that God allows me to do this until the day that I die.

Since the move I have found that most conversations still eventually track toward me talking about my position or title. Also consistent with my time in the market place, most conversations end up with me hearing what people think about my church because in our town most have had some interaction with or have formed an opinion of NewSpring. Being in ministry, I find that also get the privilege of listening to some horror story or disappointment that someone has experienced because of some church somewhere.

But here’s what’s different for me… I can no longer say, “That is just what I do for a living… It’s not who I am.”

Why? Because the church (both mine and the “C”hurch) is a physical representation of Jesus. The church is supposed to be to the world what Jesus is to the world. As a follower of Jesus, I am supposed to walk as He did and be a living representation of who Jesus is. Working as a pastor in a church means that “This is what I do for a living… AND it IS who I am.”

Where I could easily slough off tough conversations about the ills of the insurance industry, I simply can’t do that about the church. Unfortunately, too many churches have soured people on Jesus. I’m afraid that is the reason many people who work in ministry have grown weary of hearing about what the world thinks about the church and have simply taken on my old line, “This is just what I do for living… It’s not who I am.”

For those of us in ministry we need to be quick to realize that what we do is who we are. If you can’t say that with great passion and conviction, then it would be my guess that you are in fact working a job and not following a calling. Please do yourself, your church and the Church a huge favor and quit. In ministry one’s vocation must be his passion. I will go out on a limb here and say that the reason who Jesus is and what the church has become are so different, is due to too many people in ministry living out this statement (whether they actually say it or not), “This is just what I do for a living… It’s not who I am.”