The first 33 years are the best!

 “If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, 

how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?” David Livingstone

 

  Last week I learned that a friend of mine had a staffing need at his church. I immediately thought of a young man I knew that I felt might fit the position and reached out to my young friend. He wasn’t really interested because it would mean he’d have to relocate from the state he grew up in. 

  As Jane and I discussed it, we chuckled. Many years ago we foolishly determined that there was one state that we did not want to pastor in. Someone wisely said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Jane and I are so thankful and feel very blessed that God’s wiser plans overruled our limited ones.

  This weekend I’m beginning my 34^th year of ministry as your pastor. The national average for a tenure for a pastor is five years. (I always was a bit of an overachiever). There is no place on earth that Jane and I would rather be than serving the Lord at Grace Church. Jane and I believe that we are in the greatest church in the world.

  It seems like it was only yesterday that we pulled up in our U-Haul truck from Detroit. At other times it feels like we’ve been here all of our lives. I do know that we wouldn’t trade it. This is our home. You are our family! We love this community!

  We are blessed with lifelong friends. Earlier this week a man who attended Grace many years ago contacted me just to see how things were going at Grace. He came to Christ at Grace. Though we haven’t see each other in well over a decade, we’re still friends and brothers in Christ.

  When Jane and I travel, if we can, we’ll get together with friends who moved but were once part of the Grace family. God allowed us the privilege of ministering to them and then moved them to another part of His harvest field. What a joy to see how they’re continuing to walk with the Lord, serving Him and seeking to make a difference for His Kingdom.

  Each Sunday my heart is moved as I look out and see the faces of those that the Lord has given me the privilege of being a part of their coming to Christ, or seeing them grow spiritually or had the privilege of baptizing them. Susan Riddle, our church clerk, who is the master of all statistics recently shared with me that with the addition of those recently baptized, I’ve now baptized 200 people at Grace Church. God is so good!

  I’ve had the joy of dedicating countless parents and babies to the Lord. I’ve lost track of how many weddings. You do feel a tad ancient when the children of someone whose wedding you officiated now has college-age children and a slew of grandchildren.

  When you’ve walked with someone through a valley or difficulty, there’s a lifelong bond. What a privilege I’ve been given to be there, to pray with folk, often in their darkest hour and then seen the Lord wonderfully intervene. One of the burdens tinted with joy of a long pastorate is that you must often bury your friends. Yet, heaven is all the sweeter for us because we have many folk who have gone before us…and no doubt there will be more that will, as Bunyan said, cross over “to the Celestial City.” For a pastor who understands his biblical calling, the ministry isn’t a job. Being a pastor means being there for people when their burdens are so heavy to help them carry the load (Galatians 6:2).

  An old rabbi asked a faithful student, “Do you love me?” The student answered, “Yes, you know I do.” “Then do you know what causes me pain?” “No.” “If you’re not close enough to know what causes me pain,” said the rabbi, “then you are not close enough to love me.”

  Being a pastor means that you’re close to people and willingly share their pain. It means being there when someone is struggling with their marriage or a wayward child. It means being there when someone received a medical prognosis of an incurable disease or impending death. It means being there to help someone turn to the Lord and marshal enough courage to pick up the pieces after failure and disgrace. It means being there when someone struggles with doubt or fear or other burdens.  

  We are blessed with a fantastic team. Many of our leaders have now served the Lord in their positions for years. We’re so blessed with godly committed Deacons: Dave Bonnar, Travis Brinks, Ryan Mattila, Ron Strelow, and Mike Weimer. Their counsel, commitment, and discernment is a gift to our church and to me. Rick Hall, as our church treasurer, and Karyn Borucki, as our Financial Secretary, love the Lord and passionately use their gifts to serve Him. And what would our church do without James Hauser, Gary Thompson, Susan Riddle, Jane Carson, and Mike Wiemer. They don’t serve our church for money but because they love the Master. 

  We are blessed with kindred spirits in ministry. Each week I pray for a list of pastors and churches. Many of them serve in our community. They’re not competitors, they’re co-laborers. They have our passion. They want to see people come to Christ and know what it is to be forgiven and on their way to heaven. I’m blessed to have many of them as close friends.

  We are blessed with a community that we love. Dorothy was right, “there’s no place like home.” Jane and I have now lived in three different homes in this community and have dear friends from each neighborhood.

  Many of our community leaders are close friends. It’s a privilege to pray for them and seek to encourage and support them.

  One of the blessings of a smaller community is that you’re often on a first-name basis with many local business owners, managers, or employees. You’re not some nameless customer but doing business and interacting with a friend. It’s a privilege to refer others to them because you know they’ll receive quality service from your friends.

  33 years of serving the Lord in a church family that you love and a community that you love! I’m a very rich man!

  If you study Scripture, you’ll find that the Bible tells us more about what isn’t in heaven, than what is there. One thing that I know, God has allowed Jane and I a little taste of heaven now by allowing us the privilege of serving Him these many years here at Grace. We are so blessed!  

 

 Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.