A little reluctance can be a healthy thing. The journey that has brought me here has been an interesting one, with one majoor lesson I would like to pass on to you.
I can easily remember telling Pastor Don one Sunday afternoon several years ago, "The last thing I want to be is a youth pastor." I have seen plenty of youth pastors in my life and hardly any of them left any lasting impression on me. In fact, most of them seemed pretty wimpy. I used to think this was a matter of personal prejudice until I saw the movie, "The Apostle" in which Robert Duvall's character refers to his antagonist as a "wimpy a** youth pastor." That sealed it! This wasn't going to be my calling!
At that time, I had agreed to lead worship (4 songs) for the youth group at their Monday night meetings. Don led the group at that time as the previous youth pastor had recently left. A year or so later, Don was grooming someone else to take over. After that guy didn't work out, a couple had volunteered to lead the "fun activities". They didn't last long either. Soon the youth group was led by a council of four teens, one guy and three girls. Pam and I had somehow advanced to being "facilitators" and yes, still doing our four songs, give or take a few.
By the end of 1999, the youth group had begun to implode. The council thing wasn't cutting it and very suddenly, the youth group meetings were shut down indefinitely.
A week or two before that happened, Pam, Heather and I, with the remaining council members, decided to construct a new format for the youth group home meeting. My memories swept me back to 1974. That was the year Joe, a high school friend and brother in the Lord, decided to start a bible study in his basement. Those Saturday night meetings used to run so late, I felt like Eutychus sitting in the window! But God began a beautiful work there. Twenty-seven years later, those relationships have been foundational in my life. I don't know where I would be without them.
The wheels began to turn! One Saturday morning I called Don and informed him that I wanted to "step up to the plate". The power then shifted from the now defunct council, to me. The gig I never wanted was mine. Although I am technically not a "youth pastor", I am a home group leader of a group of teenages and young adults. I am blessed by everyone of the young men and women I serve. I am excited to be used to build another "house" where good marriages, strong families and the building blocks of a Godly society come together. As the song says, "for I know I was born for such a time as this."
And what is the lesson I referred to at the beginning of all this? It is that reluctance is a very healthy thing. In fact, the bible warns us of the pitfalls of selfish ambition (James 3:13-16). This paradox is true, that many times the man most qualified for the job is the one that wants it the least. It is always amazing how our God works.
We love each and every one of you!
Ted and Pam
