I Am Excited

I just got back from the National Conference my church denomination held in OH. I went for one reason; a reason I want to share with you, but first some background.

I am called to be in pastoral ministry. I have a heart for the church and get juiced-up when I see people growing another step closer to the Almighty God. I have been wrestling with this for some time. The denomination I grew up in has offered me no life. I was made to celebrate God in a way that was different from our traditions. So when God called me to ministry I had a hard time agreeing with Him because, at the time, I only had one model of "doing church" in my mind, the way of my denomination. I knew God made me different and I could not see how who he made me to be was going to fit into what he was calling me to do. Thankfully, during my college years, I was able to experience different churches outside my denomination. I found many who worshiped God in ways that fit my God-given design. They were doing ministry the way I would want to do it if I were a pastor. So after a close evaluation of my gifts, passions and design, I am now getting my masters at the Huntington University Graduate School and am going into the ministry.

Now, what led me to go to my denominations National Conference was a nagging feeling God placed in me to pray about becoming a pastor in my denomination. I began to talk with other pastors about the state of our denomination (which is in very bad shape) and discuss the changes the leadership of our denomination were making (which are very, very good). Long story short, I felt that going to the National Conference would give me a good feel for where the denomination was going and could help me discern the ministry direction I was to do in.

Well, it did. As I told a friend of mine at the conference... "I knew coming here would give me a good feel for where the denomination was going. What I didn't know was that I would like it!!" In all honesty I was fully expecting to go to this conference and say, "Yea, that's what I thought" and then go on my way. Instead, I found myself blown away by what I saw and heard throughout the whole weekend. The whole conference was a blast of fresh air in a church that was always so stiff. I can truly say being refreshed was not what I expected but that is what I got.

So I am going forward with getting licensed with-in my denomination. I am glad to see the changes that are being made to help produce life and impact for the kingdom. I pray God will prepare the way for me and use me as an agent of change to bring life back into His people and His church.

SO...what is God getting you excited about?