GREEN PASTORS...Greener Pastors
Malcolm Gladwell, a Canadian journalist, proposed that for a person to become an expert in something, they needed to invest about 10,000 hours. Do the math, and you will find that 416 straight days without breaks for sleep, hygienic care or distraction are needed to put the time into becoming an expert. How much time could a person commit to working on a particular task sustainably in a day? I’ve worked some 18-hour days before. That experience tells me I couldn’t work that long for a consecutive 30 days. Realistically, maybe 13 hours a day would be my maximum sustainable pace. To become an expert, I would have to work as much as possible for over two years!
And that’s only becoming an expert in one thing! Consider for a moment all the areas your pastor needs to be an expert in — Bible study, teaching, counseling, coffee-making, toilet-fixing, relationship-building, evangelism, family care and the list keeps going. From the serious to the mundane, pastoral ministry lacks job-defining boundaries. At the end of the day, the impetus for “Spinning My Gears” has always been about becoming a better pastor. Going beyond the job, it is to be a better follower of Christ.
Can I become a better follower of my Lord by chasing down the various topics that stir my spirit? Absolutely! I have to trust that God directs the passions of a man who delights in Him. If there is anything to be gleaned in the last several years of working to be a better pastor and follower, it would have to be that I do not know the places God is taking me. I have often heard a syllogism of leadership — “a leader cannot lead someone to go where you have never been.” That applies to discipleship, ministry and the administration of a church. How can I know where God is taking me if I’ve never been there? It’s impossible.
I have learned that I am still a green pastor. My preparation for ministry included the intentional investment from many men in the ministry. These men poured into my life and allowed me to walk alongside them as they ministered to others. Ultimately, they were showing me places I had never been before. I pursued formal education to prepare me for the ministry. When I was called to pastor a small church in Greenwood, I thought I was ready for all that would follow. My doctrine was orthodox, I understood our history and I was prepared to apply all my preparation to the task before me. Nevertheless, I was wrong about being ready.
While I have not pulled out the chalkboard to tally up my “wins” and “losses” one by one, I think it is safe to say I’ve had more failures since becoming a pastor than successes. I anguish over my failures, especially those that have resulted in damaged relationships and misunderstandings. I’m not done making mistakes, but there’s a day in the future when I will be more sanctified and more conformed to the image of Christ. Because of that, I’ll be a better pastor and follower of Christ. The prospect of greener pastures in my future ministry here keeps me going. Greener pastures, when all has been said and done, get my gears spinning.
This explains the change in my column’s title — I’m a green pastor who longs for greener pastures.
When I write for the Trumpet, my articles come from my quiet time, reflecting in prayer on the past week. I’m not an authority with years of experience to explain and prescribe the perfect ministry model. I’m just trying to figure it out. More importantly, I’m trying to follow the Lord so closely in my walk that I depend on Him for everything I do. You can help me!
If you’re a church member, you’ve likely seen and been a part of different things pastors have done. Whether good or bad, you can share your experiences so green pastors like me can learn from them. Perhaps you have a green pastor on staff at your church. You can join me in praying for them as they learn to trust God. Would you consider writing me? Help me learn and share from the great successes of giants and leaders in the faith and the lessons they’ve learned “the hard way” on their way to being shown to be God’s faithful servant.
If you’re a pastor, would you do the same thing? How would you invest in someone just starting in the ministry? If you could tell them only three things, what would you share? Better yet, what would you share if you could tell them only one thing? Would you share your story with me?
The best way to contact me is by email at derrick@dsmbc.org.
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Derrick Bremer
Derrick A. Bremer grew up in Northwest Arkansas where he met his wife, Michelle, in their 9th grade English class. Derrick surrendered to the gospel ministry in 2018 at Temple Baptist Church of Rogers, Arkansas under the leadership of pastor Wade Allen. Derrick was ordained in 2020 when he was called to serve as the pastor of Denver Street Baptist Church in Greenwood, AR.
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Derrick A. Bremer grew up in Northwest Arkansas where he met his wife, Michelle, in their 9th grade English class. Derrick surrendered to the gospel ministry in 2018 at Temple Baptist Church of Rogers, Arkansas under the leadership of pastor Wade Allen. Derrick was ordained in 2020 when he was called to serve as the pastor of Denver Street Baptist Church in Greenwood, AR.
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