One year ago yesterday I preached my final sermon at Middletown Church before moving on to assume my current role at Midwestern Seminary. I wrote a reflection on all the pain and glory entailed in working through this transition a few months later – The Gospel for Ministry Quitters. Perhaps you will find it a blessing. A snippet:
He is all-surpassing, he is all-wonderful, he is all. Everything beautiful and glorious finds its union in him and emanates from him. He is so precious. Before time began, his designs were on you. In his prayer, you’re in his mind. In his death, you’re on his heart. In his resurrection, your life is in his power. In his ascension, you are seated with him in glory.
This makes most of our dreams so pale and temporary. This makes all of our idols demonic.
This ought to make giving up whatever he calls us to give up easy. Like the man who sold all he had just to buy that one pearl of great price. Christ is worth all that God would have you give up, because if you have him, you already have everything.
So, godly quitters, let’s say it together:
Wish-dream be shattered.
Idols be damned.
We’re coming to Jesus, we’re trusting Jesus.
In the pastoral ministry world, we sometimes get the impression from the Bright Minds Among Us that only losers quit. Well, maybe so. But — praise God — Jesus came for losers.
Read the whole thing.
