Mall-Walking Priest -- A Letter from Pastor Todd

Dear Working-Classy PoC,

When I was pastoring in the Chicago area, I was walking through the local mall one day when three people rushed up to me excitedly. At first, I wondered if I was a part of some crazy street theater, but then recognized one of them from my church. He said to His friends, “This is my priest from my church, the one I was telling you about.” Quickly, and before I could say, “No . . . wait . . . you have it all wrong”, the other two started saying, “Wow . . . cool . . . it’s nice to meet you, Father . . . that’s awesome”. It was weird. I hardly got a word in edgewise as they walked away. There was a part of me that thought, “Wow. I have the coolest job in the world.” But, that’s the problem, isn’t it? I’m NOT special.

If God didn’t call me to be a pastor, but I became a pastor, that would be . . . disobedient, right? So, the goal then is not to be a man “of the cloth” as much as it is to be – obedient. All of us have to be obedient to whatever call God places before us that leads to whatever vocation God places before us for whatever time (long or short) God places before us in whatever condition (easy or difficult/pleasurable or crazy miserable) that God places before us. Whether you are clergy or laity (yuck . . . I hate that word), the goal is to be obedient and on mission. When you look in the Old Testament you see a separation between the clergy (priest) and the “people”, but if the New Testament does anything at all, it shows that the pastor is less priest (kept high and separate), and more gentle leader in a priesthood of believers. So, you and I, see . . . ain’t all that different.

And, I think that this ought to shape the way we see our work. It should shape the way we see Mondays. Look at it this way, if you were to ask me how I see my work, and I said, “Gross, yuck, I dread it, it’s awful, I can’t wait to quit”, you would probably be troubled to your very core. But, when I ask people about the work that they do, I often hear dread and misery. If I vilified my church to the point that many people vilify their jobs, I’d be rightfully thrown out on my clergy butt!! See, my calling isn’t from some higher or more noble order, at least not when you think about having to simply be obedient to any call that God puts on any person’s life. Being obedient and working where God has placed you for God and His mission to care for others brings with it a type of ordination all its own.

This coming Sunday we’re going to start a new series called, “Joy to the Work: Every Member A Minister”. I’m hoping that through it we can begin to get our mind around how our faith can make a difference on the job in the New Year. I want us to see God when work is a pain, when laziness attacks, in the blessing of work, in work that will last, and as a perfect model for us as we work. I think God has a whole lot more Joy that He wants to add to our work.

See You Sunday. Your Pastor Is Praying For You!

Pastor Todd

P.S. Got someone at your job that kinda hates it? Prayerfully consider inviting them.