It's Not About You

This is a plea for hope and joy, and it may or may not irritate you.

We have a new pastor. It's natural that in a church our size a few folks may not be happy with the arrangement or the choice made.

For me, it comes down to a few questions:
1) Do I trust my elders?
2) Do I trust the staff?
3) Do I trust God?

The answer to all these questions, for me, is Yes. I have learned enough about the elders over the last few months to know they are not acting naively and unwisely; I know their only agenda is BCC's best interest; I know they are men of prayer and conscience. I have learned enough about our staff over the last few months to know they are eager for a leader and a shepherd, and all I've spoken to believe Perez fits the bill. And I have learned enough about how the Spirit guides a church over the last few months to know God's plan for our church does not hinge on any one person but has actually been made manifest in our flaws and frailty.

And therefore, whether I've been able to sit down with David Perez and have him babysit all my insecurities and answer all my theological and ecclesiological concerns is besides the point. If I thought church was all about mirroring my wants and needs, I would have left BCC a long time ago (and would probably be still looking for that mythical Church That Fits Me).
This is not to say one should always agree with everything church leadership says or does. God knows, I don't. And I'm not encouraging anyone to ignore their conscience.

But I am saying you should bag your baggage. Zip it up in a duffel bag with a few bricks and toss it in a lake.
The Church -- and therefore the church -- is bigger than you. Do you think it exists first and foremost to serve you, or for it to be served by you?

I don't really know of anyone who objects to Perez's arrival. But I assume such people exist, and if one of them happens to be reading this . . . Suck it up. We are on kingdom business, and if you think the church is only as good as who's speaking, you haven't been paying attention for the last seven months.

These are exciting days, and I think we should be excited about them.
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You can watch David Perez's announcement sermon to his Colorado congregation here.