Worth the Drive to Town

Pastor's Dan, Dave (with microphone) and Martin... (I clicked the shot)

Panel Discussion Group

Drove into Los Angeles today to share in a panel discussion with a group of pastors who've stayed longer than most in their current ministry. I've pastored here at Central Community in Riverside, CA since February, 1988... over 20 years... guess I qualify.

It was a good time with good people. Listening to the other pastor's on the panel, I could relate to their stories, hopes and heartbreaks... listening to them share... even as I shared myself... realized how much was going unspoken. Pastor Dan talked about waiting on God to speak before moving... thought about how many times I'd jumped in with both feet without slowing down to listen. Pastor Dave shared about walking with a church through her pain... reflected back on so many minutes I thought would never make it into hours, much less days and weeks... the pain had been overwhelming. Pastor Martin talked about the craziness of trying to keep it all together, personally as well as in our ministries, while under the demands of church life and leadership and the need for personal escape time. I thought about how many days running with a friend, surfing with the crew, lunch with a brother, cycling on a Saturday, Kayaking in the evening had just saved me from going bonkers... these guys knew my journey and it felt good to hear their hearts and see how they're holding up under it all. I was blessed.

The church is a small building on Florence Ave, just west of Florence and Vermont... flash point for the Los Angeles riots... the pastor's new, his name is Brian, a young guy in his 20's, fresh out of beautiful North Carolina... his office window sits directly on the sidewalk of Florence Ave... a long way from the green beauty of Chapel Hill. Listening to him briefly, sharing a wonderful lunch of catfish with some of his people and the other pastors, couldn't help but wonder what the next 20 years had in store for Pastor Brian. Praying that God uses him to do more for Jesus and His church than he ever dreamed or imagined.

Life happens fast... 20 years will come and go before he knows it... before we know it. Living to make the best of today.

blessings,

Eric