Five months ago to the day I woke up and wasn’t a youth pastor anymore. That reality has taken some time to sink in, especially on that first day since I was getting ready to fly to Hawaii. The past five months have been some mix of great, interesting, difficult, transformative and plenty of other adjectives. Fixing computers isn’t as rewarding as pastoring students, but fixing computers has also afforded me more time to better connect with God.
So as I think about the past five months, there really isn’t an easy way to pin down everything that I’ve been feeling or thinking. And even if I happen to figure everything out, it will all change anyway when our daughter is born at the end of next month.
One thing I do know for sure, though, is that Sundays have a lot more meaning now than they did when I was a pastor. When I was a pastor Sundays were just another day to go to work. I loved Sundays as a pastor and all of the opportunities I had to serve. In the end, though, it was a day when my coworkers, a team of amazing volunteers and I got together to pull off some worship services. It was rewarding, it was a lot of fun, but it was a day at the office.
Now, though, Sundays are this beacon of light during weeks that often seem to run together. I enjoyed the rhythm of being a youth pastor, even though it meant that I was often out late. It was fun to be at church with my coworkers and it was great to have youth group twice a week. There was a rhythm to my week even though the days’ activities were varied. Now, though, my days are spent sitting in front of a computer or visiting offices. Monday looks a lot like Friday without youth group or a trip to Costco to break the monotony.
Again, I’m fine with my days all running together, especially because Sunday now sticks out. Instead of being another day at work, it’s this wonderful opportunity I have to gather with God’s people and glorify him together. On Sundays I get to hear from God’s word as I listen to a sermon with which I had no part in planning. I love Sundays and instead of looking forward to a weekend off, I anticipate walking through the doors of our worship center.
One of the parts I most enjoy about Sundays is seeing my former coworkers. Those coworkers are now friends and Sundays are the only opportunity I have to see them. I absolutely loved the people with whom I worked and it makes me sad that I don’t get to see them nearly as often. So I wake up on Sunday morning excited to see those friends with whom I served for so many years.
And that’s why it’s important for us to wake up on a Sunday morning or delay our dinner plans on a Saturday night. Going to church doesn’t just create good rhythms of worshipping with God’s people, but it gives us the opportunity to bless another person. The body of Christ is at its best when all of the parts are present, and that’s true for the local church. The other people in our congregations miss out on something when we’re not there; you provide something to your congregation that only you can bring.
I didn’t always want to wake up for church when I worked at a church, but now I won’t even think about missing it. Church gives me the chance to connect with God while connecting with others, something that I can’t do on my own, no matter how great my quiet time is. I’m a little bummed that it took me leaving my job at a church to fully appreciate going to church, but hopefully it’s a lesson I won’t forget. Church is great and a gift from God; we should be excited to open that gift every week.
What most shapes your attitude toward going to church?
Leave a Comment