PASTOR OF MOBILIZATION

I started teaching World History at a local high school in the fall of 2015. Last year I also taught US Government. It was strange becoming a teacher. It was something I had always considered but never really pursued.

It seemed to be a pretty natural fit and the timing was incredible because when becoming missionaries to Slovenia fell through, we were left with only questions and uncertainty. It was great to do something rigid and structured, yet loose and creative. It was a big confidence booster as well. I (mostly) enjoyed working with teenagers again, and I had some really great co-workers.

As my second summer break is drawing to a close, I am filled with this weird vibe walking down the "back to school" aisles in stores… BECAUSE I’M NOT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

In a strange turn of events that happened in the last couple of weeks, I now work FULL-TIME at Brick City Church in Ocala, FL as their PASTOR OF MOBILIZATION.

Starting today.

Like right now.

I am at work.

Working.

At the church office.

Right now.

This is the first time where the thing that I love to do and devote so much attention to is also the thing that I do to earn a living.

My new job is three core parts:

1.     Worship Leader: Not just coordinating the team to play songs on Sunday, but forming the worship service as a liturgy of CONTEMPLATION + MISSION using music, prayer, scripture, and art.

2.     Local + Global Missions: I never blamed myself when we failed to raise support to move to Slovenia. Instead, I was crushed by the response I received from churches. Not that they had rejected my ministry, but that MANY of them didn’t seem to care about missions at all. And when I say "missions" I am talking about PEOPLE out there in the world who do not know the hope and love of God and in some cases do not even have the tiny comforting false hopes that help us get through the day. So, if I can’t work with the local church in Slovenia, then I want to make sure to advocate for this important work with local churches in America. Now my job is to get our church involved with LOCAL + GLOBAL MISSION PARTNERS, and helping our people experience this extraordinary call to love our neighbors as ourselves - even when there is no apparent benefit to the growth or income of our own church family (a sadly REVOLUTIONARY idea).

3.     Missional Communities: I will be training leaders + piloting small groups that meet weekly/bi-weekly to share a meal, discuss practical living applications from that week’s teaching, pray through scripture, and connect to our local + global mission partners.

How freaking awesome is this?

There are so many things to be excited about, but the main one is that I get to start this ministry burden-free. For maybe the first time in my life, and definitely the first time in my ministry, I do not feel like I have anything to prove. Some truly incredible and trustworthy people have faith that I am a good fit for this church and can do some good here. That’s all I really need to know.

I just want to be a part of what God is doing, and hopefully I can help others get in on that journey as well.

So that’s where it’s at.

-joshua (2017).