This week I will say goodbye to yet another friend in ministry. His ministry context is changing and, as a result, he has been called to move far away to start the next chapter of his God-calling. This particular transition is a little different, because this guy and I went through figuring out ministry together. We shared stuff, actually, a lot of stuff. This guy knows stuff about me that I don’t share very often. He is more than just my friend; he is one of my accountability partners.
The other reality that is beginning to set in is that when you work in ministry it means that at some point you are going to have to say goodbye. People in ministry have a certain amount of movement. From my first church job until now, almost everyone I have worked with (and became friends with) has stepped out to a new calling. Heck, I have even done it myself.
Maybe that is why ministry can be such a lonely gig, because if you are actively engaged in the ministry (paid or unpaid) then at some point God is going to call you somewhere you’ve never been. I think that is the hard part about this, because at one level I am deeply saddened by the moving away of yet another friend, but at the same time it is amazing to think about where God is calling him.
At the end of the day, if you want to be a part of a movement of Christ followers, a movement that is going to change the world, then you must be willing to move.
I also think that being a part of a movement doesn’t just mean leaving our physical space, but it also means that we must be willing to leave our pre-conceived notions for the sake of our God-calling. It might be better to say that being stagnant is to consciously choose to ignore God’s involvement in your life. Movement can be of the feet or of the heart; both varieties require a certain amount of courage. So, if you find yourself incredibly comfortable, or distant from God, I guess there is only one question to ask yourself:
What is my next move?