Letting Others Pastor the Pastor

By Tim Garrison, Southern California Conference

A warm fragrant drop of oil was placed on my forehead.  It was a strange feeling.  I had anointed many people in 35 years of ministry, but had never been anointed.  The members of Grace Community, a new church plant in Santa Barbara; all gathered around and embraced me and my wife as a lay pastor placed the drop of oil and offered a heartfelt prayer.

Just a few days' earlier tests had confirmed that I had pancreatic cancer.  I pastor two new church startups north of Los Angeles in Moorpark and Santa Barbara.  For years I provided pastoral care for others.  I told others of their need to positive and to find strength in their relationship with God.  Now, with a life-threatening disease, I had to learn to let go and let others minister to the minister.

The first Sabbath at Moorpark, after the diagnoses, there was a dramatic change in the way people related to me.   Moorpark is a hugging church.  The hugs took on a new and more profound meaning as a loving church family found in an embrace what words could not express.  It was as if there was a reciprocal need to give.  At first I found it hard.  It was counter intuitive.  I was the one that was supposed to be strong for them.  Now I must learn to find strength from them.

The turning point came when a wonderful sweet lady took me in her arms and began to sob uncontrollably.  Her unrestrained feelings opened up my own pent-up emotions and together we had an amazing God inspired cathartic cry.

Weeks before the cancer was discovered I had started a message series titled:  "You O Lord Are My Rock and My Fortress."  When I stepped to the front and began to speak the real life connection made the words resonate in a way that was startling as much to me as to those listening.  It was intimidating to feel my own words imploding in on me.

Was God really my "Rock and My Fortress?"  Could I step down from my need to appear strong and in control and let God use others to serve me?

My friend Bill helped me learn the lesson of receiving.  He was one of the first to call.  Eighteen months ago he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.  Bill was a deacon when I was pastor of the Camarillo, California church from 1992-2001.   Early on Sabbath mornings before anyone else had arrived for church we would sit in the foyer and talk.  We developed a great friendship and that early connection would be used by God to bring just the right person into my life when I needed it.  Bill and I have formed a two person support group!  The deacon is providing pastoral care for the pastor.

I have a long and hard road ahead.  But I have learned that while God is not the author or creator of cancer He does bring the right people at the right time to provide encouragement and strength as long as we are willing to let others serve us.
 

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Protecting your Digital i.d.

by Rajkumar Dixit

Do you guard your social security number? You have probably heard of a person's nightmare experience of identity theft. It can be a terrifying experiencing. 

Do you use the same diligence in protecting your digital identity? Have you ever googled your name? You should. What comes up? What are people writing about you, and who is being associated with your identity? 

Seekers are not only googling your church, they also want to learn everything about you, the pastor. What comes up when you google your name? According to some communication experts, you don't exist if you don't appear on the World Wide Web. In other words, you lack relevance.

Here are some steps you should consider when cultivating and protecting your digital identity. 

Own your personal name domain.  For example, I own rajkumardixit.com. I also own my nick name, "kumardixit" so people can find me easier.  Even if you don't want plan on creating a website or blog, it is worth spending the ten dollars to own your online identity. The last thing you want is for someone else to create an account in your name. 

Create social media accounts with your name.  While you cannot keep track of all of the social media companies out there, be sure you are connected with the big three, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Create an account with these social sites, and begin using them.You will find a new audience of seekers through this median. 

Remember the value in tagging. Every time you add a post to your blog or YouTube page, make sure you use the tag option. Think of a minimum of fifteen words or phrases that describe that post or video and type them into the tag. Also, always, tag your name to help Google and other search engines find you easier. 

Rajkumar Dixit is a church communication consultant.  He is the author of Branded Faith: Contextualizing the Gospel in a Post-Christian Era.  You can read more at rajkumardixit.com.
 

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 - James Agate

 - Albert Camus

Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.