tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269648634709183279.post4574081201233359668..comments2023-10-21T06:41:09.118-07:00Comments on Random Enlightenment: Death Of A ChurchMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15292824227963056711noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269648634709183279.post-58051021697045193842008-05-12T07:59:00.001-07:002008-05-12T07:59:00.001-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00087822636248592012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269648634709183279.post-82256018816570356062008-05-12T07:59:00.000-07:002008-05-12T07:59:00.000-07:00We've had the same senior pastor in our church for...We've had the same senior pastor in our church for 25 years. He is such an original personality, I'm not sure that anyone could fit in his shoes. I know that I would have a really hard time attending that church if he wasn't there. It just wouldn't be the same. On the up side, the core people at our church have been there a long time and are living out what God is teaching through our pastor. They are an open group, full of flaws, who are honest and easy to talk to. In short, they are family. If they all stayed, I think we could get through a time without a pastor, but it would have to be a very special person that came to fill Barry's shoes!Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00087822636248592012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-269648634709183279.post-22650008531962987722008-05-09T12:31:00.000-07:002008-05-09T12:31:00.000-07:00I thought I would add some context to this post so...I thought I would add some context to this post so that no one (from my church, my parents church, or past church families) reads anything into them! I know of at least 7 or 8 churches right now (whom I have some sort of personal connection) to who are "in pastoral transition." Usually this is a pretty difficult time for any church, but I'm interested in the fear that sometimes comes out of it. Not everyone, but some people get really scared by it.<BR/><BR/>I think some of the fear is based on the belief that it would be a disaster if their church couldn't find someone (or even if the church closed). Instead of having rational thoughts like "yes, this will be a tough time, it will be stressful but we will get through it" some people think irrationally "it is the end of the world if we can't find another pastor/if the church closes. I couldn't stand it!" <BR/><BR/>I wonder if such people's anxiety,fear, etc would go down if they just brought themselves to fully challenge their irrational thoughts and replace them with more rational ones? "It wouldn't be the end of the world if we don't get another pastor for awhile (or even ever) and even if the church closed I could survive." Sometimes we are afraid to face our fears, but when we do we find that God has and will give us the strength to get through our circumstances . . . and we realize that it wasn't nearly as bad as we feared.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15292824227963056711noreply@blogger.com