Midlife Evaluation and Renewal

[The following is a reflection piece I wrote in early 2009 concerning this summer's ministerial leave.]

I recently celebrated my 45th birthday. I’m officially half way to ninety! At the same time, I have passed the 21 year mark of serving full-time as a minister in the local church. Assuming I retire from full-time work at the age of 65 (which in this economy is looking increasingly dubious), then I am about half way through my career.

Because of these milestones in my life, it strikes me as providential that I am gearing up for a time of ministerial leave this summer. This sabbatical will be a period of several months in which I will be away from my ministerial duties and weekly commitments with time to become a student again, to refresh my spiritual calling, to reflect more deeply, to pray more intensely, to travel and read more widely, to seek out mentors, and to think afresh.

But my ministerial leave is only half the story. This year will mark the 36th year in which the Conejo Valley Church of Christ has been in existence. While I’m not sure this means that the church is in “middle age,” my perception is that we are past the early stages of congregational life in which a church struggles to establish its identity. At 36 years of age, I believe our congregation is at the stage in which we need to push back against the temptation to maintain, to coast, or to rest on our laurels. I believe that this is a most appropriate season for us as a congregation to become students again, to refresh our congregational calling, to reflect more deeply, to pray more intensely, to seek out appropriate models, and to look ahead to our next chapter of ministry together.

I am taken with the idea that we can go through this season of reflection and preparation together, carefully listening to one another and our community as we discern God’s calling afresh. There is something exciting about looking back on where we’ve been and prayerfully looking ahead to where God may lead us. There is something powerful about intentionally asking how we need to grow and change in order to more faithfully bear witness to our Lord and serve our community. I am especially energized by considering fresh and creative ways in which we may use our gifts to be the blessing of Christ to our community and our world.

Please continue to be in prayer in anticipation of this upcoming sabbatical. Please pray for God to guide my preparations so that I might utilize this gift of time well. Pray for our congregation that we may be energized by the additional opportunities for leadership and service during this season. Pray for all of us as we look ahead and ask, “What is God up to in our community and how can we better be part of it?”