One of the Best Decisions

Resigning as a pastor was one of the best decisions I have ever made. There…I said it. 

Why do I say it? 

Simply because of Jesus. I have been able to experience Jesus more. That is what made me the most excited before I resigned. I knew that yes I would “go and do” something different for Jesus but it was a deeper call to “come and be” with Jesus. What God said to me in the midst of burnout while in the shower and shedding tears was to bring me to him. And God has followed through on what he said…even though it has been so hard as I will write about in a future post. Yes there’s a cost but what Jesus says in Matthew 16 about finding true life when you follow him is completely true. I am so happy I resigned. It’s been one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

There’s been so much freedom, a recovery of my first love, a deeper devotion to follow Jesus and do what he says, not because I have to as a pastor or because it’s connected to money or because people expect you to…it’s only Jesus. 

The past two years I have been learning to live out what it means to be a disciple in everyday life, how to practically lead and love my family, how to make disciples and how to gather as the church in simple ways. I feel like the pastor version of me is dead and I am a new person. Sometimes I tell people that the pastor/old me is dead when they want to call me "pastor." Some want to call me that because they used to know me that way or they find out what I used to do. However it helps my heart when I bring out the coffin so to speak. It helps me in how I view myself and training them in how they could view me. I want Christ alone to be my identity.

Yes, when I resigned it was weird knowing I wasn’t a pastor anymore for the first couple days. Probably because it was so tied to my identity and all consuming. But l after a few days of resigning, it was behind me. It was in the past like Rafiki would say in Lion King. On a side note, it really helps me knowing that I finished well while I was there. Maybe that will be a future post on how to finish well.

Continuing on with why resigning was one of the best decisions…it’s because of this deeper experience of Jesus, which it has overflowed into affecting my family. My wife and I now go on weekly dates (depending on childcare), which before maybe it was 1x a month or here and there. With my kids I am actually talking about Jesus and read Bible stories, singing, practicing a day of rest, having them memorize verses, etc. compared to every so often doing a Bible story. Our family when I was a pastor vs our family now is like night and day for the better. This may be a future post as well.

Also because of resigning I feel like there’s been so much of actually doing ministry than when I was a pastor. I think what we can do in ministry can be man-made rather than what God actually says to do in his Word. I actually have time to spend time with people (believers and unbelievers) individually and with my family to pray, love, share life, read the Bible etc. 

Also I did not realize that because of my resignation that God would open up so many doors with people to talk about Jesus and following him such as at Starbucks, family, neighbors, AC guy, insurance adjuster guy, in interviews, etc. Man, it has been so amazing. So good. 

So, that’s some of the reasons why resigning as a pastor was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Simply because of Jesus.

Love to hear from you if you. Email me at pastor2barista@gmail.com