I am a dreamer. I admit I’m a daydreamer for things I would like to do or have. I likely spend too much time daydreaming. However, part of my daydreaming is of how churches that I interact with could be more effective at fulfilling the Great Commission. Then, I begin daydreaming how I could help, how I could guide the pastor & church to discover ways and strategies to have a greater effect for God’s Kingdom.
Some of my daydreaming may be self-focused rather than Kingdom focused (my personal wants or desires). Perhaps this is true for everyone. This daydreaming can be a stress relief or it can be a distraction and detriment from fulfilling God’s purpose in our life.
Pastors and other ordained ministers can sometimes find themselves daydreaming about their next church – “What will it look like and what will I do?” This is detrimental daydreaming. Dreaming of another church, another time, another town is a detriment to your calling and where God has currently placed you.
I once had a young lady ask, “Bro. George, you probably don’t stay at a church a long time do you? I mean with what you do, you help a church improve and then…” My response to her – and to others since then – “I never go into a church thinking I am going to leave before retirement. If God calls me away before then, I will follow, but I plan to stay.”
I do not recall ever dreaming about the next church. Here are three reasons for any minister to remain focused on God’s current assignment. Actually, this is good advice for anyone clergy or parishioner.
1. Your calling is to the Lord and not to any dream church or position.
If my call is from God, then God will see me through the tough times and the smooth days at this church where He has me currently serving. I’ve experienced some pretty tough times in churches. One senior pastor whom I served with remarked, “I don’t think I would’ve stayed if I were you.” To which I replied, “I knew we were doing God’s work in His will. I could not leave.”
2. Each minister and each member must assess through prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit what God desires and how God desires to use me where He has me serving right now.
3. Individually, each one must concentrate and focus on using his/her gifts to build up the current body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:12 admonishes that all believers that we are to use our gifts for this reason only. God does not make mistakes. If He desires to move you, He will. But for today, there is no time to spend daydreaming about your desires of another church when God has a much greater plan.
