If you’re not a pastor, you may not be able to relate to this but something tells me you will. Sunday mornings are anxious times for pastors. On a good Sunday (and most of them are good), I wake up with somewhat of a nervous stomach. A little excited about the day ahead. When I was an athlete we called the pregame jitters “the butterflies.” I’m concerned that everything will be done with excellence. Sometimes concerned about a logistical issue, a new song, or that the message will connect with the congregation. I have a feeling that many pastors feel the same way. On a bad Sunday, well…I don’t even want to think about the occasional dreaded Sunday but let me say that there have been Sundays in the past when I did not want to go to church.
This past Sunday was a good Sunday, in fact, a great Sunday. But in my usual walking around making sure everything is in order and working (not that our excellent TNC setup team needs me to do that, I just do. It’s a pastor’s instinct, I guess) I, as usual, had “the butterflies.” At around 8:10 AM, I overheard Steve and Chuck say that they needed something from the office. Steve (our Lead Pastor) volunteered to go get it but I knew that he needed to meet with some baptism candidates at 8:30 AM. I told them that I would go, so I made my way to my car.
Because parking space is at a premium, the staff and leaders are asked to park on the other side of the parking lot so it is a pretty good walk to where I park. Steve originally parked his car out front to unload some stuff so he and two of his boys, Christian and Cameron, were moving his car to the boonies to park too. As I got into my car to go to the office, the Davis boys were getting out of their car making the long trek back to the gym. Christian and Cameron were playing with a football and as they were making their way back they tossed and kicked the football to each other.
That’s when I learned a lesson. As I watched the three of them, one of the boys stopped to punt the football. Now if I were in Steve’s shoes, I would have kept walking and I would have emphatically told the boys to do the same! It was 8:17. I had a meeting in 13 minutes. Two sermons to preach. Details to go over with the worship leader and production team and a costume to put on. (If you didn’t attend TNC last Sunday, you won’t get the costume thing.) There’s no time to stop and kick the football, I would have said.
But I noticed that Steve stopped what he was doing, showed his son how to properly hold a football for a punt, and then he watched him kick it to his other son. I smiled when I saw that.
Maybe that story doesn’t do anything for you but for me it was a relief. It reminded me that I need to stop and take every opportunity I can with my family and friends. Even in the busyness of life. Even on harried Sunday mornings when there are half a dozen things to do. Even when there seems to be no time. It’s important to invest in people, not just a production or a program. I was reminded that Jesus said, “I will build my church.” It’s his job not mine. Why do I need to stress over it? Why should I get anxious on Sunday mornings? Why not let Jesus have “the butterflies”?
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