Diminished Competency

By the time I arrived at my third appointment, the Talbotton Church, I had become extremely competent in my ministry.  You could tell by the number of hats I wore.  My biggest hat said preacher and pastor.  But, then I was also the Youth Minister as I gave leadership in that area as well.  I even did some custodial work.  The most surprising hat I wore was Choir Director.  The small choir needed some leadership and since I had one course on conducting in college, I figured I was a natural.     

I guess as I got older and found myself in larger church settings, my competency level must have diminished.  Someone was hired to do youth ministry, someone else directed the choir, and the cleaning was in the hands of a custodian.  All my hats except for one hung in the closet which had a "Do Not Touch" sign on the door!   There is a world of difference in the way the ordained do ministry in the small church and the large church.    

Of course, the small church ministry is not where most clergy want to stay.  Everyone is looking for the big steeple church downtown somewhere.   Being content where we are has always been an issue for the ordained members of the church.  In the beginning we figure we can serve the biggest and deserve to do so but by the end, we realize we deserve nothing and anything is a blessing of grace.  It is unfortunate the young preacher cannot carry the old preacher's view.  It would surely make a difference.