Ministry is never pretty. More poignantly, life is not pretty. It’s messy. Our idealism will never be met. It’s the simple and brutal truth. The reality: Quest Church is a failure. It sucks. The reality: I am a failure. I suck. But the good news – it’s OK. Everyone just breathe. God is gracious. God’s grace is sufficient. As for Quest: it’s too big, too small, too disorganized, too institutional, too Asian, too White, too educated, too young, too modern, too postmodern, too emerging, too un-emerging, too biblical, too liberal, too conservative, [insert your thoughts here]. After six years, while I can honestly acknowledge that Quest is a failure of sorts and has disappointed many people, I can also rest in knowing that it’s beautiful and has ministered to many people – by the grace of God. I feel so very privileged that God called my wife, Minhee and I, to be the visioneers of this church and hopefully, a movement to come.
So, while there are disappointments and I might will never please each and every single person, I’ve learned that there’s great value in just showing up. There’s great value in simply DOING ministry, sharing life, and just trying. While the product might not be polished and the process is messy, it’s humbling – even if it’s very rare – to know that redemptive things can and are taking place. Here and there, I’ve wondered to myself if the church, the cafe, the programs, the sermons, the counseling, the Live Music, the community groups, the whatever…does it matter? Now, more than ever before, I’ve realized that being messy is where the gospel is often manifested. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed under: church, churchplanting, emerging church, justice, pastors
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