Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Tuesday Mind Dump

Ok Ok....I know I normally do the mind dump on Sunday's but I was spent on Sunday and I wanted to take yesterday to come to terms with something I need to say via this mind dump....so let's dump:
  • Nice day at church. I loved the fact that everything seemed so calm and people just hung out and talked.....that is awesome.
  • Love that new song "Revelation Song." I forced April to put it in...seemed like everyone enjoyed it....thank you :)
  • Thanks to everyone who came out to Chelseas grad party! The tough thing about those party's for me is I always feel like I have to spend time with everyone thereby not spending quality time with anyone. If someone could tell me how to address that I would be forever in your debt.
  • April knocked it out of the park with her message. Had several people tell me how much that ment to them and that they could really relate to what she said. It's goes to prove yet again that if you allow him....he'll never allow your pain to go to waste
On to a much harder subject. A guy I have respected in ministry for years just resigned from his church...and this is a big church with thousands of members....for having an affair with his personal assistant. I have to admit...my first instict was to be critical of him......How could someone that God has trusted so much with allow himself to be put in the position of allowing a moral failure? Pastors should never...ever put themselves into the position where that is even an option....Having said that...I, and we have to come to terms with something that is at it's core quite scary for any of us... and that's this....what if everthing we do was put in the public eye?

If that were the case would any of us be able to lead a church? I am not sure......We all sin and this guy was no exception his just happened to be the kind that we preach against...He removed himself from ministry and the church is picking up the pieces...they are dealing with hurt....broken trust....and a host of other things from the fallout.....anyway...all that said.....I believe what happened to him could very easily happen to any of us...that's why I have done everything possible to keep April as my partner in ministry.....Is she a pastor...no....does she have a pastors heart...no....but she is my partner anway......since we have started in ministry here are a few things that we have done to try and make sure what happened to that pastor never happens to me:
  • April keeps my schedule and she knows where I am at all times.
  • April has access to, and daily reads my email. I will not allow myself to keep secrets from her....I will say, if someone has a private conversation with me it will stay private but emails are another story.
  • Unless it is a life or death situation I will not meet with a female who is not my wife alone. Period.....not for counselling...not for coffee....nothing (ok....except for my daughter and family members!)
  • April keeps track of our finances....It's not that I can't or won't....but at the end of the day I cannot hide anything from her if she keeps the books.
This kind of thing can happen to anyone. I challange each of you to look at your lives honestly and examine area's where you may potentially be giving the Devil a foothold or a way into your life. We all need accountability....find someone you can share with for me it's April.

2 comments:

Shelly Suchomma said...

I think that you have taken very smart steps in guarding your purity with your wife and the church. Kudos for you!

Jeff Renner said...

Tony,

Never said she was my accountability partner...I said she was my partner in ministry....big difference....I believe Every pastor needs some people outside of his family that will tell him his crap stinks....I have no shortage of people in that area :)