I cannot speak for others but in my life, God has often worked in me "behind he scenes". It hasn't been through the "normal" channels of church attendance, mentoring from another pastor, etc.....I have tried those things even before I became a pastor but the direction that seemed to open to me was something different. I don't always know what that "different" will be. I usually know that there is a change in season for me when I begin to experience an unrest. Sometimes that unrest has been due to hardship, sometimes it has come from an internal source when everything outwardly seems to be going ok. I picture it as a type of burning bush experi nice where you see the bush burning but do not yet know what it means. I can just tell you that I am experiencing unrest and I am not being pulled toward the "normal" channels. I am asking those of you who read this to pray for me. I am ok to continue on the path I am on unless/until God makes another path clear to me. Just pray for me. But please don't pray for what you "think" or for what other people have done in your experience, just pray that I hear from God when he speaks. I have been/am a wilderness pastor. God has always called me out of the wilderness and not the palace. Not sure how things will work just know that I am internally searching. I have never been attracted to "form" whether it is espoused by people I Love or not. Don't know why I am writing this now but I am. I have never been attracted to just attending church. I have been “inspired” many times and have no desire to be motivated to do something such as go somewhere. I do, however, long for substance. I remember an instance when I served as a Pastor when a man whom I wanted to “come to church” met with me in a local office and we discussed his “commitment.” He expressed to me that he loved God and often would have moments of revelation while he was out alone plowing in one of his fields. At the time, I dismissed his comments as nothing more than the conversation of one who “was not committed to God.” I knew that he was a good man....just not a committed man. I have had to re-think my position. When I have looked back over my life, it has often been away from the norms of church that God has spoken to me. It was in this context that I was called into the ministry. It is in this context that I find myself now. I have sought in the past “to fight against this.” Why? Is it less legitimate for God to speak in a context that is often apart from what we have defined as church? I have looked around and noticed that as our world has changed, so has the form of what we call church. Many people worship and interact now with others through forms of media that in previous generations were not possible. Not only can you “watch” a service from your home, you can now interact in real-time with people in another location. We call it “social media”. I do not think it is far-fetched to even think of the concept of internet pastor. I think there is now a place for this in our world. Some have already embraced this concept. Is it a replacement for the “local” church? No, but it is no less viable. However God speaks to you, the important thing is to let Him speak and hear.
Relationship with God has always been the issue. I have heard it said, “If you are right with God, you’ll want to go to church.” I would say that if we are right with God, we will desire to BE the church. In whatever context that may take.
If you disagree, just pray for me and love me.
