Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Exit Interview @ Shoreline

(Note: The title of this post is not "Exciting Interview" in the interest of your continued stable blood pressure.)

So, my Exit Interview was today with Shoreline Community Church's Executive Pastor, Dennis McFaddin. Great guy, great "interview", great feeling going into and out of the moment. 'Nuf said. Well, maybe just a few more details.

Dennis asked ne a series of questions ("The worst thing about working at Shoreline? The best thing? What could we do better?" Etc.) looking for feedback and I gave it. He listened carefully and made me feel like he really cared about me and my input.

I then gave him the page-and-a-half of analysis I brought with me and we went through it, including where I felt I had grown, my personal negatives (where I felt I could've done better), my personal positives to the glory of God, and where I feel that Shoreline could improve. (No, you can't ask me for a copy!)

When it got down to the bottom line of the official reason why I got ______ (insert your favorite fun firing line here: let go, the boot, my walking papers, my eternal reward, etc.), it was numbers. I was also told I need to grow in my ability to listen. (At least that's what I think he said. I wasn't really listening . . . no, no, no. just kidding!) Both of these items (decreasing numbers and need to listen better) have definitely been problems for me during my time at Shoreline, so no surprises.

I'm grateful I was given the opportunity to air some frustrations, give positive feedback, receive some personal growth points, and pray for each other's ministries. Dennis did a fine job at a difficult task. All-in-all, a truly great meeting. Thanks to those of you who prayed for me.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Big prayer item

I've been asked to prayerfully consider taking a senior pastorate sometime in the near future somewhere in the greater Bay Area. (Am I being vague enough?!!) Very exciting and lots of positive angles on this one, but we want the Lord's will, not ours. I had not considered becoming a senior pastor just yet, but will be open to God's leading.

Please pray with Katie and me that the Lord would continue to give us clear direction as to our next move.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Preaching review

Katie and the girls joined me for what turned out to be a delightful service at First Baptist Church of King City. About an hour and 45 minutes south of us on 101, King City is a town with a growing Hispanic population and with a very distinct small-town flavor.

Arriving at 10am, we checked the girls into the nursery, Katie joined an adult Sunday School class, and I spent some time in the pastor's study/church office.

The music was above average for a small church, with guitar, drums, and vocals under the leadership of their keyboardist, Steve. I officiated during communion, and then delivered the sermon. My text was 1 Peter 1:3-9 and I titled it "Time Trials". (Amy Choate, a lady I had recently hired at my previous church, sent me an encouraging note last week that included this text and, in addition to really ministering to me, I also felt that the Holy Spirit wanted me to use it as my text for King City.)

In this passage, Peter is encouraging believers to remember the "living hope" and "inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade" even though we have had to suffer for a little while. My question at the end was "How much time do you spend reflecting on the glory versus the grief?"

Thanks to those of you who prayed for me. I definitely felt God's presence and His Holy Spirit prompting me throughout the message. What a humbling thing to be used of Almighty God as His spokesperson to His people.

We were given a generous honorarium and taken to lunch by Steve and his wife before heading back home. A full day, but a productive one in which we certainly felt we were blessed.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Preaching this Sunday

Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be preaching at First Baptist Church of King City this Sunday, November 25th, so please keep me in your prayers.

The church has been looking for a senior pastor for a while, so I'll help fill the pulpit this Sunday and also help conduct their communion service. Katie and the girls are planning to join me, so it should be a fun trip.

For more info, you may call the church at 831.385.3819. Thanks for praying!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Moving in a New Direction

“We’ve outsourced your job.” “We’re no longer in need of your services.” “We need to go in a different direction.” “Your department is being downsized.” “Can we just be friends?”

Do these phrases make your heart beat a little faster? Your palms get a little sweaty? Your head start to spin? I heard one of these recently and it made my heart beat quite a bit faster. Funny thing is, my heart hasn’t slowed down a bit.

Ideas of what the future may hold have been swirling around in my head literally since my drive home after being fired from Shoreline Community Church (Monterey, California). (Yikes! “Fired” sounds brutal, and my dismissal was anything but brutal. A Sensitivity Rating of 9.75 on the Dismissal Scale. Congrats to the fine gentlemen in question.)

Not just job ideas have been swirling in my head. Also, silly little things such as how easy taking time off work for Christmas will be. And instead of one week paid missions trip leave right after Christmas, I think I might stretch it into two weeks in India. Unpaid, of course, but unhindered, too.

My time as Children’s Pastor of Shoreline has come to a rather abrupt end, but the road is wide open. I’m totally excited about the new direction God will take the children’s ministry at Shoreline (which I named “Shoreline Kidz”). I’m even more excited about the new direction God will take me.

Toward that end, I’ve got some projects in the works that I’m not able to disclose just yet, but will look forward to sharing in this space in the near future. Suffice it to say that your prayers are coveted!

A great way to communicate with me in the future is via my long-time Verizon cell phone number: 408.590.4186 and e-mail addy:
michael@dentonbrothers.com. Drop me a line to let me know you’d like to be kept up-to-date.

One final thing.

Shoreline staff: Thank you for the opportunity to work alongside you. It was a great ride, and much is still being accomplished for Christ’s Kingdom. Keep up the good work!

Shoreline parents: Thank you for the privilege of working with your young people. Your children are truly a blessing from the Lord, and I pray you always value them as such. My verse for coming to Shoreline was Malachi 4:6, “He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers.” I pray that God continues to draw the hearts of your children even closer to you than before, and your hearts toward them.

Shoreline Kidz: I have LOVED being your Children’s Pastor. It has been one of the biggest joys of my life. To see so many of you come to a saving faith in Christ, to see you sing His praises, and to see you learn how to be His followers has brought me great pleasure. I know that the leadership at the church care so very much about you and they will find another Children’s Pastor who will love you as much as I do, and who will help you become totally committed to Jesus Christ. I hope we can see each other some time before heaven, but if not, may you continue to walk with the Lord all the days of your life!

The Children’s Ministry Staff: You are simply the best. My heart is filled with gratitude for your kinship, your teamwork, and your efforts on behalf of the children and parents of Shoreline. Thank you for investing in my vision and helping this Children’s Pastor do more than he ever could have alone. You did it! You turned things around, served our volunteers, supported our leadership, and made things happen. Keep it up! The next Children’s Pastor will inherit an amazing team. You are doing a phenomenal job, and I know the best of Shoreline Kidz is yet to come. You have become my very closest friends, and I love you all.