It’s been a while – too long probably.  How long has it been since you have removed yourself from your home  church and community to serve someone else in a place that’s not comfortable? A place that isn’t home. I’m talking about a fresh perspective on the goodness of God. 

It had been 6 years since I had been on a mission trip but that all changed this summer when we led our team of 16 to a remote village in Alaska. Things changed and God moved in ways beyond what we could have expected. Children and adults found Christ. They found that He would be with them long after we had boarded our flight home. We found the overwhelming presence of God’s goodness. Not by being alone, but by being ONE as a team – by being vulnerable and sharing our pain and by trusting in The Lord with unfamiliar surroundings. 

I understand that as a Pastor you have a congregation that needs you and relies on you but don’t use that as an excuse to stay in your home church and community. Go serve God in the unknown where you have no choice but to rely on Him and not on your own strength or plan. 

Is the wilderness not where God teaches us to trust in Him? Many times we have our church schedules, plans, and sermons all laid out and ready to accomplish. (Like we already have a good idea how it’s going to go). 

The Holy Spirit breaks in from time to time and we are thankful for it but otherwise we stick to the schedule. I am praying for you and I ask that you pray with me that God would send you and I  somewhere that we are totally out of our element and we have to rely fully on The Lord and on the God-given gifts of the team around us. 

We as pastors have to remember that the church doesn’t revolve around us but we all revolve around Christ. Christ has given immeasurable gifts to those in the church and we must humble ourselves enough to let others grow and use those gifts. 

Create opportunity for those in your churches to go out and get uncomfortable with you. Then we will all grow in Christ. You will be amazed – like I was – at the incredible gifts that God has placed in those around you. Those gifts come to the surface when you’re in a place where they are needed and those in your church can step up to the plate. 

The construction workers skills are needed. The medical providers skills are needed. The encouragers skills are needed. The teacher, the cook, the small group leader, the mechanic. When people get to use their skill and their God given talent for Christ, we as the pastor have succeeded. 

It is not our job to do all the ministry ourselves but to equip those in our church for ministry and to create opportunities for them. Let us not allow our light to be blocked by four walls (even if they are church walls).

Whether the wilderness be close or far, may God draw you ever closer to Him in the uncomfortable, as you find your strength in The Almighty!

About the Author: Pastor Wade Woods is a servant of Christ Jesus, who is fulfilling his calling at Cross Point Church in Ava, MO. He is a former freestyle motocross evangelist & youth pastor who gives all the credit to Jesus who calls the lowly and weak, showing his grace and power through such unlikely vessels to bring all hearts and glory to Him.