Influencers

Today is the 22^nd anniversary of my ordination. It’s not a particularly significant milestone. The Bishop doesn’t send you one of those certificates that are suitable for losing in a stack of papers on your desk. In a marathon, at mile 22 you hurt, you’re tired, and you can’t wait to be done.  However, a confluence of events this past week (and an endorphin rush from this morning’s long run) has caused me to reflect on this not-so-monumental occasion.

A particularly heated conversation blew up on the ELCA Clergy Facebook page this week. It caught my attention, much like a car accident. I couldn’t help but watch the banter. A pastor expressed his concern that the Lutheran tribe is in short supply of what he labeled “influencers.” The implication was that our denomination doesn’t have many leaders or churches that a making a big splash in the Christo-cultural conversations. Believe it or not, the church is not immune to the cult of personality. Look at how Pope Francis has become a rock star. While we Lutherans are pretty strong when it comes to theology and the proclamation of the gospel of God’s grace, we’re a rather boring lot.  Except when someone posts a thought-provoking comment on the clergy Facebook page, then it’s “bar he door Nellie!”

While I appreciate the evangelical intent of the comment lamenting our lack of influencers, I can’t help but reflect on my own ministry these past 22 years. This past week was an unusual one for me. Because our congregation has been blessed with growth and I have been able to assemble a great team, I’m much farther removed from day to day pastoral care issues. My associate, along with a great team of trained hospital visitors handle much of the hospital visitation duty. I often tell people that if I show up in your hospital room, you’re ether part of the core leadership or things aren’t looking so good. This is just a fact of life in a larger church. This past week, I found myself in 3 different hospital rooms. Each visit was a powerful reminder that one’s pastoral presence is, shall I say, influential. Yes, in the power of the Holy Spirit, God is already present. And yet, it’s the incarnational representation that the office of pastor brings to the bedside that can’t be underestimated. Yesterday, one of those with whom I prayed in the ICU died. I was called upon to offer comfort though the assurance of the resurrection to eternal life. I was thanked profusely for my presence.

On Tuesday, I presided at a memorial service for a gentleman who had a sudden heart attack after leaving his young grandson’s birthday party. It was a difficult day for the man’s two grade school-aged grandsons. The boys are members of our congregation. When I walked into the funeral home that afternoon, the boys greeted me with hugs and a big “Hi Pastor Mike!” 

Tonight, I will be attending the wedding of a young woman whom I first saw come down the church aisle as a toddler.  I was a newly-minted pastor in my first call. This little one escaped from her parents and as she ran down the aisle toward me, I ran interference so that mom could catch her. After leaving that call, we stayed in touch.  I have enjoyed watching that little one grow into a beautiful woman who is now a labor and delivery nurse. Why would I be invited to this wedding some two hours away? Influence. 

I could go on and on with countless stories of those who have said to me, “You’ve made a real difference in my life. Thank you.”  To every pastor out there who is tired, hurting, and wondering if you really matter, you do. You may not be a mega-church or have a platform for reaching the masses, but what you do still has tremendous influence. As Paul writes: But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.  (2 Cor 4:7-10)