Diary of a Young Pastor

I’ve been reading Wade Rodger’s posts this evening, and boy can I identify with what he has written.  I wonder if all pastors trying to bring change and growth in small, rural, “stuck-in-the-1800’s” churches would be able to identify too.

Read Wade’s blog “Questions” and “Clarification“, and be sure to check out my comment here.

~pastormatt

David Emery proposed a substitute resolution (began as an amendment to the resolution — Tim Smith pointed out that it was not germane because of Dr. Armiger’s ruling the previous day) that added that the resolution not go into effect until the beginning of the 2009-2010 year. It was passed by the conference.

Also, please check the comments on the previous post!  There is some good stuff there from Tony Casey (about the history of TRRCC), Matt Rampey and a follow-up comment by me.

I am thankful that we have been able to talk openly about our feelings on this issue.  Feel free to jump into the conversation, but remember — no anonymity allowed!

I’ll keep this short.

10 years ago, when the district voted to purchase the property (which in its self may or may not have been handled 100% appropriately) that has become South Mountain, it was made clear that all our churches should be financially and personally invested into the project.

10 years later, we still have many who fail to support the project.  10 years.  What does proposal 4 do?  It lives up to the encouragement we gave to all our churches 10 years ago.  It gets everyone supporting the project.

We certainly tend to buck when we think of raising our budget, but if we continue to stall on the South Mountain project, it will continue to grow and become a bigger problem for us.   For churches, including mine (Rain Hill), who have failed to get much support going for the project, this proposal finally gets us officially involved (albeit, indirectly).

For the past couple years, our church has operated with a budget in the red.  Yet God continue to provide.  This past year, our total church income was $10,000 less than the previous year.  Will we be even deeper in the red because of proposal 4?  Probably.  But I believe God will still provide.

We can do this.  We committed to do this.  I support this.

I’d love to hear your comments — and I’d love to hear from some of my South Carolina friends who had similar problems with Table Rock Retreat & Conference Center.

Ugh.  Politics.  An anonymous individual mailed this to select individuals:

To those interested in the future welfare of our District.  We have been made aware that Rev. David Emery now seems willing and open to be considered and nominated as a candidate for the open DS position.

Rev. Emery is greatly admired and we thought his willingness to serve would be of interest to many pastors and delegates in our district.

We want to make Pastors and delegates aware of his availability in order to let them know there is an alternative to the person that will be nominated by the DBA.

Rev. Emery has not asked for this endorsement and he is not aware that this mailing will be sent. Our desire is to have a level playing field for the election at District Conference.

This is a tragedy.  Here’s my reply that I attempted to send the address stated above:

To: ncwd4change,

I am extremely disappointed by the e-mail that was sent to many people in the West District for multiple reasons:

1st - your unwillingness to sign your name to your ideas.  A grass roots movement happens from time to time, and that is ok.  But, mass mailing people with a personal agenda needs to be just that - personal.  I think that sending an anonymous e-mail of this nature is extremely rude and inconsiderate of everyone involved - the recipients, David, and especially Jerry.  Be a man (or woman), and stand behind what you are saying instead of hiding behind an address.

2nd - sending this type of mail is unfair for Jerry.  David has every right to allow his name to come up from the floor and delegates have the right to nominate him, and vote for him.  However, Jerry is the only one of the nominees who has gone through the process, and an attempt to undermine him in this manner is despicable.

3rd - sending this e-mail is unfair to David.  What was said, overheard, or assumed by you or your colleagues was obviously not intended for public consumption as David has not made any of these feelings public.  You’ve already undermined the trust of the one you are trying to get into office.

4th - this type of politicking is only destructive to the district.  We need to be men and women of God who are holding ourselves to the highest level of integrity.  Already, other pastors and districts are aware of this “campaign”, and I can only imagine what it makes them think of us (hint: not good things).

Let’s be a people of God, not of politics.  Step up.  Shape up.  If you really want to change this district - please, let it begin with you.

Matthew D. Tietje

5763 Rainhill Church Rd.
Morganton, NC
h: 828.584.8444
c: 828.403.8705

To add to the cowardice, the address was not accepting incoming mail.  Here’s what I received:

ncwd4change@gmail.com, it’s time to shape up. Seriously.

~pastor matt

I saw this video this morning, and it just about had me in tears (see: lady with MS).  This is a great idea for sharing testimonies in the church.  Thanks to twitter friend @jasoncurlee for making me aware of it.