The pastor got schooled

Yesterday morning was quite a morning for Pastor Jason Fitch.

Ok, some background. I went into the process of planting a church thinking it would be much easier than it is and seeing ministry as some kind of organizational system that I could lead. I figured it would grow, be "successful" and then I could tell my story and coach other church planters along the way. That's what I figured . . .

Here's what I didn't figure. Yesterday morning . . .

• 7:25am - get a call from a church family who is being put out of their house. They need help moving and have no place to go.
• 7:30am - Our lead hospitality person is in a car wreck right in front of the church. She's probably ok, but needs to be checked out at the hospital. Our lead set up guy leaves to be with her too.
• 7:35am - a woman in our church asks me to talk. She tells me through her tears about her alcoholic husband and her challenges with her son . . . and my heart is just breaking for her. I want to fix it all for her, but I can't. All I can do is pray with her and for her.
• 9:29am - church starts (this was the one part of the day that was in the plan:)
• 10:45am - I cancel our regular staff meeting and ask all the staff to help the family mentioned above move their stuff into storage. (Some of them worked for 8 hours!!)
• 11:45am - My wife and I decide to offer this family of 4 (plus cat and dog) to stay at our place for a short time so they can plan what their next step is.

What? This is what church is? Yeah.

God spoke to me very clearly yesterday. "Jason, nobody's asking for your insight on church planting or leadership. But there is a church full of people who need you to love them and serve them. That's the church. That's ministry. You up for it.?"

Yes, I am.