Personal Update – God Is Providing

Last updated Apr 13, 2012 by Matt

I‘ve heard it said when one loses his job it becomes a full time job to find another one. While I am not putting in 40 hours a week looking for another position, I have been pursuing every avenue that seems prudent at this point. My experience in 2011 (when I left my ministry in Silver Lake) was a bit of panic. I had made a bad decision and I needed to recover, and quickly. I threw out all the emails and phone calls I could muster. What resulted was a disorganized discombobulation that led to me being frustrated. This time around, I think I am more calm, more focused. Here is what I’ve been up to.

I have been in touch with friends at Detroit Seminary about the possibility of moving up there and pursuing seminary. From my perspective it would be ideal to get into another ministry and pursue seminary part time, but I am open to secular employment and seminary part time too. A short time ago, I heard from a contact up there that he had distributed my information to over twenty churches in southeast Michigan and had heard from five or six that may be looking to add staff—in fact, I heard from one of those churches who wants to add someone on a volunteer basis. This week I heard from another contact who pointed me to one of the seminarians that knows of a possible job. Upon inquiry I learned that the job is “dirty, ugly, hard work.” Sounded good enough to me for a phone call. We’ll see where it leads.

Toward the end of March a church in Wisconsin initiated contact about a pastor position of their small church. Two days ago the contact called me because the pulpit committee was curious about the circumstances of the last ministry. I explained it as best I could. At one point in the conversation, the contact said the pulpit committee wanted him to call my former pastor and asked what I thought about that. I said I didn’t have an opinion about calling him but questioned whether it would be an accurate characterization of me given the short time I had been there.

Today I heard back from the contact that the conversation with my former pastor went well and that he held me in high regard. I’m thinking the same thing you are, “Then why did he let me go?” That is what my contact asked the pastor. The short of it is that I was too different from what they, an established church, are used to, and the pastor didn’t think it was best to hang on to me for the long term. I’m not inclined to think more about that situation. It’s in my “rear-view mirror” so to speak. I’m moving forward.

Anyway, the contact scheduled a phone interview with me and the rest of the pulpit committee for next week. Lest you get too excited for me, this is one of the preliminary steps. If memory serves, I did three respective phone interviews last year. I’m trusting the Lord’s leading.

God continues to provide for our daily needs. We are in financial crisis mode, which only means that we only spend money out of necessity with little room for recreation. God is providing for our needs through his people. Several old friends from Colorado have sent greetings and monetary gifts. We have friends in Wisconsin who have done the same. When these things happened, I instantly remembered Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. When they gave above their means, Paul encouraged them by saying,

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. — Philippians 4:19-20

I thank God for the servants he uses to care for his children. I am trusting God’s leading as I move forward.