My other job – besides minister – is teaching math to high-schoolers.  As the last school year drew to a close, a few of them indulged me by asking that I sign their yearbooks.  "All my best, Ms. Raffety," I closed several of the entries — sincerely, but still professionally, I hope. Those words still sick with me.  Who, in our lives, really gets our best?  Is it our significant other, sibling, children, co-workers, friends?  Is it God?  Is it a perfect stranger on the street?  There is a popular contemporary expression (that frustrates all math teachers) about "giving 110%," but if everyone consistently gave their best, well, we wouldn't need the expression then, now would we?  The Bible argues that everything we do deserves our best, our all, because we are working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).  As Christians, we are often encouraged to work and to act as if we are directly serving God rather than people.  And yet, there exists the expression "we are only human" — we all need … [Read more...]

I am bivocational, so 30 hours a week I teach math to high-schoolers.  Whenever they make a silly math error – the kind that they totally should know the answer to – I will jokingly say to them, “You’re hurting me,” and clutch my chest.  They inevitably laugh and try to correct their mistake.  Similarly, whenever I hear church people say things like, “I hate millennials” or “I can’t stand millennials” or “Millennials are ruining the country,” I can’t help but think, “You’re hurting me.”  Because, as a pastor, it is my job to help people follow and love like Jesus.  And since when did it become okay to harbor hurt in our hearts for an entire people group? Since when did it become okay to discriminate against an entire people group because they are young (insert token 1 Timothy 4:12 citation here)?  Since when did it become okay to label people for the purpose of judging them? Millennials are criticized weekly, if not daily, in the news.  Millennials (depending on your source) are … [Read more...]

I vividly recall the excitement I felt when first applying to ministry positions upon graduating from seminary.  I decided that (besides Wyoming) I was open to wherever God might call me.  I eagerly began my search, but I quickly became discouraged.  It seemed as if almost every position said:  two-five years experienced required.  Should I just apply anyway and explain that I had other industry experience (I previously worked in the business sector prior to switching careers)?  Did my internship experience count?  How does one gain experience if they have to have experience to get the job in the first place? It seems that nothing can really be substituted for experience.  For that reason alone, I will always be grateful for my first church that took a chance on an inexperienced pastor (right out of seminary) and allowed me to gain that valuable first couple years (and more) of experience. Experience, whether we like to acknowledge it or not, has a direct relation to faith.  As … [Read more...]

I have found myself complaining far too often lately, so I am pausing to notice the bright spots in ministry. It is the greatest privilege to engage in ministry with others, and to be ministered to by others.  Here are some of my most recent bright spots: How are you doing?  As a congregation, we lost a great servant of Jesus Christ this past year. We were all grieving together, but of course, as the pastor I was counseling many.  Imagine my surprise at receiving one small text from a member of my congregation that asked four simple words: “How are you doing?”  Even though, by the grace of God, I was managing well, I cannot tell you how cared for I felt in that moment when I read that text.  I just assumed when I opened it, it would include another “to do,” but instead this person ministered to me in the powerful method of grief sharing, reminding me what a blessing it is to have another person care about you even when they too are grieving. I love Jesus!  Children are great … [Read more...]

My church recently lost a great man. Actually, I can confidently say that not just our church, but our community lost a great man. As we wrapped up sharing memories of him during coffee hour on Sunday, a few friends (around my age) stood wondering with each other.  We talked about why we looked up to him so much. It was because he communicated with everyone in their preferred communication style (he bought a smartphone so he could text with the “younger” people). It was because he was so consistent. He was the same gentle, loving soul with his family, church family and friends – even on a bad day – and because he genuinely wanted the best for everyone.  “It makes you ask yourself, what kind of person am I?” one of us asked.  And then we joked about how possibly he just had some extra God pieces inside of him from the very beginning. Was he a saintly kid too?  Or did he have to work at it all the time to be able to reflect God’s image with his life? Which is it?  We wondered.  Do … [Read more...]