Goofy, Honest, Bold

He came to my church as the associate pastor when I was fifteen. He immediately started working with the youth group ministry. So, naturally, our paths crossed early on in his ministry career at the church. I was a skeptical teenager, wary and critical of new leadership.

But Ken was a good guy with a great wife, a good family, and a heart for ministry. Ten years is a long time to grow and get to know someone. What's he like? Ken is...

Goofy

Ken is the sort of person who uses a Hallmark movie illustration in a sermon or starts the sermon with a joke. (Our other pastor is more likely to start with a brief lesson on the meaning behind the key Greek words in the passage we will be studying that day.)

Ken manages to put a positive spin on life and finds humor in the moments. He sees the stories and the memories he'll have for later. The car battery dies. We had to turn around in a cornfield. We hit a deer. The fire alarm went off. There happened to be real wine at communion. Stories. Stories and laughter.

And with teenagers and young adults constantly picking on him, he manages to laugh at himself along the way. It's a skill: to be able to laugh at yourself and yet not be self-focused. Very few find this balance; somehow Ken has managed to find it.

Honest

His honesty and goofiness blend together. Ken is willing to share about his past embarrassments and his shortcomings. He's open, whether it's in retelling an embarrassing story from his childhood or about what he has been struggling with this week.

In churches, pastors tend to get put up on pedestals. People think they're better than everyone else. But the truth is, we all struggle and need grace. Ken demonstrates this even though he is at a place of spiritual maturity. His example and the example of other leaders in my church remind me that maturity does not mean perfection.

He also comes to the scriptures with an attitude of humility. He will explain how he interprets a passage of the Bible, but he encourages those who listen to him to examine the text. And when it comes to the confusing passages, he respects those who come to different interpretations.

Bold

The older I get, the more respect I have for Ken and the things he has done thus far in life. Hey, why don't I take a few leaders and a bunch of teenagers to a concert four hours away? How about we set up a post-prom party for the local high school this year? How about about we do a week-long vacation Bible school every year instead of every other year? How about I travel with the young adult group to Kentucky for a missions conference?

I think about organizing those things and being the person "in charge," and I don't think you could pay me enough. But Ken commits and draws other people in to help when he plans an event.

He's bold in his preaching too. Some pastors shy away from complex and controversial topics. Ken isn't one of them. He's not afraid to tackle difficult topics and for that, I greatly respect him. For example, our young adult group was going through 1 Timothy, and Ken jumped in with both feet into discussing the roles of men and women in the church. Yup, controversial and challenging to talk about, but he did it in a humble, respectful, and kind way.

Appreciating our leaders

Ten years is a long time to watch someone faithfully serve the members of a small church. I am thankful for Ken's work in my church, and it's been encouraging to see that we've both grown in the last ten years.

He has grown in confidence, his preaching abilities, and in his connections with other people. Hopefully, I've grown in humility and my ability to encourage those in leadership. I'm still working on it.

So, Ken, happy belated birthday. I hope you had a great day, and may this be the start of your best year yet. Thanks for how you invest in people's lives and how you have helped me grow in my walk with God. God bless!

Thanks for reading. If you liked what you read, consider subscribing, leaving a heart, pledging, or giving a tip. If you would like to receive regular updates on my work, please email me at [email protected] and ask to be added to my email list.

You can also follow me on Medium.