Dear Elim Grace,
Today marks my 6th year anniversary since becoming Senior or Lead Pastor of Elim Grace. I’ve had recent conversations with friends who are also pastors and found myself saying, “I’m surprised that…”. And so here are six things that have surprised me after six years of pastoring.
1. Conversations are more important than I thought
If you would have told me 3-4 years ago that I would be spending a significant amount of time in one-on-one conversations, I would have said “not a chance”. The main reason would have been that I don’t have the gift of counseling. At least not in the formal sense. But I have found myself by choice sitting and listening to others. Whether it’s leadership training, mentoring, “counseling,” listening to someone pour out their heart or share their ideas, I have found great joy doing this at a table over coffee. It has helped my preaching. I have grown in wisdom and compassion. It has sharpened my leadership skills. And more times than not, I have heard the Lord speak or show me something during these times. Most Thursdays and Fridays I block out my calendar to be able to have conversations with others. It’s now that important to my ministry.
2. Leading worship is as important to my pastoring as preaching is
I wanted to give it up. I thought I should give it up. When I became Senior Pastor leading worship didn’t seem like something I ought to be doing anymore. I turned over those responsibilities and God has multiplied our worship leaders in Elim. But about 3 years ago I felt the Lord challenging me to lead worship again and, especially, to see that my leading worship was as important to my pastoring and ministry in Elim Grace as was my preaching. A pastor should be in the lead worshipping. They should be a worshipper at heart. And they should be model of what it means and looks like to praise and worship Jesus not only in private but also in public. Elim Grace needs to see their pastor worship Jesus, so leading them in worship is something I know I must do. To play the piano and to sing are part of my pastoral skillset.
3. Creativity is more from the ground up than from the heavens down
For the first 3 years I tried to identify the things we weren’t doing as a church that I felt we should be doing and built a yearly vision around that. At the end of each year I was frustrated that we were missing the target and not hitting the goals. Of course the goals were Biblical and good, but they weren’t the things the Spirit was already breathing on. So rather than trying to find good things, now I’m identifying the things the Spirit is already doing among us and focusing in on those things. It’s now less about waiting on and receiving some plan that comes down from heaven and more about asking and seeking what from the ground up the Holy Spirit is already doing in Elim Grace. Identifying, partnering and keeping pace with the Spirit already at work is about as creative as you can get.
4. Crossfit has become a non-negotiable
By Crossfit I mean an outlet. 5 days a week Crossfit is a meeting on my calendar that is non-negotiable and never canceled. I tell people “I have a meeting” that day and time, because I do. As an outlet, Crossfit keeps me healthy and energized. It keeps me growing and creative. It challenges me mentally and physically. It teaches me about myself, life, people, and ministry. Plus, I’ve met a lot of great people who DON’T come to Elim Grace who are now my friends and a gift to my life.
5. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast when it comes to change
Even after being in leadership and serving Elim Grace for 18 years, I knew when I took the church that change would need to be natural not artificial. It was not my job to impose change but to lead us into change. I would say it took the better part of 3-4 years before I became comfortable with who I was as a Senior Pastor, with the gifts and skills God had given me for the task, and for Elim Grace as a people to become comfortable with who Pastor Jonathan Evans was. So I’ve led slowly, carefully, intentionally, which means changes made have for the most part gone smoothly and feel natural. As a result of the slow and smooth changes, I would say that we’ve minimized a lot of obstacles that otherwise, if I had rushed, would have gotten in our way and delayed the growth we’re beginning to experience now after 6 years. And, surprise within a surprise, caring for people has been the greatest facilitator of change. And caring for people happens slowly, carefully, intentionally, and personally. Little by little, day after day.
6. I don’t matter most!
My very first prayer the very first day as Senior Pastor was, “Lord, show me who’s next, who’s after me.” For 6 years now I’ve been on the lookout, knowing that my faithfulness as a pastor in a long line of pastors to Elim Grace will be measured by how I hand things off to the next generation. I don’t matter most to Elim Grace. My name doesn’t matter most to Elim Grace. To be honest, I could care less if this city knows who the pastor of Elim Grace is. It matters more to me that Oswego know the name of Elim Grace. Who Elim Grace is. What Elim Grace does. Because Elim Grace is the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. He purchased her with His precious blood and she is a witness to His glory and grace. Others matter more. I’m only here to serve God’s purpose for me in my generation. It’s that simple. I’m here to honor Jesus, to honor those who have gone before me, and to honor those who are coming after me. Yes, it surprises me that I don’t matter most. Or I guess that I don’t care that I don’t matter most. I see more clearly now than ever that it all belongs to Jesus. All things are from Him, through Him and for Him, and He will not fail His church. He will build His kingdom as He has promised. He owes me nothing, I am His servant and at the end of my days I will have only done my duty (Luke 17:10).
Pastor Jonathan