Today is a very special day for about 80 men and their families. It’s a day when these 80 men will know where they are headed for the next phase of their lives. For some this next phase will last for decades, for others it will be a few very long years and for others it will be the only position they ever take in this field.

I remember this day very well. It was 20 years ago actually. I remember waiting in great anticipation over where I would end up. You see today is something called call day. It’s a churchy idea that really talks about where a pastor ends up. Under normal circumstances a church will seek a new pastor. They’ll look at information about the potential candidates, then interview and eventually extend a call.

The idea behind a call is that God, through the local church, is calling the man to come serve in a given location. The man receiving the call then prays about it and decides if he feels the same call from God. If so, then he makes the move. If not, then he stays put.

Well today there will be about 80 men and their families who will wait with baited breath for their loved one to receive his first position. Unlike the regular call that I described above, this one is an assignment. There’s not really the opportunity to prayerfully consider if this one is right for you. You take it and make the most of it.

Since many of the men and their families have no idea what’s coming I’d like to offer a few pieces of advice based on my 20 years of experience. Some of these aren’t just for you pastoral types too.

  1. It’s God’s will not your want. You may not get the placement you desire. You may not even be in the same ballpark as what you asked for, but God knows more than you. Just go with it.
  2. Make the most of it. So this should go without saying but there will be good and bad times in your first position. It’s up to you how you handle it.
  3. No matter how good, you will have rough times. Look you’re dealing with people, and you’re one of them. Some days will be the best of your life. Others…yeah not so much. There will be hardships so be prepared.
  4. You won’t be liked by everyone. This one will be hard for you people pleasers. There will be people in your life who say they are friends. They get close to you to get what they want and try to win influence. But when things get a little challenging or you challenge them by holding to your confession of faith (convictions), they’ll turn their backs on you and walk away. It’s ok you won’t always be liked and you have to be ok with that one.
  5. Over communicate. You can never communicate enough. You will get tired of saying the same things over and over, but when you’re tired say it at least 5 more times. Just because you understand it doesn’t mean anyone else does.
  6. Go slow. Ok for those of you type A personalities this one’s for you. You’ve been living in your head, wrestling with the ideas and plans for a while before they come out of your mouth. Give people time to catch up to you. Surround yourself with people who have the authority to push back a bit. You’ll thank me in a few years.
  7. You have to make a move. So for this of you who are terrified of us Type A personalities, this is for you. Some will be tempted to sit and wait for God to write something on the wall of your office or give you a divine revelation. Sorry sir but it doesn’t happen that way. The best way to learn if God is calling you in a direction is to take a few steps and see what you learn.
  8. Listen to your family. So for those of you who are married this one is critical. Your number one priority, after your faith, is your family. You are a husband and father before you are a pastor. (Before meaning in order of priority not chronology.) If you can’t serve your family well, you’ll never serve the church well.
  9. IT’S NOT YOUR CHURCH. Ok so I yelled at you a little but it was important. I can’t stand when I hear pastors call it “my church.” It’s not your church. You didn’t die for it. You didn’t call it into existence. It’s God’s church or the church God gave you the privilege of pastoring. This frees you to experience some grace. If it’s your church it rises and falls on you and brother you aren’t that good.
  10. Know your boundaries. Boundaries are critical. You need them all over the place. Set boundaries with your time. It’s ok to put family time in your calendar and tell members of the church that you’re busy or you have an appointment. Set boundaries with your finances. You are not going to balance the church budget with your offering or sacrificial salary cap. You work hard and it should be recognized. Set boundaries with relationships. Know your limits and surround yourself with people who will tell you when you’re pushing close to them.
  11. Know the primary call God has given you, and it might not be what you think it is. If you think your number one goal is to make Sunday morning happen, then you might be doing it wrong and in it for the wrong thing. Sunday worship is important for sure, but I don’t know of Jesus saying go make a good Sunday morning worship happen. He does give us other directions.
  12. Your example will be seen before your words heard. Brother if you tell the people you serve to do something that you aren’t doing, then it may be time to go flip burgers or something.
  13. Change is ok, even necessary, but know why before changing anything. I’m not afraid of change by any means, but I would encourage you to make sure you know why a change is needed before making it. And then communicate the heck out of it before you do it.
  14. Just because it worked for someone doesn’t mean it will work for you. You’ll meet others in the field who have experienced some pretty fantastic results with things they’re doing. You’ll be tempted to copy those same things. Don’t do that. Ask a few questions first to make sure you understand the situation and the actions because your context is likely very different than theirs.
  15. You’re not done learning. You just finished schooling and you’ve been through a lot. You might love school but you might be like me and hate it. Nothing personal to profs but I am not the greatest institutional learner. You need to be constantly learning. Read books. Have conversations with others who are ahead of you.
  16. Be discipled. There’s no simple or passive way to say this. You need to be discipled. You need to be following someone who’s ahead of you. Find someone you trust and from whom you can learn and spend intentional time with them regularly. This can be in person or using one of the joys of technology.
  17. Work from rest and rest from work. You undoubtedly know about the whole sabbath idea. Taking a day off to rest. But that isn’t how some of you are wired. The point is very simple know how you rest and do it regularly. Find ways to rest so you can be more effective at your work. And when you work find ways to rest to give yourself space to recharge.
  18. Your body is God’s temple keep it healthy. Get your rest. Workout. Eat right. These will benefit you greatly!
  19. Be flexible. You are soon going to be responsible for the souls of God’s people. Care for them well but in the process know that God might have plans that don’t match your gut reaction. Stay flexible.
  20. Love well. Finally it’s important to love people well. Loving means you are there for their biggest moments, good and bad. Be present with people. Turn off your phone and watch when you go to a visit. Hold the hand of the hospitalized when you pray with them. Serve others. Nothing is beneath you. Nothing is outside your job description.

That’s a list that is by no means comprehensive. Take them or leave them but they are learnings from an old guy with 20 years under his belt. Be blessed to be a blessing friends.