obscurity

I'll never forget a quote from a wise pastor, Bob Brandon, in Ft. Worth, Texas. He once told me:

"Enjoy your obscurity."

It was while I was probably bemoaning the fact that I was living in Vancouver, BC (which, by the way, I loved!!---). But I was feeling "out of the loop," isolated from other campus ministries with a similar DNA. And friends. Plus didn't know what conferences were going on. What were the latest trends? And feeling single. What else was my motivation for NOT being so obscure? Partly loneliness. And pride. Also, wanting to know that what I was doing really mattered & "counted."

I have recalled this statement many times-- when I felt that I was missing out. Nobody even knew where I was-- living in Germany, later. Back then Bob had explained: "When Hope Church was new, we had all the time needed to develop programs and concepts. And simply spend time with people. But after other leaders found out about our (innovative) church, they've wanted to visit and bring in groups to learn. We spend valuable time hosting them."

Recently I felt strangely drawn to sit for a whole day in my PJ's (whew!), and evaluated where my stress levels were coming from. I typed up a table reflecting the past 18 months. The table showed this fact: I'd had unusual events, special guests, and/or travel days for 38% up to more than 40% of the days. Not good. I'm losing my obscurity, as we grow as an organization. The tug of attention is divided in various locations. And instead of doing what I feel I do well, which is partly "backstage," I'm pushed out there onto center stage.

The Apostle Paul was also in the background for quite some time. Even when the word got out about his new-found faith-- he was personally away from the limelight for about 3 years (Galatians 1).

"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days… Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they praised God because of me.”

This is a great example to me. Even when the churches heard about Paul's radical change, the result was: God got the applause!

1. Build deep. Take care of the depth of your ministry; & God will take care of the breadth. Make the foundation pillars strong, so God can construct a skyscraper (if He chooses).
2. Spend time with Jesus-- taking in, before you have to give out a lot. Later your Quiet Time will have more competition & the nights may be shorter with lack of sleep.
3. Learn humility in the backwoods.
4. Enjoy doing what you do best, before people bombard your Inbox, & come wanting to do interviews. Or travel to your site to take pictures! Really -- why you are where you are-- that's the fun stuff! Relish the time.
5. What you do in the early days, could make or break the future of where you'd like to be. People whom you meet or influence in the first months of a new location/ ministry, are likely key shapers of the organization later!

What has obscurity taught you, in the backstage?