Meetings and Ministry

The student came by in the morning and the meeting went fine. No chairs (literally or figuratively) were thrown. He was cordial and composed during our conversation. In fact, later in the day, the professor called me on the phone rather sheepishly and informed me that the student had been right. The professor had misplaced his work and the student actually passed the class and did not earn an “F” after all. Well then.

I am learning a lesson that no doubt applies to all people in leadership positions. Crises always come (and this one was relatively minor). I find that it is healthy to expect them and I am better prepared to face them at that time. Over the last two years as a department chair, I find myself often enjoying the problem-solving that so often comes with this job. Well, to be more precise, I enjoy solving the problem.I think that most of the time students need to believe that someone cares for them (a fact I told that student yesterday as well as the waif). Students (and faculty for that matter) simply need to see that someone cares for them and is willing to work with them to resolve their concerns. I think that institutions bounce people around from office to office more than they help them with their problems. (I know I have all too often been guilty of that).

In other news I am talking with a church about becoming their interim pastor. I preached there last Sunday and I am scheduled to preach there again on the 23. Their pastor of eight years walked into the Wednesday night meeting a few weeks ago and announced “That’s it, I’m done!” and gave no two weeks notice and has not been back to the church since.

He didn’t end well.

(I half expect to see his name in the paper one upcoming morning!!). They are a very small, very rural church, quite similar to Lone Oak. They have a message board outside their church which reads “The Little Church with a Big Heart.” Due to the way their pastor left, they are still in a bit of shock. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to discuss the interim position with them.