Insights

A couple weeks ago I wrote about how navigating a call to the ministry through college left me feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. It was in these moments that God gently reminded me that it was of course, only through His grace and mercy in my life that I would be able to proceed in this calling successfully.

This calling led me to serve for 10 years in a pastoral role at two churches in the Houston area. The first church was a soft landing for my first pastoral role. It was a smaller church with a smaller staff with many years of pastoral ministry under their belts. I was able to serve in a place that was comfortable, safe, fun and where I could absolutely soak in a ton of wisdom from the people I served with. We had a smaller youth group at this church with great kids from great families, many of whom I knew prior to starting in my youth ministry role. One thing I learned from my time at this church was that as a pastor, when you let all of the fruit of the Spirit be evident in your life and ministry to your congregation, that is the sweet spot of ministry. While at this church I got to see a very beloved pastor retire after 19 years of ministry to that congregation. I was able to watch what it was like to finish the pastoral race well and to leave a congregation better than when you arrived. It was an absolute joy to be a part of.

After about six years at this church, I moved to take another pastoral role serving students and families inside the loop and, my goodness, did I experience some culture shock! Though the spiritual needs of the students and families were the same, ministering to them was drastically different. For three and a half years I served and ministered in the best way I knew how, but after about three and a half years in, because of ministry philosophy differences, my time at this church came to a close.

At this point, for the first time in my life as a believer, husband, and dad I did not have a church home and my family did not have a church home. For ten years our church home had been where I had served as pastor. For ten years, Sunday morning church was part of my job instead of part of my chosen routine. For the first time that I could remember I didn’t know what to do. I knew the importance of finding a church home, but didn’t know what I wanted to look for for my family or what specifically we needed as a family.

This led us on a journey for a few months where we ultimately landed in the church we are at now. For the last 10 years God has renewed our excellent hope through His local church. Through our church home we have been healed, we have had people walk with us through some very, very hard seasons of sickness and death and we have grown in our relationship with God exponentially.

I want to encourage you to do more than just attend your local church. Put down roots. Invest your time and energy into the people who surround you, as they too are on a journey towards Christ-likeness. It is my prayer that through your local church, you too will be re-energized in the excellent hope that we are given through Christ Jesus.

Joel Gutowsky
Director of Student Life
Logos Preparatory Academy