MY CONFUSED BEGINNING chapter 93

I wonder if anyone really knows what he or she is doing when they begin their career. I didn’t. In the church it is termed “the call.” I guess. Maybe. To me it was the job I wanted, but I’m not sure what I expected, or what I really wanted. Maybe it becomes more clear for those who enter church ministry and are “in charge” of the church. For me it was I’m here, now what?

I wasn’t the top dog yet no one was barking orders at me. I had to do some searching on my own. My first board meeting opened my eyes with a start. It may have been about thirty minutes into the meeting when one of the board members asked for the pastor’s resignation. I nearly fell over backwards on my chair. I’m sure I was visibly shaken. I had just got there and was already wondering if the pastor was on his way out. He no sooner got the words out of his mouth until another board member seconded the motion. To my greater surprise Rev. Boldt got no support from anyone when he asked if this is what the board wanted. There was silence. In my mind I kept urging someone to speak up and shut those two guys down. The matter ultimately went to vote and only the original two voted to dismiss him. The board had spoken. They were not with these two. I guess Walter knew that. I was too new to know anything. At least my heartbeat slowed down.

We began each week with staff prayer – just the two of us. When the pastor, who always got on his knees, began to pray he reminded me of King David. He was praying for his enemies to be destroyed. Not killed like David prayed, but to have their hearts and minds changed or their mouths shut. I almost laughed out loud, but it was no laughing matter. After we prayed together he gave me a brief summary on the actions of those two guys. Apparently they had been doing this for several months, but no one other then those two ever voted for the motion. I didn’t understand. Was this normal church behavior? Sounded more like politics.

I watched Walter Boldt run board meetings and lead services for five years and he was one of the most tactful and gentle leaders I have ever met. He never raised his voice, even about things I that would have caused me to screamed. He handled the motions of these two board members for nearly two years before God intervened. One was transferred with his job to Toronto and the other had a heart attack and had to step down from the board. God answers prayers. However, I would have liked it all to happen a little quicker.

Walter had a habit that made me a nervous wreck almost every Sunday. He loved preaching from the Old Testament and he would usually give me the passage to read as we were leaving his office or about to walk on the platform. I must confess that I was grateful that we used the King James Version in those days. Every proper noun had the phonetic spelling. As the service was going on I was trying to read the passage over a few times before it was my turn to move to move to the pulpit and slaughter the King James English. I did learn one thing about reading those very unusual and difficult to pronounce OT names. You do not have to be right as long as you said them with confidence. It was amazing how many people would comment that they had always wondered how to pronounce “that” name. Well, me too, actually, and I still did.

In those early weeks, I was asked to contact two high school boys who were giving the high school Sunday school teacher a lot of grief. He wanted to throw them out of Sunday school but kept hoping something would get through to them. I called both boys to set up an appointment. One would never take my call and the other wanted to tell me what was going on and came to the church to meet with me. Tom was actually a very nice and articulate guy. He was growing bitter and disenchanted with church but I let him explain to me exactly what was happening each Sunday, from his perspective. What he said had the ring of truth. I never argued with him. For all I knew, he was absolutely right. And if his description were correct, I would not want to go to Sunday school either. He left me with a challenge. “Come and see for yourself.” I told him that I would meet with the teacher and ask his permission. If he were open to my attending, I would be there on Sunday. The teacher was not only open to my coming he welcomed it. He was hoping I would have some suggestions for him. I was in the class the following Sunday.