I can hardly believe it, but this Saturday, May 1 is my Associate Pastor’s 2-Year Anniversary out here on the prairie. It has been a great two years working and leading beside this great pastor. His love for the Lord, his family, and our church family is evident to all who know him. I am privileged to serve beside him.

As I was contemplating life and ministry with Pastor Tim, my mind took a trip down memory lane. I’ve alliterated the items below because (you know) that’s what Baptist preachers do… 😉 But, no joke, Pastor Tim and I have experienced these five things below and the experiences have been exhilarating and educational…

Demons – One of my first pastoral experiences with Pastor Tim regarded a demon possessed man. I can’t get into all the details on this blog, but this experience was completely supernatural. We tag-teamed the situation with prayer and Scripture. In fact, I remember, as the demoniac was experiencing voice changes and begging us to kill him, that Pastor Tim just began quoting (from memory) a ton of Scripture on the grace, mercy, and power of God. We still keep in contact with this individual and regularly pray for his salvation, but wow, that was an incredible moment of pastoral ministry with my right-hand man…

Death – This is a mega-theme in pastoral ministry. From witnessing the death of beloved church members to witnessing the tragic death of various relationships in the church body, death is a constant theme in pastoral ministry. But I remember Pastor Tim and I navigating the challenges of a very unique and severe suicide attempt. The individual who tried to commit suicide was not directly connected to our church family, but the situation was truly heart-breaking. It was such a privilege to minister beside Pastor Tim as he and I tag-teamed ministering and praying with various family members and friends at the hospital in the hours after the suicide attempt. It was an incredibly long day, but it was so good to work side by side with Pastor Tim in that moment and to see his heart for people as he cared for them. Thankfully, the young lady who tried to end her life survived and we still pray for her as she comes to mind…

Disease – Then as I think through my time working with Pastor Tim, 2020 came in like a wrecking ball. Wow. What a year! From navigating the challenges of mask-wearing, to figuring out how to keep people socially distanced in our sanctuary, to learning how to record and livestream services, 2020 was an incredible year of uncomfortable growth. It was such a joy to work with Pastor Tim during this period because he (unlike me) rolls with the punches and has a natural entrepreneurial spirit that is helpful when you are in uncharted waters, like the dumpster fire of 2020…

Demo – Then there’s Demo Day 2020. Oh, yeah! I remember starting this project – the Sanctuary Renovation Project. We started and ended this project in the midst of a global pandemic, and it was awesome. We were able to totally renovate our sanctuary with new chairs, carpet, a bigger sound booth, and more space for worshippers. Our new worship space turned out really beautiful and functional. I am truly grateful for Pastor Tim’s leadership and administration of this project. This project, because of Pastor Tim, turned out so well…

Difficulty – I can’t get into specific details, but man alive, the different counseling experiences we have had over these last two years would blow your mind. Pastoral ministry may be many things, but it is certainly not boring. We have encountered situations that have made us laugh, cry, and just shake our heads in disbelief. It has been great to tag-team many different counseling situations together…

Well, Pastor Tim, congrats on making it through Round #2 out here on the prairie. You’re doing all right. I appreciate working with you. And thank you for allowing me to be the boss. I know I’m not the best boss out there, but you are a privilege to boss around…Love you, man…