What is a Minister?
(Continued)

Go to page 1

Let me say this, reach out to us. Call Don—call me. We want to do our jobs. We live to do it. It gives us meaning and purpose. Now, for you to begin to reach out more, you cannot be so “grown-up” about it. What am I talking about? Well, you have to be sort of like Kennedy, my daughter. As I wrote this sermon this week, she came to me on many occasions: “Daddy, I need some paper. Daddy, JT’s bothering me. Daddy, can I use your computer so I can go to Barbie.com? Daddy, when can I have another ‘daddy day’?”  Now, is she worried that I’m busy or don’t want to hear about her concerns? Does my little Boo Boo think I am going to say, “Get away from me” although she can be a lot to handle at times! Kennedy knows her daddy will answer her and deal with her need, perhaps not always when she likes but eventually I will address the need. I really believe a child wrote the words, “Ask and it shall be given”! But somehow we adults forget the power of asking and reaching out as if it is beneath us. I think we all must “seek the spirit of a child, the child who meets life naturally, the child who sings the world alive and greets the morning sun with glee.” I think we all must “seek the freedom of the child, a child who loves instinctively, who lights our day with just a smile, and shines that light on all we see.” Yes, we must all “seek the wonder of a child, a child who sees delightfully, now clowns in cloud, now gold in sun, imaginations true and free. Children are real beyond all fears. May I see.” May WE see!

Sometimes when you talk with your minister, we won’t have anything to say, we’ll just grunt a little bit. But I know this from my brief experience you will feel better just to have had a ministerial ear to hear your concern. Sometimes we will need to cry together, to laugh together, to have a meal together, and to spend some time together because that’s what we all need. But again, you have to reach out to us because there are many members here and unless someone tells us there is an issue we don’t know. Listen, don’t worry if the minister is busy or has many jobs or is working on this or that—reach out to us. Haven’t you noticed we can conveniently get to the Redskins game or Duke game when need be? Here’s another secret: we are masters of managing time!
That’s all I have today with my first year minister sermon. I want you to especially remember that a minister is a three-fold call. We are preachers, we are teachers and we are visitors. I hope that helps you in some way to understand the duties and responsibilities of a minister. Let us continue to grow together in spirit and in truth. Amen.

Back to first page

Copyright by Rev. John T. Crestwell. All rights reserved. Please contact him for permission to use.