1. The vision is compelling.
I love the church. I love the local church. So I confess I struggled at first to reconcile this heart of mine for the church (and my calling to it) with an opportunity to work in an institution. (Say that last word like you’ve got a battery on your tongue.) But then I caught the vision being cast by MBTS president Jason Allen, a desire that this academic institution re-embrace the original purpose of the seminary project — that the Church would be strengthened and served by Bible-rich pastors and leaders. This is the heartbeat of Midwestern, and from my vantage point on the inside now, I know For The Church is not just a slogan (or a website); it’s actually the daily concern and purpose of the faculty, staff and students. The people here eat, sleep, and breathe the local church. Being able to contribute to this big vision with people who actually own it has been hugely encouraging to my heart.
2. The team is a blast.
I get to work with some incredible people. I get to serve on the communications team with some talented folks who work hard while making daily life in the office fun. The larger department within which we serve is staffed with kind, full-hearted, Christ-pursuing men and women, as well. I have to tell you, it is frequently exhilarating to experience this sense of “serving in the trenches,” in what really amounts to a seminary re-plant of sorts, with so many awesome people all chasing the same thing — getting ministers trained and getting the gospel out. I love who I work with.
3. The students are a joy.
The culture of Midwestern Seminary is very much like a family, and the students we’ve been attracting more and more are intelligent enough to be scholars but wise enough to be pastors. I know millennials get a bad rap — and deservedly so, generally speaking — but the young adults I encounter at Midwestern are sharp, godly, and passionate about the local church. If you fear for the future of the evangelical church, I encourage you to spend some time with the current crop of seminary students here and elsewhere. They are much farther along than my generation was at their age, and for this, I am optimistic about the state of the church. These kids love the gospel and, because of it, want to give themselves to the congregations.
4. I am where the Lord wants me.
I plan to craft a follow-up post of sorts very soon in which I attempt to answer this question I keep getting: “Do you miss being a pastor?” For now, though, let me reiterate something I tried to explain to my church last fall upon my resignation. It is not safe to disobey the Lord, no matter how illogical or nonsensical we find his leading. I tried to communicate that if God had determined my time serving them should be up, it would not be good for them or for me to keep on keepin’ on. Like most everyone else, I was very confused by a call away from the pastorate — more confused, I promise you. I don’t know how long this season is meant be — or even if it’s a season at all. (One thing I’ve learned over the last 8 years or so is to get out of the “This is what I’m going to do” business.) I only know that he asked me to give up what I loved doing to go do this other thing. And, as it turns out, if you go where God wants you, he is likely to confirm in big ways and small that you’ve made the right decision. He has been very good to confirm that this is where he wants us.
For these reasons and more, I am glad to be serving at Midwestern Seminary. For those of you who wondered.