A Retraction for Dave

Again, I feel compelled to post something because of Dave Mac.

I want to clarify something I have said in the past. I come down hard on the mega-church or the big church. I sort of lump all churches that see 1000+ in attendance each week as the mega-church.

I used to work at a 1000+ church. It was and is a great church. It is very unique and is nothing like the packaged, programmed article that you read about. That church had unity and community. The best friends I have had in the past ten years came from my time serving there. They were either folks in the church or people I met because of my job there, other youth ministers around the state.

I had some tough experiences there but by and large the last six months there may have been the most amazing six months of ministry ever. When I rail and complain about big churches, I need to clarify to the folks there (like Dave) that I don't really view it as the mega-church. It did more for genuinely hurting people than any other church. And recently they have become more active in missions work. While I was there that was an area we needed to explore more.

I say that basically for Dave and for me. Church is church. Big or small, every place of worship and every body of believers has great and awful. And it is supposed to be that way. However you live in community, there will be great and awful. And I have been fortunate to experience both great and awful at every place I have served.

That church will always sort of feel like home to me. I learned so much there. I made some great friends there. I grew up there. That church prepared me for what I am today here in Hot Springs. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have taken the minister and man I am now and dropped me back there when I was 22. Very interesting, to say the least.

I love my church here. I love my kids here. I am blessed to have been here for six years. I hope to serve here for six more years. But as long as I am here, it never will feel like "home." And I hope no place ever feels like home. I want to save that for much later.