I THOUGHT I COULDN’T GROW ANYMORE…
On a recent Sunday, after service, one of our faithful members who happens to be a retired pastor, and I were chatting in the Town Hall. I told him that I was so glad to see him and I had missed seeing him the past couple of Sundays. He said, “man, I’m here every chance I get! I love being here on Sundays!” As I listened, I could see and hear the sincerity of what he was sharing with me. He went on, “I was called into ministry at a very early age and I did it for most of my life. I’m now 73 and I’m here at Mosaic and I’m loving it. There is nowhere else where I could get what I get here. I love listening to you, Harry, Lauren, and Mark. Some people don’t like hearing a different preacher each Sunday, but I love it. And guess what? I’m growing from it! At my age I thought I was done growing (spiritually), I thought I couldn’t grow anymore, but I still grow every week especially after hearing a message like Harry preached today.” I leaned in a little more to hear in earnest what he was saying as he continued, “the thing that impacts me the most is the unity you all have as pastors. In most churches there is one pastor leading everything, but here you all work together so well. Even when you get up to preach, you say ‘hello, my name is ____ and I am one of the pastors here at Mosaic. Not THE pastor, but ONE of the pastors! You all must work on unity real hard, because it shows!”
This was a relatively short and simple conversation, but it really encouraged my heart on two fronts. First of all, here was one of our seasoned saints, a retired pastor, and he shows up every Sunday, just like everyone else, to hear a word from God. This gentleman, in professing to me that he is still growing at age 73, is so encouraging because it shows me that there is always room for growth. No matter how much we think we know, no matter how old we get, no matter where we are in life…there is always room for growth!
Secondly, I was encouraged that our deliberate efforts at Mosaic, to pursue unity in order to promote a credible witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, are noticed and that they are not in vain. We are a diverse church body on so many levels and we constantly will ourselves to come together to Walk, Work, and Worship together as one; this is our witness to the world. And when this world seems to be so divided on so many fronts, it is refreshing to be able to come to a place like Mosaic and experience unity on so many fronts. Even more so, it is a huge blessing to call this place, Mosaic, our home.
“Behold how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133