Column from the Middletown Journal
by Pastor Dave Kepple September 25, 1999 |
|
A little over seven years ago, while covering the religion beat for
the Dayton Daily News, I wrote a column for a page much like this, posing the question: "Could one go from being a newspaper reporter to being a pastor?"
The question emerged unexpectedly in my life, resulting from a subtle but undeniable stirring within. Gradually, I awakened to the truly startling realization: God had placed a dream in my heart for pastoral ministry, and I could not let it go. A lot of water (living water?) has flowed under the bridge since then, including five years of seminary studies, and at last I have found the answer to my question -- yes! The proof is in the pudding, or perhaps more precisely in the banana pudding which parishioners have playfully plied me with since I became pastor of Union Chapel United Methodist Church in Madison Twp. about three months ago. Having wrapped up a 23-year career as a "newsman" just a few days Before preaching from Union Chapel's pulpit for the first time, I have found it interesting to compare and contrast some aspects of my former profession with my new vocation. Similarity: Coverage. A parish, in some respects, is a lot like a "news beat" - in that I always tried to stay on top of everything of note occurring in my news coverage area. Now my concern is staying abreast of things happening within the life of our "church family," whether it be a member giving birth or another starting dialysis treatments. Difference: Workload. The workload seems much heavier as a pastor, and the responsibilities are more or less constant, day in and day out. The concept of a "weekend" is now only a vague memory! But the funny thing is, it doesn't really feel all that much like work. And there is a special kind of satisfaction that comes at the end of the day in this "business." Similarity: Sources. Every good reporter prizes his or her "sources" and relies on them to get the job done effectively. So, too, as a pastor, I welcome any tips I receive about various needs within the congregation. Difference: Editors. In the newspaper business, there are editors galore. As a pastor, the only editor that really counts is the Holy Spirit. Similarity: Deadlines. Just as reporters must hustle to get the story written for the next day's paper or the Sunday edition, so a pastor must often scramble to keep all the plates spinning, be it planning worship, counseling a young couple about marriage, polishing a sermon, visiting the sick, or meeting one's own personal needs and responsibilities as a spouse and parent. Difference: Language. Those who work in the creative cauldron of a newsroom sometimes have a special flair for various words seldom heard coming from the church secretary's office or at a meeting of the Vacation Bible School team. Indeed, I've noticed a subtle but unmistakable shift in my own vocabulary since starting my new duties. Right or wrong, I usually depended on my own ability and skills in trying to do my best as a journalist. As a pastor, however, I know for sure I must rely utterly on God's power and grace to see me through each day and every new situation. I am quickly learning that "Job One" for any pastor must be the care and feeding of his or her own relationship with God, through prayer, meditation, and an ongoing love affair with the Bible. All in all, I believe the transition has been a smooth one. In a sense, I am still in the news reporting business. Only now, I'm focused totally on the Good News of God's love for all -- revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So you see, I still love to tell the story. |