An Old Penny and a Bag of Burritos
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, May 15, 2007
- Viewed 203
- (42) comments so far
Once a part-time school bus driver and unpaid pastor, Steve was now leading one of the fastest growing churches in America. He had gone from preaching in one sparsely attended service, where you could almost hear crickets chirping in the background, to directing seven packed and rocking worship celebrations each weekend. The number of ushers showing people to their seats far surpassed what would have been the total attendance just a few years ago. You'd think Steve would be pretty content with all of this, but in fact, on the Monday morning this story begins, he was ready to quit.
A gentle voice in the back of his head seemed to be whispering, "What are you doing here, Steve?" Steve wondered what this was about. His ministry seemed to be going extremely well. more people were coming to Christ and being baptized every week. His writing was receiving international recognition. He was getting speaking invitations from churches all over the world. Lately, however, he found himself dreaming of quitting the ministry and doing almost anything else -- even selling used cars was starting to look good.
As he often does when he needs to think, Steve got in his old truck and went for a long drive. Spilling out the troubled contents of his heart to God, Steve expressed how inadequate he felt with the overwhelming needs people were bringing to him as a leader. It wasn't just the couple struggling with their marriages, the ministry team leaders who couldn't seem to get along, or the angry folks blaming him personally for policy decisions that impacted their lives. It was the combined pressure of all the needs of all the broken people who seemed to think he should have all the answers.
"God," Steve prayer, "I don't know what to say to all of them! I've tried to cast the vision you've given me, but let's be honest, Lord -- the people you're sending me are annoying! They just don't listen! And I'm sick of trying to get through to them!"
As Steve calmed down a little from what was for him a farily typical rant, he felt a painful and sobering thought percolating up from somewhere deep in his psirit. With a sigh of self-accusation, he uttered the words that were brewing inside: "Maybe I just don't have a pastor's heart."
All this soul-searching was making Steve a little hungry, so he pulled into a Taco Bell drive-through to get something to eat. In the silence between shouting his order into the microphone and picking up his food, God spoke to Steve. It wasn't an audible voice; it was a nearly imperceptible mental whisper.
"Steve," it said. "Open your door. I have a present for you."
Feeling a little silly, Steve stopped the car and opened his door. Ground into the pavement below was a scarred and tarnished penny. "Gee...thanks..." was the sarcastic thought that went through his head as he dug the practially worthless coin from the soft asphalt. But then God's quiet voice spoke again.
"In the worlds eyes, the people I'm sending you are like this penny. They're flawed, imperfect, and forgotten. Even churches don't see much value in wasting time on them. In some eyes, they may look shabby and worthless, but to me, they are just like you, Steve. They're precious beyond measure!"
Tears streaming down his face, Steve drove home with a penny, a bag of burritos, and a whole new understanding of the incredible value God places on the broken, bothersome, infuriating people we all are.
"It's a funny thing," Steve remarked several weeks after this happened. "Since that Monday morning, as I've been tempted to get angry or blow people off with a few brief words, I'll look down on the ground and find another penny. I now keep a whole stack of them on my desk to remind me of God's generous heart and of the special calling he's placed on my life. I still don't have many answers, but I'm trying hard to pay attention to people and show them God's love by giving them plenty of time to talk. I'm not that good at it yet, but I'm working on becoming a pastor who listens."
Quite a few Monday mornings have come and gone since Steve first told Dave this story. On many of them, though weekend church attendance now approaches 7,000, Steve still loses patience with people and feels like quitting the ministry. But now whenever Steve says, "This is it. I'm really quitting this time!" his wife, Janie, smiles, gives him a hug, and says, "Bring me a bag of burritos on your way home."
Feel like giving up? Feel like quitting? What will it take today to remind you of the great calling God has on your life?
I encourage you to pick up a copy of this new book... I'm really enjoying it so far. Again, it's called "Quick to Listen Leaders".
Any comments?
In the book by Dave Ping and Anne Clippard titled “Quick to Listen Leaders” (from Group Publishing). In the first chapter, Dave and Anne share a great story about their friend Pastor Steve Sjogren… After coming to Cincinnati, Steve spent nearly a year meeting face-to-face with over 2,000 people and inviting them to the first service of the new church he and his wife were planting. On the first Sunday, only twenty-seven people showed up.
Comments
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pjle on Mon, January 10, 2005
Some of your posts are pretty much what I expected. Any call to a deeper understanding of God’s word is often met with simplistic stories that have very little theological depth. I have heard it said that “American theological understanding is so deep you can walk through it and not get your ankles wet!” If you noticed in my post, I gave Pastor Steve the benefit of the doubt that God indeed spoke to him and he heard Him. What I object too is the “Christianity light” that is hobbling our witness as unbelievers and skeptics laugh us off as people who are shallow thinkers. To compare Steve’s story to the inspired word of God in the gospels (Larry’s post) only further strengthens my point. I’d say more, but I just found a nickel and am expecting God to speak to me 5 times. Although I must admit, from time to time I have gone to bed after a buster burrito and have had the book of Revelation interpreted by my dreams. http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif Lighten up? No way! Not as long as this drivel passes for any kind or attempt at Biblical teaching.
Tom on Mon, January 10, 2005
Pastoring a large church is not for everyone and not everyone will be in a mega church. It is always easy to “think” what a successful big-time pastor can do and how easy it is to get back into the limelight but don’t forget the pastors who feel the same way and are in small churches of only a hundred or less.
The calling to ministry doesn’t insure or mean megachurches…or all that goes with them, both the good and the bad.
If you’re serving the Lord, keep you eyes on Him and your heart open to His word. In the world we can hear the cries for help and in the spiritual word of God’s Word we find the answers.
Al on Mon, January 10, 2005
Wow, What a moving story! I am always amazed to see how gently our Lord is with us!
Thank you Lord for the “Still small voice.”
Pastor Al
cen on Mon, January 10, 2005
I have met and worked along side of Steve in the past, and he is the real deal. What he doesn’t mention is the near-death illness, servant heart, open and loving spirit, and many other attributes that have formed him into a leader after God’s heart. If his simple parable offends, perhaps the beam is still in the eye…
Lynn Hansen on Mon, January 10, 2005
I wish I had the problem. I haven’t been able to land a pastor position.
But just as I now wrote that, I remembered that Steve had not been hired. He was working and starting this church by talking with people. God grew it and that’s why Steve has his problems. You know, we could really have a great ministry if it weren’t for the people.
Don McNeeley on Mon, January 10, 2005
Just yesterday I told my wife that I needed to stop puirsuing what I thought that God had been telling me concerning a ministry. Now I know that even though it will get frustrating, I just need to look at a penny. Thanks for the encouragement!
Harry Miller on Mon, January 10, 2005
I enjoyed the story and have a request to make. I work in an area called Rose Creek in Pacific Beach in San Diego among the homeless. I have been working it over five years. I do not have a salary or take collections. My wife and I took the homeless people in our house before we sold the house to pay our debts. My wife is a successful school teacher and she has been carrying the burden of our expenses for the last year and is tired. I am now working in commercial real estate as a sales agent. I have found in working with the homeless that the best place to send them is their home if they have one (prodigal son). We have helped about 15 to go home and have not lost a one. My brother has helped with most of the Grey Hound tickets thus far, but this last week four men came forward to have a ticket home:
1. Samuel Marsh - homeless man San Diego
Sharon Russell - Mom
931-796-6950
Columbia, Tennesse
Grey Hound Cost $162
2. Timothy Pits - homeless man San Diego
Susan Harrington (or Broject) - Mom
414-481-9619
Milwalke, Wis
Grey Hound Cost $ 172
3. Mark Slay - homeless man San Diego
Lila Slay - Mom
248-486-4435
Michigan
Tanya Montarro - Daughter
954-443-7008 Work
954-914-2588 Cell
4. Ramon Lucero - homeless man San Diego
Miguel Lucero - Brother
Tesuque, New Mexico
I have contacted Samuel and Timothy’s mothers and their sons are welcome but they can not afford the ticket.
I contacted Mark’s daughter and she said that her father was welcome and she could not afford the ticket at the moment. Today Mark’s mother called and left a message (Mark did not give me her phone number) and said that Mark should not go to his daughters and that Mark was welcome home in Michigan with her. She has cancer and is in remission.
Today Ramon came to me and asked for help getting to his twin brothers home but he did not have the number and I have not been home to make directory assistance calls to try to find it.
If anyone would like to invest some pennies to help these men please give me a call.
My contact information:
Harry Miller
The Preacher
Home: 858-642-7548
Voice Mail: 619-275-5728
Thanks,
Harry
Don R on Mon, January 10, 2005
Good evening, I too find myself compelled to respond to pjle’s posts.
I understand your concern, pjle. I also hear your anger and frustration.
Of course Biblical theology is our standard…there can be no other if we’re to call ourselve’s Christian.
My concern though, is not whether or not Steve’s theology is adequate, or even correct. I’m deeply concerned for your attitude. I hear a lot of condemnation and legalism in your notes. Is this how one would convey Christ-like love?
I have been on the receiving end of just the sort of thing you’re saying. For example, one time I was guilty of preaching such heresy as the possibility that Joseph was probably a young man of 18 or so when Jesus was born. Go figure!
Another time I was condemned because I had the utter audacity to come to a Sunday evening service in the summer, in, gasp, walking shorts! Didn’t I know that men are -only- to wear long trousers and long sleeves at all times!
I’m sure there are many readers who could recite a long long long litany of similar experiences; all in the name of theological purity.
If God chooses to speak in a manner that is different from what we’re accustomed to, does that somehow negate that word? If what we think God is saying does not contradict Scripture, can we say it isn’t likely to be God? I’m not sure what the answer to this is!
Don R.
bernie dehler on Tue, January 11, 2005
PJLE does have a point. Sometimes we get tired of hearing the same old Scripture and resort to new things, even experiences. But it’s true that God also teaches us through insight and experiences, such as being parents ourselves teaches us about the love of Father God for us.
So, what would be a good Scripture reference for a person who is tired of irritating people? It’s a good thing to think about…
I’m sure there are many. Here’s one, for example:
1 John 4:19-20
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
First, he loved us, when we were unloveable. He’s our role-model. We are to be like Christ, through the power of the Spirit (not by the flesh, in which we are exasperated). Secondly, we are taught that if we can’t love others, then we can’t love God, as we don’t even know God (this verse, and also:)
1 John 4:7-8
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247
pjle on Tue, January 11, 2005
Thanks for your response Don R. The trouble with black letters on white pages is that they often come across more “legalistic” than intended. While I’ll admit to frustration, I certainly am not speaking out of to anger. My heart is much too heavy with the sights and sounds of God’s precious people groping around in darkness having to settle for pablum when God has loaded his table with nutritious food. The pressures put on Pastor Steve, and others in the ministry, to “grow” a church reduces them to people more concerned with bottom lines rather than growth and depth of the soul. I happen to be a Bible College teacher (and full-time pastor) who sees the ramifications of this first-hand. In a country where the resources are so readily available to have a deep walk with Jesus (books, tapes, music, Bibles, conferences, workshops, etc.) the average Christian barely takes the time to drink deeply from the Word of God, kneel at his feet in humble worship, and pray for the life-change that is necessary to be able to handle the rigors of life in the “valley of the shadow of death.” We simply cannot be settling for Christianity lite when there are hundreds of thousands living in peril of a silent tsunami that will sweep them to an eternity of separation from God.
One final point, I would have preferred if Pastor Steve would have written that in the angst of his condition he turned to the Word of God through prayer and God led him to Luke 15:8-10 and the parable of the lost coin. Same biblical principle, but it was born out of God’s inspiration rather than his experience which can be misunderstood as to be just as legitimate a way to hear from God. Straining at gnats while swallowing camels, I hope no one thinks so. Most believers fall far short of having the right leading and guidance in their lives because they can’t recognize the voice of the Spirit because they have limited knowledge in the Word and maybe even less experience in prayer.
DAD on Tue, January 11, 2005
My question is: would this story have been as encouraging to us if Steve were not a pastor of a 7,000 member church but a church of 70? Are we encouraged b/c we hear the story and think that someday maybe I will finally have a successful church like that and my ministry will be validated by large numbers of people coming? We give Steve an authority that approaches the Word of God b/c he is “successful.” If we had heard the same story from a pastor in a church next door w/ only 70 people there who are all loved and pastored as valuable in the eyes of God I wonder if we (I) would listen b/c we have accepted the lie that Steve is valuable b/c he is a pastor of a BIG church and others are not b/c their church is not growing.
I ask these questions b/c they describe my own heart.
Todd Rhoades on Tue, January 11, 2005
Todd, chiming in, again.
For the sake of saying it again… why does everything come down to large church/small church? I took the moral of the story as ‘everyone’ (even difficult people) are important to God. And small churches have just as many ‘difficult’ people per capita as large churches (believe me).
I really took the story as an encouragement to ANYONE in ministry who feels like giving up or giving in. Whether in a large church or a small church.
It seems like there are a lot of pastors who have a serious case of ‘large church envy’.
If this story happened to the pastor next door who pastors 70 people, would it not be a good thing? Or even a motivating thing that he was encouraged to continue on in the fight?
Just my thoughts…
Todd
M Pitts on Tue, January 11, 2005
Lest we forget, Steve had spoken of an incident that was of significance to him. It’s quite likely that such an incident would not have ministered to pjle under any circumstances. But let us also not forget that pjle and Steve, and probably all of us, are on different roads to a greater relationship with Jesus Christ. And after all is said and done, isn’t it the relationship that matters, not the difficulty of the journey?
Steve Sjogren on Tue, January 11, 2005
Someone sent me this posting yesterday when this piece came out. I was surprised to read it. I wasn’t aware that this story was in the new book. I relate to the concerns that pjle expressed. What he doesn’t know is that I am incredibly committed to scripture and prayer on a daily basis. I soak up a good 10 chapters a day. The mantra at our church has been for years, “Five chapters a day keeps the pastor away!”
By the way, I will be leaving the large church in a couple of years to start over from scratch in Tampa with just my family. I feel an invitation from God to move there and plant again on the east side of town. It’s a little scary at age 50 to start over with no people. We’ll see what happens. Pray for me and Journey Church of Tampa.
pjle on Tue, January 11, 2005
Welcome aboard Steve. I certainly hope you didn’t feel any personal attack by my comments. I was addressing the bigger picture. Obviously I don’t know you and it would be horribly wrong of me to critique or criticize you having no such knowledge. The point is still the same. I have watched the drift in Christianity from the centrality of the word of God. I pastor a thriving church, with a PreK-8 school, full missions program, multiple staff etc, so I know somewhat of the burdens that come from this assignment. In a culture and generation that wants entertainment, cheesy stories and self-help sermons, it is difficult to stay the course. I hope that you’ll read my previous post to understand a little bit of my heart. I’ll be praying for you and your family. As a matter of fact, I’ll be down in the Tampa area next month. If my trip takes me there on a Sunday, we’ll stop by for worship. If just passing through, I’ll try to connect and at least pray with you for kingdom success in Tampa.
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