What if?

We're on vacation and yesterday we spent a lot of the day in the giant hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, CO. Glenwood Springs is a wonderful mountain city at the base of the canyon that leads to Aspen. In 2000 we spent several weeks helping the local Assembly of God church through a period without a pastor. Kathy and drove from Grand Junction, 100 miles, on several Wednesdays and conducted a Bible study and worship time. We interviewed with their board members and eventually candidated for their open pastor position.

During the time that we spent going back and forth, I feel like the Lord gave me some very specific insight into what needed to happen in Glenwood Springs to see ministry take place outside the walls of the church. People who live in the mountains work hard, and play hard, and from a distance, it appears like spiritual ministry in towns like this is very difficult. However, I felt like there were some keys to breaking through some of the barriers. On the morning of our candidacy, I preached a sermon on "What if?" I laid out some of the insights that I felt God was sharing with me and tried to help the congregation see the possibilities.

In the evening service, I shared a short Bible study and then a district official chaired a meeting to vote on us. On Saturday we had a great question and answer session and I felt like over the weeks we had been involved, we had done everything possible to help this congregation know us. After an hour or so, one of the board members came into the room where we were meeting and told us that we had not been elected. I think I might of scared some of the people. I think that maybe they wanted a pastor that would maintain the status quo and not change much.

Yesterday we drove by the church, through the town and then back around the church property. What if?