Decade of Dreams Celebration!
I've gone through an incredible "awakening" through the process of going down memory lane to prepare all we will do this weekend. It seems like just the other day that I signed the lease on our first building!
One of the most enlightening things I have learned in the last decade is how the seasons and cycles change in the local church. There used to be a time when people would find a career, work there for 30-40 years and retire. When it came to church they were baptized and buried by the same preacher! They found a church home and they planted themselves there. But times have changed. people are mobile and they do not stay long periods anywhere. Statistics show us that the average person will have 6 careers. I would guess that means at least a few different churches too!
This has caused me to think about my time with people like a professor at a college. As a pastor I really feel like a professor because of the way the "student body" seems to change. Which makes me look at what I do in a whole new light. If I were to have only 4-6 years with a family or a person, what would I need to teach them so that they were completely equipped to succeed when the "graduated"? Would I build up such a level of pride in them for the lessons learned that they would always feel like an alumni? Can you imagine people leaving your church to go into the ministry and still sending monthly support back to you to keep training the new "students"? Well, I can and that is the model that I consider now as we prepare for another decade of dreams realized.
I am so grateful for the people that have touched my life...those that stayed for a short time and those that have taken the entire journey. I've learned something and gained much from all the people that I've been fortunate enough to serve Christ with. If you are one of those, thank you for "landing" here for a season. I pray that you are succeeding in every way and that the goodness of God is clearly evident in all that you are doing. I hope you feel like your time at The Landing was well worth the investment! And if you are really happy being alumni...don't forget to send us a check:)
Happy TEN Year anniversary Landing Community Church! May you be blessed with many, many more!
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