Message from Kimball Coburn

Reading Kimball's message for the fall, I was pleased to see his words...I thought they were worthy of sharing:

Sometimes I wish I could start my life in ministry now. I say that because I know so much more now than I knew when i was young. But when I was young I had so much more energy and was much hopper and suited to lead the church of "what's happening now."

The Church needs wisdom. The Church needs energy. The Church needs leadership attune to what's going on in the world today. So this is what we expect of our ministers:

We expect our young ministers to be wise.
We expect our old ministers to be hip.

We expect our young ministers to think less outside the box and take care of what's already inside the box. We expect our old ministers to come up with some new ideas.

We expect our young ministers to dream dreams.
We expect our old ministers to see visions.

The Church needs so much and most ministers are finding it hard to fulfill those needs.

I have good news for our young ministers. You can be humble and at the same time assert your leadership. You can respect the elderly and at the same time energize the youth. You can be pastoral and at the same time preach prophetically. You can honor the traditions and at the same time introduce new ways of worship. You can be a daily servant and at the same time see visions. You must work harder but the results can be greater.

I also have good news for you older ministers. Because of what you know and have experienced, your older years can be the most fruitful. Visions are not limited to the young. Now they come with a touch of reality which can make them even more relevant. Physically you have slowed down, but mentally you are on top of your game.

Only laziness will keep you from being a good pastor. Only close-mindedness will keep you from being in touch with society. Only getting too comfortable will dampen your prophetic spirit. You are a storehouse of gifts and graces for ministry. Let them explode onto your church.