Who? Me? Retired?

On January 1, 2009, I began my “official” retirement. As I look back over the two years, I sometimes wonder how “retired” I am. Cecil Sherman once said, “Don’t retire FROM something; retire TO something.” Perhaps I have taken that too literally!

Actually, I am very grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. Molly Marshall and Robert Johnson at Central Baptist Theological Seminary asked me to continue my role as director of the Central Seminary center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I have enjoyed working with adjunct faculty and students there as well as the opportunity to teach several courses, including one online. Time with Shawnee staff and faculty has been limited but stimulating. Our work in Murfreesboro has been affirmed by the Association of Theological Schools, and we continue to seek to fulfill certification requirements by the State of Tennessee. Terry Hamrick at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Terry Maples at Tennessee CBF, and Michael Smith and Phil Potratz at First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, have come alongside as supportive partners. We have graduated four students with the Master of Divinity degree and two more will finish this year.

I have enjoyed my work with Pinnacle Leadership Associates, primarily in the area of clergy coaching. Mark Tidsworth and my colleagues at Pinnacle are great encouragers, and I continue to learn from them as well as the 12 people I have coached in the past two years. I have also been involved in formal training as a life coach with Chris McCluskey, Judy Santos (who passed away in 2010), and Gary Wood. If one chooses to pursue a coaching ministry, I heartily recommend this type of training. Even if you have inherent gifts for coaching, instruction along with dialogue and evaluation can only strengthen those skills.

One of the things that I has given me satisfaction is my blog. Part personal journal, part commentary on things of interest to me, and part resource for those who read it, Barnabas File has been a good discipline and a rewarding outlet for me. I am often surprised to learn who is reading it and always welcome the feedback offered. I appreciate EthicsDaily.com picking up some of my "stuff" from time to time.

I have also benefited from my involvement as a board member with the Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee. Like most non-profits, PCCT has struggled this year, especially with the Nashville floods and the downturn in the economy. Chrissa Walsh and Chris O’Rear, as well as board chair John Brandon, have provided good leadership during tough times. This is an important ministry that fills a neglected niche.

Most of all, I love the time with family, especially Rita and our grandchildren (and great grandchildren). Watching children learn and grow is always exciting. Time spent with them is often exhausting, but it is never wasted! Rita and I have been able to travel some and spend special times with family and friends.

So, my friend, don’t worry about whether I have enough to do in retirement. I do and I enjoy it!

Comments

Check these out

Confessions of a Recovering Southern Baptist

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist. I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age. I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving. This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students. We supported missionaries at home and abroad. We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course). I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition. Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect. There were significant theological differences, often geograp

The Bible Tells Me So

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself. The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church. Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs. What once worked no longer seems to be effective. Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educational dimension of church ministry, as the

Metaphors of the Kingdom of God

In a recent blog , consultant Seth Godin addresses the power of metaphor. He points out, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” In other words, “this” is like “that.” “When you see a story, an example, a wonderment,” says Godin, “take a moment to look for the metaphor inside.” Jesus turned this around. In the use of parables, he told a story or provided a metaphor and challenged his hearers to see the truth within. For example, in his teaching on the Kingdom (or Reign) of God in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom to such things as a mustard seed, yeast, a hidden treasure, a net, a king, and a landowner. His hearers are encouraged to use their imaginations to understand something that they had never experienced. He also attempted to shift their perspective so that they might see signs of the Kingdom breaking into their present reality. These are metaphors for the Kingdom. Where do w

The Tragedy of Willow Creek Community Church

File photo of Steve Carter, Heather Larson, and Bill Hybels As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to pray for Willow Creek Community Church. On the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, a worldwide conference sponsored by the church in cooperation with the Willow Creek Association, church leadership imploded as a result of further allegations against former pastor Bill Hybels. Last year, Hybels introduced the team who would assume church leadership upon his retirement--lead pastor Heather Larson and teaching pastor Steve Carter. Although the founding pastor planned to stay on to assist in a time of transition, reports of sexual impropriety involving Hybels surfaced early this year. He accelerated his departure from the church and left the board of the Willow Creek Association. When other charges emerged last week, teaching pastor Carter resigned. On Wednesday evening, Larson and the entire elder board--lay leaders who provide accountability on behalf of the congreg

A Future for the Global Leadership Summit?

Craig Groeschel, the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church. The Global Leadership Summit which began as a project of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and its founding pastor, Bill Hybels, over 25 years ago was held this week without Hybels. For several years, the GLS has been now produced by the Willow Creek Association, a spin-off organization and a loose network of churches but Hybels has been its driving force. Attended by thousands at the church facility in South Barrington and broadcast to thousands more at satellite locations, the annual meeting brings together not only evangelical leaders but outstanding speakers from business, charitable organizations, politics, and business. For the first time, Hybels did not appear due to allegations of sexual impropriety brought against him over the past year by former employees, staff members, and business associates. He has already left the church and resigned from the board of the association.

Barnabas File

Search This Blog