by Jason Robertson
Watch this short video as Les Miles talks about his love for both LSU and Michigan. Then read my reflections below and how it relates to pastoring.
When I watched this video I got a little emotional because I can relate to a guy whose heart is torn. Many pastors and missionaries know what I am talking about. Wives of preachers know what I am talking about.
I have been very honest with my church over the last six years that I am still a “Louisiana man” in my heart. I wear purple and gold every Saturday. I put Louisiana hot sauce on my tacos out here in California. I still wear boots and jeans, shoot guns, and deep fry my turkeys on Thanksgiving. On the other hand, I love my church and I am at home in California.
My heart is torn.
I have no plans of leaving… in fact, I have made plans to not leave. I am currently working on plans that will take me 10 years into the future of our church ministries; I serve with the finest group of elders; and I am blessed with the healthiest congregation a pastor could ever want. But I often struggle with homesickness. I love my parents, my brothers and their families, my friends and loved ones in Louisiana. The same goes for my wife’s family in Texas. It breaks my heart to see my children miss really getting to know the greatest grandparents in the world, or playing with their cousins, or going fishing in the creek I fished in as a boy. No one will ever know how much my heart hurts at times and the mental battles I fight to keep my mind off of those things.
Coach Miles said, “It saddens me at times. You can’t be in two places. I’m at home.” And I know without any doubt that God has planted me in California to build a biblical, vibrant, growing local church that will have a positive influence in His kingdom. God affirms my calling every week in various ways. Yes, it saddens me at times, but I’m at home.
So what a man must do is focus on what lays before him. You must learn to put the emotions aside, focus on your job, and do the best you can. There are no “ideal situations” in this depraved world. If Les were in Michigan this year he would only wish he were the LSU coach. If I were in Louisiana I would only wish I had the kind of church God has given me on this mission field. Focus, discipline, determination, and vision — these attributes supersede all emotions and guide one to success. And as Houston Nutt said recently, “I spell fun, w-i-n!”
Yep, and I spell joy, M-V-C.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
You can hear his sermons and read his manuscripts on sermonaudio.com. Just follow the link to "sermons" at the top of this page.
Beautifully put.
Grew up in Nebraska, live in Texas.
BTW, I’m hoping Pellini has the same attitude as Myles in 5 years.
Jason,
Thanks for the great post. I grew up in Louisiana, and except for a brief tenure in Texas have pastored in La. Often I have wanted to leave, go somewhere else (even California!); but God has kept me right here. Six months ago I took a church in Baton Rouge and determined to stay here until I am too old to preach anymore, God willing. In that act of surrender and submission to the will of God is a tremendous peace and contentment. There are still the what ifs. I have alwasy dreamed of planting a church. But knowing that we are just where God intends us to be is the greatest thing in the world.
PS – I’ll think of you next time I vist Mike Andersons!
aahhhh! Mike Anderson’s oysters! Collin, you’re killing me.
Jason,
Good post, I know the feeling. Mine is not nearly as dramatic as far as distance but I know that pain all the same.
Two things.
1. If you have a ministry you love and the people love you, stay put. I have seen more of my friends and collegues leave a good situation to get to a “better” one only to find out a bad fit in a church is a whole lot worse than just about anything.
2. You said you are “home”. I know what you mean, but the whole post (as you note, so I am not telling you anything new just reflecting) is written from the reality that your “not home”, not yet my brother. Your amill, you get it. You are and you arent and the arent sure causes a longing (and that longing is God’s grace to remind you the best is yet to come and praise God its not LOUISIANA for pity-sake ;^)
Jesse Pirschel
Providence OPC
Temecula