OK! The Panic Is Settling In Now!!!

Ok, I must admit that I am panicked now. I just received an email from the Board of Ordained Ministry outlining the process for my interview with them coming up on March 2nd. I’m not sure why this should concern me so much, I mean, it is only my entire future that is a stake here, as well as every waking minute that has been spent in preparation over the past 4 years.

It sounds like I will need to be in Plainfield IN (about 2 hours away) by 8:00AM where we will meet for worship, and then the interviews will begin at 9:00 AM. Apparently I will be interviewed 3 times by 3 different groups consisting of 3 people in each group. The interviews will cover three areas: the Practice of Ministry, Biblical Theology and Personal Christian Faith.

After the interview process is over, the Board will make one of three recommendations to the Executive Session:

† Acceptance – Candidate will move forward to the next step toward ordination.
Conditions and recommendations may be made
† Delay – Candidate will not move forward, but may return for consideration next year.
Conditions and recommendations will be made for any Candidate who is delayed
† Denial – Candidate will not be able to request ordination in the future

The good news (or bad news) as the case may be is that I will know the outcome some time around 4:00 PM.

I am not sure why this has affected me so much, I knew that it was coming, I knew the dates and I had some idea of the procedure, but this makes it real. The paperwork that I struggled and sweat blood over before I left for El Salvador is now being read by 30 people who hold my future in their hands, and that thought is a bit intimidating.

I am not sure that there has ever been anything in my life that I have wanted more than this, and yet other than showing up and doing the very best that I can, it is totally out of my hands. I am reminded of a book that I read a few years ago called the Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkerson, where a little Nobody named Ordinary set out on a journey because of a dream given to him by the Dream Giver. Near the end of his journey after telling the Dream Giver that his dream was more important to him than anything else, the Dream Giver asked for the dream back. After thinking for a moment and deciding that the Dream Giver was more important to him than his dream he volunteered to give the dream back.

I don’t know if that is what God will do on the 2nd of March, I don’t know if I will be approved, delayed or asked to give the dream back altogether. All I know is that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, and if that is God’s desire, then just as this journey has been so far in God’s hands, so to will be this decision. Either way, I will continue to praise God!

Blessings