Bruta-ful

The past 5 days have been a blur. Fellowship Church has been hosting our annual C3 (Creative Church Coference). We have had thousands of pastors from around the globe right here in Grapevine. It was great to be immersed in the work. It was greater to be immersed in the people.

Our Sr. Pastor, Ed Young, recently commented on how the ministry is "bruta-ful". There is a beautiful side and a brutal side. The men and women whom God has called to vocational ministry share a special bond. I've never been in the military but I think it might be like the bond soldiers who are in combat together share. We are shoulder to shoulder in the daily battles of spiritual warfare. We see the best and the worst that the world has to offer. And something about that draws us close to one another. Even when we don't agree on theology or methodology within the church, we can come together to support one another in times of trial.


That happened so many times during this year's conference as pastors and church staff members told me how they were sorry for our loss. Some shared how they had been impacted by Jimmy over the years. A few told me stories of how he had taken the time to help them through their ministry challenges. They said they appreciated his insights, and especially his sense of humor. Those were all good things to hear. Jimmy's ministry lives on not just in his friends and Fellowship Church family, but in churches and communities all over the country and even the world.


At times the conference was brutal. It was brutal to see and hear Jimmy on video during the session on Small Groups. It was brutal to walk to my truck late at night, tired and whipped. Those were walks we generally took together, laughing about something to ease the pain and fatigue. It was brutal not to text back and forth with him during the sessions. But it was beautiful to be lifted up by others. It was beautiful to see the church united for the cause of Christ. It was beautiful to be challenged. It was beautiful to see God moving us from a tragedy to a triumph.


I know each day will have its brutal moments and I accept them as they come. I have no other choice. But I look forward to more and more beautiful moments as God heals the hurts. We will become closer friends, better ministers, a more impactful church body because of our experiences with Jimmy's life...and his death. It is truly a bruta-ful thing.