“What I Love about the Church…” by Brad Palmore, Guest Writer

Posted by Chris Gallagher on Aug 19, 2010 in Uncategorized | 6 comments

What I Love About the Church

by Brad Palmore

I want to be completely and totally honest with you. If you’re not prepared for that type of discussion, please stop reading now. My feelings won’t be hurt in the least. You see, the truth is that I have a really hard time coming up with something to say when I ask myself why I love the church. My experience with church, both as an individual and as a minister, has been filled with stress, power struggles, narrow-mindedness, and similar negative experiences. I’ve been called a “hired mercenary” by people wielding inappropriate levels of power. I’ve been called ungrateful when trying to request fair compensation. I’ve had an elder tell me he was ‘pi$$ed off’ by our use of lower case letters on a web site. My 80 hour work weeks have been met with ridicule over working ‘one day a week’. I could go on ad nauseum…

So why do I still work in ministry? Two words: reconciliation and redemption. In no other environment are these two concepts as powerful as they are in the church. Of course, ultimate redemption and reconciliation come through our individual relationships with Christ, but each scenario I’ve described above, and countless more, are opportunities to mirror that redemption and reconciliation that we’ve received and share it with others. I believe it is within the scenarios of reconciliation of self to self, person to person, person to group, and person to God and the redemptive acts that follow that the true power and glory of the indwelling Spirit of God can be seen.

In my tenure in ministry, I’ve seen people ready to kill each other over petty differences become co-laborers for the Kingdom. I’ve witnessed timid people with no place in the Body of Christ become empowered leaders of service. I’ve watched as marriages that were crumbling were turned over to God and celebrated as those relationships made a complete turn around. I’ve walked along side people trapped by depression and addictions as they discover freedom in Christ.

Witnessing just one redemptive act of reconciliation is worth dozens of bad experiences. If we look close enough, we will see God working out his plan of redemption among our people. In no other place can we find this. And that is why I love the church.

_________________________________________________________

About Brad Palmore:

After careers in the U.S. Army and in retail management, Brad and his wife, Lisa, entered full time ministry where they have served for the last ten years with their three teenage boys. With a background in leadership, a Bachelor’s of Ministry degree from Harding University, and a Master’s of Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University, Brad’s focus in ministry is on organizational, leadership, and individual development.

Brad also functions as a mediation and negotiation trainer and teaches conflict management systems design; identity, conflict, and culture; and dispute resolution and the legal system through ACU’s Center for Conflict Resolution. You can read more of Brad’s ramblings at http://bradpalmore.com

_________________________________________________________

Personal Note:

First, thanks to Brad for taking time to write the guest post above. I also appreciate Brad’s open thoughts as he expressed some concerns he has, but also the positive nature of God as He works out His plan of redemption.

Thanks Brad for challenging our thinking.

Thanks again,

Chris