There’s an old adage that says the job of a preacher is, “To comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”  Here’s the challenge with that.

We like to be comfortable.  We like to be comforted.

We’re not so excited about being disturbed.

If you stick around long enough, though, I’m going to disturb you.  Quite possibly on purpose.  Not to annoy you, but to spur you on to love and good deeds.  Check out Hebrews 10:25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

There are a number of ways this might happen:

• It may happen when I teach/preach about something you’re not wanting to hear. (Pick your favorite topic that you and God don’t see eye-to-eye on: money, forgiveness, lust, greed, etc.)
• It may happen when I don’t agree with you about some issue, or topic, or candidate, or theological debate. (The options are almost limitless.)
• It may happen when I don’t do or say the things that you think a pastor should do for you.
• It may happen when I ask you to “prayerfully consider” stepping into a serving role.
• It may happen when I invite you to be generous with your time, talents, or treasures.

But rest assured, my goal is your good.  I want the best for you.  Even when that means disturbing your comfort.  Because if we’re left unchallenged in our comfortable places, we will not grow.  We will not become more like the people we were created to be.  We will not become more fully human.  On the contrary, we will become less human, less fully alive, and less fruitful.  In short, our comfort zone is a place of death, not life.

And in case you’re wondering, I regularly get dragged out of my comfort zone by other leaders inside and outside Seneca Creek.  And I’m glad (sort of) for that, because even though it’s uncomfortable, it’s the pathway to growth and life.

Let’s journey together on this wonderful, often uncomfortable path of following Jesus.  And becoming more fully alive.

-Pastor Mark

P.S. If I haven’t made you uncomfortable prior to this, I’ve probably done so in this blog.  I hope it spurs you on toward God’s best.