JonathanBryant.info

-First of all, I can’t BELIEVE I missed Stevie Wonder on the Grammys tonight! AHHHH!!!
-We were hanging with Scott and Catherine and Emma… which was well worth missing Stevie. I can watch the replay tomorrow.
-Foothills Toccoa went great today!
-We changed up the service order a bit, and I think I liked it better and people connected better. We did 3 songs straight at 0:00 (on the countdown) instead of breaking up the set with Welcome and Announcements. I like. We’re gonna keep it through this series, and then ask around and see what people think.
-Speaking of this series, it’s called “Revolution – The Beatles Guide to Family”
-Greg BROUGHT it today! He spoke on marriage and our responsibility to our spouse.
-We are doing a Beatles song each week that corresponds with the message. It’s challenging, but people really connect and get into it!
-The set today was: All Because of Jesus (Fee) – All We Need (Hall) – Jesus Paid it All ( Stanfill) – All You Need is Love (Beatles, Robert Walsh arrangement).
-I had a great band today that played TOGETHER! It made my job EASY.
-Shannon is doing a great job leading the people of Foothills Toccoa. He gave a little speech this morning during prayer that FIRED US UP! It was about remembering why we do what we do… loved it!
-Foothills Toccoa is a church that meets in a gym. That means we have to turn the GYM into a place for PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER CHRIST. Another thing is, the gym is used during the week, so we have ONE DAY to do it! It’s gotta go up Saturday and come down Sunday. We have the best volunteers in the world, and their commitment to Jesus and the vision of FT is evident and inspiring.
-Did I mention I love our volunteers??
-Candice and I are thinking about a home. We’ve been cool with living in an apartment for the last 3 1/2 years (since we’ve been married). But, it seems like it may be time to make the plunge, especially since the big tax credit thing is happening now… please be praying for us.
-Also, be praying that God would lead us. We now live in Central, Candice works in Easley (30min north of Central), and I work in Seneca (30min south of Central) and Toccoa (1hr5min south of Central). It would be great to work closer to each other and closer to our jobs. Candice’s job (teacher) is pretty tight right now and schools aren’t doing much hiring… but what would be AMAZING is to move to Seneca/Westminster and for her to find a job around there. That way we could be a few minutes from work, a few minutes from each other during the day, and actually PLUGGED IN TO OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. It’s a big jump, but if Candice can find a job, we’d make the move in a heartbeat!
-I just got finished doing bills for the month and I’m amazed how God has blessed us. Candice just took a pay cut and I’m only part time… but, He has given us a few extra dollars a month so we can bless people, and I LOVE IT!
-One of my favorite things to do is pour into people… emotionally, spiritually, AND FINANCIALLY!
-Tithing 10% to your local church is a mandate given by the Word of God. Just thought I’d say that.
-Offerings are anything over and above your tithe that you give to the local church or use to bless others. Just thought I’d say that.
-Jesus said that we should give all we’ve got. Just thought I’d say that.
-I’m about to crash… it’s been a long day.
-Our power bill was $45 higher than it was last month. Wow. Was your’s higher this month?
-I’m so grateful to be where I am right now in life. I’m 25, and BLESSED BEYOND BELIEF! Beautiful wife, wonderful daughter, supportive family, amazing church family, and SO MUCH MORE! I’m humbled when I think about how big God is, and how He takes care of His kids.
-You’re a child of God. How’s He taking care of you?
-I’m gonna crash. Goodnight!

Ok, I know the first thought someone’s gonna have is, “I thought we were supposed to be ministers all the time, not just when we get paid for it!” If that’s you, please click the little X in the top right-hand corner of this page or the little red dot in the top left-hand corner of this page to see what I have to say to that argument.
Just kidding, but to that I have to say… I’m not talking about “ministry” in a sense of our everyday, God-given calling to spread the Good News about Jesus Christ. What I AM talking about is the idea of getting paid to do work for the church.

See, I’ve been in full time ministry (and by that, I mean my primary place of employment was a church organization) for about 6 1/2 years now. Also, by full time, I don’t necessarily mean that all these years I have been getting a full time salary or compensation for the work I was doing… sometimes I have been paid full time salary, sometimes it has been housing and periodic gifts, and sometimes nothing at all.
Let me also say that I have been out of vocational ministry since July 27th of this year. My previous employer and I decided that the position I was then filling was not the right fit for me or the church… so I moved out, and they are in active pursuit of another Worship Pastor. Please be praying for them in their time of searching and hiring. Also, be in prayer for my family as we search and seek after God’s plan for our lives.

ANYWAY… ALL that to say… I’ve had a few months now to think about what the pros and cons are of taking a break, so I’d like to share them with you now. These are just my thoughts and have nothing to do with any church I have ever or will ever be associated with. So, here they are, in no certain order:

-#1 I miss it. Really, to get up everyday, go to the office and talk about and dream up ways for our church to reach the surrounding areas is the best job I’ve ever had. Everything I’ve done since seems kinda dull.

+#1 The break was much needed. I worked 60+ hours per week and life got a little crazy. My wife and I never had a night of the week to ourselves, people always calling needing stuff, not a lot of wiggle room as far as my schedule went, etc. I needed it. That leads to the next positive…

+#2 I’ve learned my limits. I worked a lot and loved it, but during this time of introspection, I’ve looked back and started recognizing my limits as a leader, employee, husband, and father. My next ministry vocation will be checked against what I now realize are my boundaries concerning time, money, etc.

-#2 I’m out of practice. As a worship pastor, I was constantly practicing and playing and singing. Now that I’m not doing that “for a living,” my regiment has slacked a bit. Everytime I practice for a time of worship now, I can see how my chops, singing and playing, have let go a bit. (But I’m working on it)

-#3 The hiring process SUCKS HARD! I really do just hate the process of resumes, interviews, bleh blah… every ministry vocation I’ve ever had has started with a relationship, not a resume. I hope my next turns out to be the same.

+#3 Time with my daughter. So right now, I don’t feel like any less of a man to tell you that I went from making a good salary to making nothing. I am secure in the fact that God has us in this particular situation to grow us and not to harm us. All that said (haters are gonna hate) I love being home all day with my daughter! She’s almost 14mo old and she’s a BLAST! Starting to talk, running around, learning sign language, cuddling, reading books, IT’S AMAZING and I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. I know that one day soon a job will call again and we’ll have to find somewhere for her to stay during the days, but I’ll always remember these few months we had (have) to share.

-#4 Money gets tight. As I said in the last one, I love being home with my daughter and I realize God has us in this situation to grow us… but, money is tough. It takes a toll out of me thinking about it, but when I step back, everything is covered. We’ve had to trim back a bit, but nothing is going unpaid. Utilities never turned off. God has us.

+#4 Networking. I’ve met a TON of new people during this time. Church leaders, planters, worship leaders, guys that go to these amazing churches and love to tell about them… it’s been a wonderful experience to get to talk to and learn from these guys.

-#5 My issues come up a LOT more than when I was working full time. I get a bunch of time to think and plan, but sometimes that backfires. A couple of my big issues (if we’re being honest) are fear and doubt… and believe me, they show up. It’s been good, because God has been dealing with them a TON, where as before I was working so much I didn’t have much time to entertain them. It’s gotta come into the light before it can be exposed, you know?

+#5 The future is ROCKING MY WORLD!! Jesus called me out of the darkness and into ministry on July 28th, 2001. Since then, every day has been great, because when it ends there is hope for tomorrow. Mercies that are new every morning, and a Fountain of blessings that never runs dry. I look to Jesus in these times, and know in my heart that He has a plan for my life, my family, and my vocation. He’s pretty neat.

So, there it was. 10 random thoughts because I couldn’t sleep after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was horrible, by the way… aliens. I know. Also, PLEASE don’t comment or e-mail me with advice on how to get a job or how a “real man” would go out and provide for his family. It’s happened before, and I’m still here, no job, still head above water, still loved by my wife, still have lights and water and cable and internet at my house. Besides, I will probably laugh at you, and no one likes to get laughed at, right?

Have a great night and a great Sunday morning in the AM!

-JB