There seems to be an award for everything if you look hard enough. According to an online list of Strange and Funny Awards, these are real awards: (1) The Stinky Shoe award at the National Odor Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest in Vermont; (2) The Lantern Rogue award given to the cyclist who finishes last in the Tour de France; (3) The Stella award given each year for the most ridiculous lawsuit in the U.S. (named for Stella Liebeck who sued McDonald’s in 1992 after she spilled coffee on herself); (4) The Darwin award given posthumously each year to the person who dies in the most idiotic way possible.
In researching the song that inspired today’s column, I discovered not only that it was a Billboard #1 single for Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs on November 21, 1960 (55 years ago this week), but that it also was named by Digital Dream Door as the #1 Really Short Rock Song of all time (at 1:36).
In my work with pastors, my plea to them is often to stay a little longer. The average pastoral tenure for Southern Baptist pastors is 3-4 years. It is difficult both for pastors and churches to get any true ministry momentum going when you are starting over every 3-4 years. I stayed 17 years in my last pastorate and discovered that significant new opportunities came at the 5, 10, and 15 year marks.
In the past week, I have been a part of the celebration of pastoral tenure in two different churches. On November 8, my friend Dave Woodbury was celebrated for 11 years as pastor of FBC Nocona, Texas, making him the longest tenured pastor in the 126 year history of the church. Dave not only pastors FBC, but his tenure has allowed him to pastor a community. A Florida native, he has planted himself in Texas where the population of the town barely exceeds the membership of his home church in Florida.
Six days later, I attended the celebration of life of my friend Loury Nero, pastor of Joplin Baptist Church in Jack County, Texas. I’m not certain if Loury’s 12 years makes him the longest tenured pastor, but I once saw the list and I believe that to be so. In Loury’s case, he returned to serve as a bi-vocational pastor in his hometown, working full-time as a physician and making the 100 mile one-way commute to the church each weekend. Loury had no plans of stopping anytime soon, but he suffered a stroke in August and his struggle ended November 10, when he passed away at age 64.
Two pastors whose years of ministry impacted many and who have likely said “no” to many opportunities to leave because they were captured by a greater “yes.”
Instant impact doesn’t usually happen in real life.
Instant impact doesn't usually happen in real life. Click To Tweet
Wherever you are and whatever you do, is God asking you to stay just a little longer?
