My
Personal Path in the Race of Life
“Every Pastor ought to work 6 months at Chick
fil A”
As I was running my 6
mile loop around the UNCC Campus today in Charlotte, NC, I began thinking about
all the varied opportunities God has given me to work with differing groups of
people over the years since being old enough to have a job. I believe every place I have worked has
helped shape how the church ought to “look” … especially as it relates to the
unchurched and unsaved.
I am convinced that the
church is, overtly or not, establishing “ministries” in their church with the
“already saved” in mind. With the
“already saved” comes instant givers, instant attendee’s, instant S.S.
teachers, etc. If you focus on equipping
the people to impact lives where they live, work, and play, then the work at
maturing individuals becomes a long, tedious process. But it is a process that is supported in
Scripture. It is a process that truly
defines our purpose on this big, beautiful blue ball called earth.
So, in a nutshell, here
is my vocational journey up to this point:
1. Food Town (Now Food Lion): I was a bag boy and gained raises due to
doing what others did not want to do in
the store. My boss took notice and
rewarded me for that service.
2. Skateland USA: I was just sitting there with friends at a
table because I had a broken jaw at the time, and Rock (the owner of Chick fil
A) came up to my table and offered me a job on the spot. This experience taught me many lessons which
I will share at a later date because they truly impacted my life greatly.
3. Building Houses with Mr. Collins (Florence,
SC): This job taught me how to work
hard. I gained an idea of just how hard
people work every day to sustain their families.
4. Summer Bailing Hay: We didn’t know it, but
the man who hired us told the country boys he had working for them that these
city slicker kids would outwork them. He
did not tell us of his challenge, but by the end of the day we had bailed about
twice as much hay as the country boys did.
We later found out and asked him why he threw down such a challenge and
he said, “They didn’t know you guys were Christians and that you would work
hard at whatever you did.” That taught
me a great life lesson: Whatever your hand findeth to do, do it heartily as
unto the Lord. Thank you Mr. Moran for
that life lesson!
5. Macy’s Outlet Center Asst. Manager – Atlanta,
Ga: While interviewing for a job my Sr.
year in Bible college I was asked by the hiring manager why he should hire me
instead of the 8 people he had already interviewed and the others he was to
interview after me. To the question I
said, “I will work my best even if no one is watching because Jesus sees me all
the time, and in doing well for him I will do well for you.” He looked at me, picked up the phone, and
instructed his secretary to cancel the other appointments because the job had been
filled.
6. Hughes Supply Water and Sewer
Industry/Mainline Supply: These jobs did
more for me, as far as opening my eyes to the failure of the church to become
relevant, than any job I have ever had.
I rubbed shoulders with everyone from people with no high school degree
digging ditches to high powered executives who called the shots for
multi-million dollar business deals. I
will always treasure this opportunity to experience first-hand what it is the
church needs to accomplish if we are to reach the unchurched and unsaved.
7. Chick fil A Manager: I am thankful for Rob asking me to come on
board as one of his managers for the opportunity to build integrity into the
lives of young men and women as they were learning skills for the marketplace. I learned more about serving others at Chick
fil A than I did at any other job I have worked in the religious world. Chick fil A has learned how to apply Biblical
principles to build their business better than the church. I think it would be a good idea for any
church to keep paying their pastor a salary while allowing him to work 20 hours
a week for 6 months at Chick fil A. It
would be well worth the investment. You
would have a new and invigorated man of God when he returned.
8. My jobs in the Religious Workplace: Youth Pastor, Children’s Pastor, Outreach
Pastor, College and Career Pastor, Jr. Church Coordinator, Minister of
Education, Assistant Pastor, Pastor. I
could not be the leader I am to be to the people I now pastor without having
had the experiences of the personal path God has allowed in my life. In fact, that is why I was able to discern
truth from error when presented to me.
Love your job and use
it to impact people for eternity!
Live OUT LOUD!
Mark Harrell – Habakkuk
2:2
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