One more passing grade on another test

I passed another test today.

At the beginning of the business day, the call came that I had passed my drug screening test. Most tests I crammed for and more than I can remember passed. But this test, this test was about peeing in a cup. Not just peeing, but peeing stuff that didn't have stuff in it. So I passed! Few tests have I passed by what I didn't have, but now it is official. I am hired!

So, on August 18, I shall begin the journey of becoming the Responsible Psychotherapist for one of the prison units out of Livingston, Texas where we are moving before the start date. Basically, I will run a mental health clinic in the prison for the inmates who need psychiatric services.

In some ways, I have been preparing for this all my life. When God began to woo me to ministry, I visited with my wise pastor about what I was sensing. He started with youth ministry. "Do you feel drawn to work with youth?" I was a youth and at time working with my peers was more like a prison sentence or a horror movie. No, I did not feel called to work with youth. "Do you feel called to do education?" Frankly, there was not an exciting way to say that. Education ministry is vital to church but to spend my life doing what I saw our Minister of Education doing was a non-starter. The same question about music, except this time he answered, "I have heard you sing, forget that!" We laughed but, my brothers had the voices not me.

And with that, in that day and age, the only thing left was being "called to preach." I did not feel that either, but I did know I was called to ministry. Far be it for me to know that such a sense and such a calling was the future in our midst.

In my time, what I do and call preaching is often called teaching. My definition of preaching in the popular church culture is still selling without substance, shouting devoid of Scripture, and enthusiasm that is infused but quickly dissipates like snow in our West Texas yard. I cannot think past the preacher who wrote in the margin of his message,"Weak point, yell like hell!"

Over the years, the weak points have come together to make a weak church. I know that is where I will struggle. I will launch out to find a pastor who can preach in ways that challenge, inform, inspire and lead me to better devotion and service. Matched with my own devotional life, I will love and serve.

So, my call to ministry has taken many paths of exploration. It all ended with pastoring, and I have loved it but I was open to missions, to chaplaincy, to pioneer missions, to counseling. All of those have passed before my heart and I have told God I was willing. I believe, in my heart, I would go anywhere God led--even out of Texas. But I was a captive in this great state. But, in this great state my pastoral ministry has been shaped by each of those great works.

Now that call leads to the prison.