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Can I be honest with you? 99% of the "feedback" pastors receive is negative.
When I started working at a church, I had no idea. I'm not trolling for them to get compliments, it's just a fact. It's a hard fact and over the 7 years I've worked for The Well, I've been blown away with how so many of them handle criticism. Their plight is far from unique. I see teachers working their tails off for their students, coaches putting in extra hours, nurses visiting patients after their shifts are over, and Moms and Dads who thanklessly make sure children are ready for whatever the next day brings them. Often, all they get in return are angry parents who want their kid to get more playing time or who blame teachers for a student's poor performance. It can be defeating to show up and try every day and feel as though your good work goes unnoticed or unappreciated.
So when something happens that is beautiful, I want us to be able to celebrate. Because we all need a win. Don't we? We need those brief moments where the sky clears and we can see for just an instant, that what we're doing is not pointless. We need one student to come back into our classroom years later and say thank you. We need one parent to notice the time and attention we've poured into their child and tell us how it's meant something to them. Sure, all of this is for heavenly treasure, not earthly reward, but sometimes to make it here on earth, we need to see a bit of "His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
This week we had a moment like that. Through the magic of the internet a group of Romanian High School students were shown the videos from our Song of Solomon series. Their teacher (who no doubt deserves praise for the lessons he is bestowing on his students) asked them to write thank you notes to Brad for his teaching. They came across some of our other staff's desk first, so we thought we'd share them with you. Because we thought that all of us who work hard and get more flack than praise could use a win. And as a part of this body, we all share in it. We get to celebrate together when God uses this body to spread the gospel.
I don't know if you're having a day littered with complaints or a day where the sky is clearing. Either way, we thought we'd share these sweet notes from high schoolers with you, in hopes that they would offer you a bit of encouragement to keep doing the hard work. We never know the full impact of the kindness we show. We don't always get to see the reach of the deeds we do to honor God. But today we get to see a glimpse and I hope that glimpse gives you the courage to keep going. I hope that it will help us to "not grow weary in doing good" (Galatians 6:9).
Thank you for all you do to support the ministry of The Well Community Church and thank you for the work you do every day to be the light wherever you are.
