#406. Meeting famous pastors.
A few weeks ago, a friend that is on the host team at a large church suggested I write about how silly some people get around “famous pastors.” After seeing church members ask pastors for autographs or get flustered when they appear in the hallway before service, she thought it would be a good topic to cover on Stuff Christians Like. I agreed, but I personally had never completely experienced that situation.
I’ve met one famous pastor, and I was definitely nervous, but I didn’t lose it like a 13-year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert because I was ready for it. It was a scheduled brainstorming meeting. I had mentally prepared myself with a chorus of “you’re just another person God is using, you’re just another person God is using” running through my head. I was able to hold it all together.
Until Oklahoma City.
I’m a fan of Craig Groeschel, the Senior Pastor of LifeChurch.tv. He killed the Catalyst stage last year and I think God is using him and his team in Oklahoma in some tremendously cool ways right now. I wasn’t expecting to meet him last week when I was out there for MinistryCOM08. Kendra, the wife of the family that graciously let me crash at their house, works at LifeChurch but made no assurances that Craig would be kicking around any of the three campuses we toured. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t prepared for what was about to happen.
In hour two of our tour of LifeChurch, we walked up a set of concrete steps toward a nondescript building with solid blue doors. (A key detail). I don’t remember what I was thinking about at the time, probably candy, but here’s a dramatization of what happened next:
Scene 1 – The Arrival
In the midst of a calm, Oklahoma day, a woman comes out of the door and keeps walking by me. Kendra, standing on my right, turns toward me as if moving in quicksand and starts to tell me, “that’s Craig’s assistant.” But before she can get it out, before she can reach me with this urgent message, both doors fly open as if they have been kicked Patrick Swayze Roadhouse movie style and suddenly, two feet in front of me is one Craig Groeschel.
Scene 2 – The Sweat
There, on a small patch of concrete at the entrance of the building I find myself inexplicably about to have a conversation with one of my favorite pastors on the planet. Like a rubber band being snapped, the slow motion effect of time bursts back into regular speed and Craig, who is more intense than anyone I have ever met, and capable of far more push ups than I anticipated, is asking me, “What are you speaking on at the conference?” It is at this point that I break into a cold sweat.
Scene 3 – The Answer
Deep inside, I feel the urge to craft the perfect response to Craig’s question. I want to weave a sentence so awesome, so holy and insightful, that Craig can’t help but respond, “That is amazing Jon. Can I please hire you right now? Will you speak with me at Catalyst? Will you co-write a book with me?” Instead, I panic and ask him, “Did you say ‘where are you speaking or what are you speaking on?’” Even as I say these words, I realize he doesn’t need to know I am speaking at Quail Springs Baptist Church. That can’t possibly be the question he just asked me. So before he can respond to my foolish question I just blurt out something like, “I’m speaking on story and God and sweet baby Jesus and God and more God.” I don’t remember ever finishing my sentence, but I do remember shaking his hand and Craig walking away with his assistant. The whole thing lasted about 64 seconds and felt roughly four hours long.
Craig was incredibly kind. He knew the site Stuff Christians Like and showed me his new book “IT” and could not have been more gracious. I, on the other hand, could not have been sweatier, which is silly because he’s just another person God is using. But that’s what happened last Wednesday when I met a “famous pastor” and maybe it’s happened to you too.
The takeaways from this little adventure are:
1. Always know what a famous pastor’s assistant looks like so if see her/him you’ll know that said famous pastor is about to appear.
2. Approach doors you can’t see through, in this case solid blue, with extreme caution as a famous pastor could be about to burst through them.
3. Say the words “God, Jesus and Story” over and over if they ask you any questions.
Or just stop being silly and treat them like any other person. I’m not sure which takeaway works best but I have I guess.
p.s. Huge thank you to Brannon and Kendra for letting me stay with them in Oklahoma. In addition to being amazing hosts, their love for the Lord and each other was a challenge and encouragement to me as a father, husband and Christian.
