There's Something Going On That's Not Quite Right

Today, 17 teenagers from our church's student ministry will be leaving on a mission trip to inner city Houston. They'll be in the capable hands of Nathan Lee who has already trained them and prepared them and done all the leg-work for the trip...which will challenge the teens a great deal if what I've read from his training packets transpires.

It feels strange to me to have a major event taking place in MY specific area of ministry without me being involved in anything other than a consultant's role (at best--an observer's role would be more accurate).

It feels strange to know that for the first time since I got to CBC that there'll be a mission trip photo up on the wall without me in it.

It feels strange to know that the teens will come back with all the things teens get from trips like that--the bonding experience things like van rides and inside jokes and meaningful worship times--and I won't be a part of it at all.

It feels a lot like my future in ministry. Which feels strange. Good and necessary and using gifted servants to serve using their gifts and blah blah blah. But definitely strange.