What your thoughts about your old patch reveal

Occasionally I think about my old churches.

Honestly, I sometimes stalk them.

I see what they are doing.

I see if the ministery staff are the same.

I sneak a look into the youth ministry.

And I don’t know what I hope to find.

Do I want them to be doing amazingly well?

Would I revel in them struggling?

Would I like seeing people I didn’t enjoy working with no longer being there?

Is it nothing more than church snooping, like you would an ex on Facebook?

I would like to say that I wish nothing but unbridled blessings upon my old churches. I really would.

It would show a “kingdom mindset.”

It would show humility. 

it would show that I trust that God is completely sovereign.

It would show that, ultimately, no success within a ministry was dependent upon me or my skills. 

Of course, the longer I’ve been away, the easier it is to wish them well.

Two decades removed, things should - arguably must - be different. It would be damaging, and a little sad, if they were still the same.

Personally, it is because of what it reveals about my heart, that I keep wondering about my old ministry patches.