Day 152: The Book Announcement

Today, I officially announced to the Facebook world that I have officially begun writing my book. It is exciting for me to take this step in my life as I tell my story of what it is to be in the ministry. The term I prefer is "vocational ministry". The reason I prefer this term is that anyone who is a Christian is already in "fulltime ministry" and should look at it that way. The term "vocational ministry" does not put down what a pastor does...it only changes the wording.

Upon the announcement of my book however, I put up a Facebook status that reads, "chatted with my editor today and so begins the writing of my book! I would like to thank all the positive people in my life. Your examples will be brought out in this book. I would also like to thank all you spiritual abusers and
ungodly pastors/boards. Your examples will be brought out in this book." My book will only deal with things I have gone through in the church world in only a couple chapters. However, the emails and Facebook private messages have already begun to come in. From people asking "are you going to use names" to "how detailed are you going to get?" I want to make it very clear that I have forgiven and moved on past all of the hurt from the past. The stories I hear from others in the same situation I could not urge enough to move on as well. Those who were being controlled don't have to live like that. There are joyous times ahead if you let it happen. What I would also like to make perfectly clear is that though I have forgiven...I will not forget. It is central to the life of a Christian that we do not "forgive and forget" but rather forgive and not forget. If we forget about the things that have hurt us in the past than we will run into them again and again.

With that said, this book will talk about my childhood and the challenges I faced even then as someone God called into vocational ministry. There will be stories of how God got my attention to go the direction he wanted for my life. I will include some lessons on dealing with those higher than you as a pastor/staff pastor. There will be plenty of conversation on what to do when your world crashes and what it takes to get back on your feet again. The rest of the book I will talk about ministry and the joys of being free from controllers. That is a nutshell look at this book. My editor and I are both VERY excited about this book and praying some great things for it.

If you are one of those that were positive in my life like my good childhood friend, Mario...then good things will be mentioned. Mario was the one that got me to smoke my first and last cigarette...we laughed pretty hard about that as we reminisced about it on the phone tonight. On the other hand if you are one of the controllers, spiritual abusers, etc. that made my life hell for awhile...you should have thought about that when you did it because now it is those stories I will use to help other pastors and pastors to be from falling into those traps I fell into.