What church do they go to?

I'm a pastor of a small church - the Lawton Vineyard Christian Fellowship. I pray for the folks in the church a lot.

Anyhow, I've been thinking lately - imagining really - what people might say about someone who goes to my church. Or what might people say about me to the people who go to my church?

What I find myself asking myself (is that the correct way to say that?) is would the person I'm speaking to know that the person who goes to my church is a follower of Jesus?

Example imaginary conversation:

Tom goes to my church. Sally works with Tom and Sally and I know each other from our kid's soccer games. I run into Sally at the grocery store.

Sally: "Yeah, I know Tom. I work with him. Tom's a great guy - really loves Jesus."

Me: "I know Tom too. He actually goes to my church."

Sally: "Huh. ...You know what? I don't actually know where Tom goes to church. Where does he go?"


It's a silly example maybe, but that's what I keep thinking about. I really want to people who live, work, and play among the Lawton Vineyard folks to know them as people who love Jesus.

I want people who might know me, but not know that I pastor a church (I also work an 8-5 Monday thru Friday job), to consider me a good follower of Jesus. I want my life to be one of love and devotion to Jesus and love for everyone else.

I guess what I'm saying is that it wouldn't bother me at all if people don't know where I go to church as long as they know I love Jesus. And that's true of the people I pastor too.

Quite a ramble, eh?! Oh well. That is all for now.