The month of August marks 2 years of work on the part of a pastoral intern at ReCAST Church. Ben Wainwright came to us first as an attendee, then as a member, and now for two years as a youth pastor intern.
Ben recently had a meeting with the elders to discuss next steps and we are delighted to begin the process of shifting his role to Associate Pastor of Student Ministries.
There is something that is refreshing and encouraging about hiring from within the church. Ben was a part of us before he was singled out to help lead us. It has been awesome to watch Ben grow in relationship with God, relationship with His Word, and skill in ministering to students. Ben has exhibited a strong desire to continue to grow in knowledge and experience. I love that he has a very teachable heart.
The next step in giving Ben the title of pastor is confirming Ben as an elder. I am confident that he has served ReCAST Church well and will receive a lot of positive affirmation in this new step for him. (If you’re a ReCAST member, look for an elder evaluation link in your email soon to offer your feedback.)
As an initially reluctant pastor, I can say that it is often a heavy calling. And yet I can also confirm that it is a way to experience God’s grace new every day. It isn’t that the pastor experiences more grace because he is higher or closer to God. It is rather that he is called into a position that nobody can fully finish. In this sense, the Pastor can only measure success by how closely He is walking with the God who is faithful.
Not much will change in the day to day ministry for Ben. But I am sure that this next step will add another level of confirmation to him regarding this calling on his life.
