Pastor: Preach, Pray, and Be with People

To the disciples of Jesus at Trinity Wellsprings Church:

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ!

If I had to compress my calling at Trinity Wellsprings Church into a memorable phrase, it might be to Preach, Pray, and Be with People.  I recognize, of course, that my pastoral calling is multi-faceted.  Leading teams (esp. session and staff), casting vision, planning worship, celebrating the sacraments, showing hospitality, teaching the faith, discipling believers, living missionally in our community, and…yes…all…the…meetings! 

Many of these tasks are indispensable to the life of our church. Our covenant partners have a natural and healthy desire to see their church run well administratively. I concur.  Our covenant partners expect a high degree of relational integrity and authenticity from their pastors. I agree.

I hope to consistently model a character that embodies those “old time” pastoral traits like empathetic listening, encouraging others, and compassionate sensitivity. Pastoral leadership is more than the sum of one’s tasks but resides in the character of one’s calling.

Yet my desire, primarily, is to Preach, Pray, and Be with People. I remember some of the pastors in my Covenant Group adopting this axiom simply because it spoke to the “center” of our calling as pastors.

Preach: I want to immerse myself in biblical texts because I believe these truths transform us from self-centered sinners to God-glorifying saints.

Pray: I want to enroll in the School of Prayer and be found praying for our church and with our covenant partners. In short, I want to be a pastor who prays with and for you.

Be with People: I want to know your story – your joys, your hurts, your doubts, and your journey. This is who I am. And these are the ideals that I strive to live and breathe and embody as your pastor.

Grateful to be with you in this journey of discipleship,
Pastor Jason Carter