The Dream is Over

In the early 1970’s John Lennon released a song titled “God”.  It was quite the negative song which listed all the things that Lennon never believed in or no longer believed in. There was a list of things, concepts, and people that fell into this category of unbelief by Lennon. It included personalities like Elvis, God, and Kennedy. The list of those who Lennon no longer believed in ended with Beatles, the super group Lennon co-founded with Paul McCartney in Liverpool, England. After stating he no longer believes in the Beatles, Lennon rather sadly sings  the lyrics “Dream is over, what can I say. Dream is over.” It is quite the bummer song.

A good portion of my adult life has been dedicated to learning God’s word so that I could accurately teach it and preach it to others. My goal was (and is) to serve God unreservedly with the gifts He has given me. My dream and goal has been to be a Pastor who equips Christians to serve God and to know the word of God more than just a surface knowledge. 

I have prepared to do these things by working towards and earning various degrees that have challenged me to learn more than I thought I could ever learn. If everything goes well, I will earn my Ph.D. in Theological Studies this year (2024).

I figure I have prepared as much as possible to be that Pastor who equips Christians well. But there is just one little issue…I’m not a Pastor. And it doesn’t look like I’ll be a Pastor anytime soon.

I was a Pastor – a Lead Pastor at that – years ago. But that ended in a church split and then a church death. After the church I pastored died, I withdrew from Pastoral ministry, thinking I would never want to be a Pastor ever again. The experience I lived through was THAT bad. The harassment, lies about me, the smearing of my character, and the stress that was placed on me and my family, really did poison my view of pastoral ministry. Am I like John Lennon after the Beatles broke up…is the dream over? Is there nothing else to say about it?

Maybe you find yourself in a similar situation to mine. Maybe you, like me, want to serve God in some way that seems impossible right now. Maybe you’re thinking your dream is over. But your dream of serving God is not over. At least it isn’t until God says so. And since you are still alive, God has not yet shut the door on your service to Him.

I’ve learned quite a bit I’m my nearly 40 years as a Christian. I think the most important thing I have learned is that we dream — and prepare — to serve God in our time. God opens doors to service in His time. And His time – and His timing – is most definitely not the same as ours.

My service to God at this time is to support God’s assembly at Westminster Bible Church. I teach when I have opportunity. I preach when I have opportunity. My opportunities are dictated by God, not me. I don’t ask for these opportunities. I simply say I’m available for whatever is needed.

I am convinced that I should not try to do something grand for God. I am convinced that I am to be available to Him for whatever He wants me to do — whether that thing is great, small, or nearly invisible. 

So my dream of serving God as a Pastor may indeed be over. But it may not be over. I don’t control that. But my dream of serving God with all of me and all of the gifts He has given me is in no uncertain terms alive and well. And so is your dream of serving God. 

We should never try to put our service to God in a box by saying “I expect to serve You in this particular way and won’t serve  you in any other way.” I think an attitude like that is exactly what God is NOT looking for in His servants. 

So whether I serve God as  a lay person teaching classes here and there, or as a full-time Pastor, assistant/associate Pastor, or as some other role or position, I will serve God with every fiber of my being. And so should you.

Unlike John Lennon, my dream is not over. I still believe in God and still believe God has a specific purpose for me living today. All I need to do is to be open to serve in whatever role He has for me.