I'm nobody

I had one of the most humbling experiences of my career in ministry to date this morning. As you may know from reading a previous post, I will be traveling to Saddleback Church later this month where, about a month ago, I learned that I have been given an "all-access pass" to their Student Ministry and staff thereof. Doug Fields personally orchestrated this for me, and I'm truly honored to get the opportunity.

Okay, now we fast forward to this morning. This morning I was sitting in a break-out session at the DRIVE Conference at North Point Church. You should also know that all of Saddleback's Student Ministry staff is here at the conference as well...while I knew that their staff was here, I've purposefully been keeping my distance from them as I didn't want to take advantage of their opportunity to learn and grow here at this conference. Yet this morning God took over and put together a divine appointment of sorts. I was sitting waiting for the session to begin when Kurt Johnson, Middle School Pastor of Saddleback Church, sat down right next to me.

Naturally, Kurt and I introduced ourselves to one another, and he got a funny look on his face and said, "Mark McMahon...Mark McMahon...Aren't you and I having lunch together sometime later this month?" I told him that we were and that I was really looking forward to that. He then shared with me a little more about the process that occurred within Saddleback's staff meeting during which Doug Fields set this whole thing up for me.

It went down like this. Doug walked in and told his entire staff that, unless they had a high-priority prior engagement, he expected every member of his staff to make themselves available to me at my convenience. Kurt said that everyone was quick to oblige, but, naturally, they all began to wonder who I was...I mean, I must be someone pretty important or of high status to get Doug to do this for me. Then Kurt asked me the question:

"Mark, who are you?"

It was the most scary question I've ever been asked in my life. Not because I feel like I've never accomplished anything in ministry...not because I lack self-worth or self-confidence...but rather, I knew in the grand scheme of ministry world there was only one honest answer to that question.

"I'm nobody, Kurt. I'm just a no-name youth pastor at a relatively small church in Pennsylvania."

To which he sat back in his seat quietly. I asked him if he was disappointed, and he quickly said, "No." Then he said, "Mark, you should know that this is the first time that Doug has ever done anything like this. God is doing something big for you."

After the session ended, I said goodbye to Kurt telling him again that I was looking forward to meeting with him in a couple of weeks. He replied in the same manner, and we went our separate ways. I share this with you today because I walked away more humbled and awestruck than ever over what I'm going to get to experience later this month at Saddleback. So I ask you again, would you please pray over this trip for me? May 20th-22nd I'll be at Saddleback with an opportunity that has never before been extended to someone like me. Pray that God will help me make the most of the experience. Thanks so much for helping me keep this before the Lord.

Grace and Peace