“Lane, do you have a last will and testament?”
“I’m sorry, come again?” I turned around in my swivel desk chair perplexed by Pastor Steve’s question as he calmly passed by the Family Ministry cubicle in the office. I was caught off guard and perplexed for two reasons:
- I’m 26 years old. Why should I be thinking about writing a last will and testament so early in my life?
- I’ve just never been asked this question before…because…well…I’m 26 years old.
“Oh,” Steve replied, “I wanted to know if you and Wendy have a last will and testament if something unexpected happened to you. Like, what would happen to Butter (for context, that is our dog) or what if—God forbid—something were to happen to you in an accident, and Wendy had to go on living without you? Would she know how to access your accounts or passwords?”
“You know,” I replied. “I haven’t really put much thought into that before.” I tried to nonchalantly push past the uncomfortable reality that I might have to go through the process and time of creating a will.
“Well, these are some really important things for you to consider and think about.” And on that note, Pastor Steve continued to walk down the hall to meet with one of the other ministers on staff.
Well…how about that for some light afternoon office conversation around the water cooler?
As I end my time at South Main Baptist Church, having completed my Residency in the Family Ministry, I am compelled to say “Thank you,” but it might not be for the exact reason you think it would be. Yes, I am beyond grateful for the time I have been given at South Main to learn and apply practical skills to the world of vocational ministry. I have learned and benefited so much from being able to attend, plan, and lead trips and programs in the Family Ministry. As I step into this next stage of God’s calling in my life, I will always take these precious assets, skills, and tools with me and discover new ways to apply them to my ministries.
However, when I say, “Thank you,” I want you to know how grateful I am to you and all of South Main for the way you have enabled and empowered me on a holistic level.
I love the word “holistic”—maybe at this point it seems like a cliché, but the beauty about not just being a Resident at South Main but also a member of the congregation, is that sharing in the life of this church is unlike anything else. You have shown me love, patience, and continuous support. More than just giving me opportunities to teach, preach, or study, you have surrounded me and poured into me as an apprentice of Jesus.
And let me just say this: You have done that excellently.
Not just with me but with every individual who enters into the walls of South Main Baptist Church.
This is one of the things that has made my Residency such an incredible experience. You haven’t just cared for me as an employee at South Main but as a brother in Christ. Your love has extended beyond your prayers and acts of service, and you have demonstrated it in your attentiveness to my entire well-being. You didn’t just know my name, you took the time to know my story, my family, and my calling. As you have leaned into the practice of living out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20), you have also obeyed the Greatest Commandment.
As Jesus is wrapping up his debate with some of the Jewish religious leaders, in a cunning attempt to ensnare Jesus in His own words and end the debate, one of the religious leaders approaches Jesus and asks, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
The Bible records: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Holistic discipleship and empowerment exemplify the way we are designed to live as the Church and as disciples of Jesus. It’s a form of discipleship that doesn’t just seek to focus on the spiritual; it is intentional about seeking the betterment of the entire person. Holistic love—the sort of love that is wrapped up in the Greatest Commandment—initiates such conversations like, “Lane, do you have a last will and testament?” It is a sort of love that is able to look beyond oneself and think of creative, thoughtful, and unique ways to demonstrate Christ’s love to others.
And you, South Main Baptist Church, have embodied and demonstrated that to me as your Family Ministry Resident.
(P.S. I now have a last will and testament.)
Last story, I promise, and then I’ll head out!
A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to lead a group of students in northern Washington on a backpacking trip for two weeks. If you know anything about kids or teenagers, by nature they can sometimes be messy. So, as we started on our trip, we continued to reemphasize one of the main rules: LNT, which simply means, Leave No Trace. It means that wherever we step, camp, or play, we have to do everything within our control to make sure we don’t disrupt any of our surroundings. That way, the environment isn’t harmed, the animals aren’t exposed to any potentially harmful effects, and the people who will come after us can enjoy the same incredible experience we got to be a part of.
While I agree and love the rule of Leave No Trace, one of the mantras my parents have taught me my whole life is, “Leave it better than the way you found it.” (Or LIBTTWYFI…which doesn’t necessarily roll right off the tongue, now that I say it out loud.)
I love this motto and repeat it to myself every time I’ve either started or ended a job. Whether it’s been slinging lattes in a coffee shop, mowing the front lawn of a university, or starting a Family Ministry Residency at a church, my motivation and focus are centered on the mantra, “Leave it better than the way you found it.”
As I have now finished with the Residency, I’ve discovered something profound about it. While I am beyond grateful for the spaces and opportunities to minister and have an influential role in the lives of your children, I’ve learned that the purpose of the position wasn’t solely for that reason. It wasn’t designed solely for me to serve and work in the church and then leave at the end. Instead, I was supposed to be the recipient of your blessing. You, South Main, have left me better than the way you found and adopted me.
For that reason, I am eternally grateful. Thank you!
