We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. – Acts 20:13-16
Paul must have experienced constant fatigue in his ministry. He traveled an estimated 12,000 miles. He was beaten with rods, stoned and imprisoned. There were riots. He had a chronic illness (a thorn in the flesh – 2 Corinthians 12:7). He was a bi-vocational missionary.
The pandemic was exhausting for many church leaders. I remember reading that as many as 30%% of pastors considered resigning during the pandemic. The restless nights of anxiety, learning the livestream technology. Going back and forth with the CDC and the local health department bodies about regulations. Listening to the frustrations of those who refuse the masks and those who insist on them. Wondering how empty seats were people who had actually “left” our congregation.
Paul’s weariness reminds me of pastors who were in the heat of pandemic ministries.
About Corey Sharpe
Where do we get our beliefs?
Three theological perspectives have significantly shaped my Christian identity: Evangelicalism, the early Methodist tradition and liberation theology.
From my coming to faith in a Baptist church and throughout my education in a Baptist school and college, I was nurtured by convictions that emphasized a spiritual rebirth, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the centrality of the Bible. Even when I disagree with certain aspects of evangelicalism, it has deeply influenced my sense of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
My seminary studies spawned my interest in early Methodism, particularly its approach to spiritual formation. Its leaders were convinced that only a foundation of doctrine and discipline would lead to a meaningful transformation of the heart and mind. In other words, having the mind of Christ enables me to be more like Christ.
Life in a suburban culture obscures the increasing gap between the poor and rich, as well as the Bible’s close identification with the poor. My doctoral work in socio-cultural context exposed me to liberation theology, which helps me see redemptive history as a history of oppressed groups, written from the perspective of the powerless, about a God who is actively involved with the poor in their struggles.
I am now the pastor at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in St Mary’s County, Maryland. Together my wife and I have 4 children.
The Other Six Days 