20 Years of Ordained Ministry

 20 Years

Today, I celebrate 20 years of Ordained Ministry. I wrote
a reflection 10 years ago that still rings true. 

My wife, Victoria, wrote a very kind tribute on Facebook for me this week. It was such a joy to read all of the comments from everyone over the years. Here's what she wrote:

"Tomorrow marks 20 years of ordination for Travis. I’ve never known a person more called to a vocation than Travis is to being a pastor. When I tell you that my husband thinks about church, about his congregation, about telling people about Jesus and how to share the good news all the time, I mean, he thinks about it All. The. Time. It’s a regular occurrence to come across Travis reading, watching, and learning more and more about Christ’s church on earth and how he can best serve it…and that’s on his day off. Travis has faithfully served 3 churches in the last 20 years. He’s been PT, the youth director who has shaped and encouraged countless youth from Montana to North Carolina and now in Colorado. His Wednesday night sermons had him duct taping kids together, riding a bike through the sanctuary and giving teenagers someone they can ask hard questions to. He stepped into senior pastor roles to help shape, encourage, love, and grow congregations in ways that will be felt for generations. He’s dived into construction and finance in ways they don’t teach you in seminary to faithfully lead two congregations through major building campaigns. He is constantly learning and growing to be the best leader he can be and serve not only his congregation but also his coworkers. I’m so proud of his ministry and am in awe of his love for God’s people. If you have been a part of Travis’s ministry over the last 20 years, will you leave him a comment below or reach out to him this week? I love you, Travis Norton and I’m so glad I’m along for the ride and get the honor of witnessing your ministry up close."

I am so fortunate to have Victoria in my life and as a partner in ministry. I worry that people don't recognize her role in this ministry now that we're in a big church. I wouldn't be who I am without her!

I’m still in this ministry for the simple reason that I
love Jesus and believe God is at work in the world to reveal His love for us. I
want, simply, to be part of what God is doing in the world. For me that means preaching
the gospel, helping people understand the scriptures, leading a congregation
well so that it is a place of spiritual nurturing for all who find a home there.

I’m still captivated by God, the scriptures, and the church.
Each of those challenge me to pursue something different than myself, some
better, something that came before me and will outlast me. I’m amazed that God
loves me. I’m amazed that God would deign to do anything through me. He honors
me by using me to bring His word to others. I feel like my biggest question is ‘Really?
Do you really love me?’ and all I hear is ‘Yes, oh you of little faith, of
course I love you.’ And I need to hear it every time, and thankfully God never
tires of reassuring me.

I love the scriptures. I love to study them and wonder what
God might say to me and us through these old scriptures that are anything but
dusty. I feel like I’m opening a treasure box each time. Sometimes the gold is
shining right on top-like in the prodigal son and good Samaritan stories. But usually,
I get to dig for the gold in the story, and I love that work. I feel guilty
sometimes that I get to see more treasure in the scriptures than can possibly
be shared in one sermon. But the sermon is my work to let others peak into the treasure
chest with me. I can’t imagine I’ll ever tire of scripture, nor will I ever
uncover all that is there.

I love the church. When you’re called to ordained ministry,
they tell you that the call comes from God and must be confirmed by the church.
You hear it personally and then you look outside and wonder if the church hears
it too. If they do, and you get ordained, then you find yourself in a constant
tension between what you hear God saying about your call and what the church
hears God saying about your call. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens
another, the scriptures say. I find that the church is the iron in my life
sharpening me, making me the pastor they need. If I get too deep in the weeds
sharing all my exegesis of scripture the church calls me to the surface and
tells me to speak in words they can actually use and understand. If I get
caught up in an agenda of my own the church calls me back and asks me to tell
them the old, old story again. If I lay it on too thick and they leave the sanctuary
weighed down by the law I hear them begging me to preach the gospel, the good
news of Jesus. I sharpen them too. I preach on scriptures and topics they wouldn’t
choose. I lead them to take on challenges they wouldn’t take on without my
prodding etc. We are in this call together. I’m grateful for the church.

20 years in I have more clarity on my call and my gifts than
ever before. I know what I can do and what I need help to do. I know if
something is mine to do and if something is for someone else. I keep my ears
open to what the larger trends and interests are in the wider church, but I
find myself less and less interested in pursuing those agendas. What interests
me is creating at least one healthy congregation where the gospel is preached, and people
can hear God’s word and call in their own lives and pursue whatever God calls
them to do. I’m still running on the fuel that my home congregation gave me when I
was a kid. I want to give that to others. I want kids to have a place where
they are nurtured in the faith by loving adults. I want confirmation students
to be inspired in their faith and commit their lives to Jesus and His way. I
want High school students to be able to bring their big questions and pushbacks
and find people willing to engage them where they are and also challenge them.
I want young adults to find a touchstone in the congregation as they determine
their own flavor of faith. I want them to know they were loved even if they decide
they need something different for their continued growth in faith. I want
adults to find a place where they can live and be part of God’s work. A place
where they can bring their whole lives and hear God speaking to them however,
they need it. A place where they can be sent from, each week, to serve the Lord
in their daily lives. I want older adults to have a place to invest in and leave
for their children. I want a congregation who cares for the sick and the dying
and ushers people into the promise of resurrection. I want to help build a
congregation that serves the world from a place of deep love and calling.

Most recently in this call I’m realizing that I’m actually pretty good at
this work. That’s a hard thing for me to say because it feels prideful, and I
don’t want to be self-aggrandizing. I admit that’s a temptation for me, even writing
and sharing this reflection is giving into that. But I also recognize that it
is healthy to know that I’m good at the work God has called me to, because then
I can take responsibility for what I do. I’m no longer just bumbling my way
through hoping something good comes. I can be intentional, and in fact I think
the next 20 years should be about me being more intentional about what I’m doing.
 I don’t want to coast through this work.
I want God to show me the full extent of what He can do through this one life.
That scares me to say. It’s super tempting to just lean back and enjoy what is.
But I wonder what God would have me do with the next 20 years? I want to be
faithful to the challenges God asks me to undertake and not be timid but bold
and courageous. I think I’m in a congregation that wants the same thing, just
to find out what’s possible. What could God do through us if we didn’t hold
back, but fully leaned into our gifts and calling? I want to find out.

My friend Carla Stanton made this for me when I was ordained 20 years ago. It contains all the verbs in the Ordination vows, and it sits on my desk as a constant reminder.