Why Now? The Timing of God's Call

By Pastor Jerry Cooper

Almost every person who knows me well and has learned about my future ministry at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Camarillo, California has affirmed that it is a good fit for my gifts and experience in life and ministry. It will certainly be a challenge. It will definitely lead to further growth. It has all the signs of God's will, both logically and spiritually. But the one question that keeps coming up is: "WHY NOW?"

This article is supposed to answer that question, but let me begin by admitting that I cannot really answer it - other than to say that I firmly believe that it is God's leading, and therefore the timing is a moot point. Let me address this issue in a couple ways.

I did not choose this timing

Yes, I did start the process of talking to churches in January. That part was my choosing, although even then it was after much prayer, reflection and counsel through the end of 2001, with the resulting affirmation that God was asking Ingrid and me to be open to a new call. Most pastors take over a year to find a call once they open themselves to the possibility, and my initial thought was that if we left Central at all, it would not be until at least the later part of 2002. We felt no pressure to leave Central, only a leading to be open. Even now, it all seems to be too fast for my emotional comfort, and I can think of many reasons why the timing is not ideal. But I also don't feel that I am in charge of this process. I am not trying to be flippant when I say that God is in charge of what is happening, and that this is just as much a learning, growing, faith-stretching process for me as for anyone.

God is in Control

I not only believe that God is in control of the process of my leaving, but I absolutely believe that Jesus Christ (as the head of the Church) is in control here at Central. To tell you the truth, I don't know what the right time to leave would look like. I don't think it would ever be "comfortable" to leave this congregation and ministry that I love so much. But what allows me to say "Yes" to God's call is knowing that he cares about Central more than I do, and has far more ability to see it through a challenging transition than I. Another way of saying this is that I am not indispensable to Central. If my call is from God, then it must also be, in a way that I don't fully see now, the very best thing for Central. God's wisdom is far beyond mine (thank goodness!).

God has Blessed Central

There are few churches I have ever known that are as blessed as Central in the area of divine/human giftedness. From the newest members to the longest leaders, this congregation has a wealth of leadership, giftedness, passion, vision, talent, energy, creativity, perseverance, grace and faithfulness. I trust that in this new transition, some gifts will be stretched, new ones will emerge and Central itself will grow in the process. You might have heard about the pastor who told his congregation, "The good news is that the church has more than enough money to cover all it programs and more! The bad news is that it is still in your bank accounts." I feel like that is true of Central in the area of ministry. There is more than enough in the way of spiritual giftedness, energy and maturity at Central to move us into the future. The questions for each Centralite are: Are you willing to be a part of the process of growth? Are you hanging back, hoping someone else will fix things? What fear does God need to heal in you in order for you to dive fully into the present life and ministry of Central?

Both Central and the Coopers are entering into a time of uncertainty. We are "exploring off the map" in a way that will cause us to either trust and lean on Christ for our guidance and sufficiency or to give into fear and anxiety as we try to regain control of the circumstances. Let's pray for each other so that God may be honored by our attitudes and actions in these times of change and transition.

See also It has been a great 12 years!, Renaissance Man and Sending Them Out to Serve.