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The Pastoral Lens

With Pastor Brian Horrobin of First Baptist Church, Wallaceburg

The 2 Sides of "New"

Thursday, August 29, 2002

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Every time I have embarked on some new venture in my life, I have been faced with 2 different sets of emotions. On the one hand, there is the thrill and excitement of heading out on a new frontier, setting sail into uncharted waters with "anticipation" hoisted as the main mast. What lies ahead is a realm yet to be conquered and that challenge stimulates me. On the other hand, there is also a sense of apprehension and unsettledness as I consider going to a place that is situated beyond my comfort zone. I feel as if I am one step away from failure.

These 2 forces stand opposed to each other, the one serving to push me forward, and the other to hold me back. This column, yea, this whole e-paper, is a "new" thing, subject to these 2 opposing forces. Nevertheless, it has been said that success is a journey, not a destination. Spiritual success depends on sticking by the Book. The Lord told Joshua, after the death of Moses and just before he would lead God's people into the Promised Land, he would have success if he meditated on the Scriptures continually (Joshua 1:8). The Bible is a road map for success IF you choose to follow it.

I remember when I first came to Wallaceburg in September of 1992, to be the interim pastor of First Baptist Church. I had come from a church half the size where I was the associate pastor. I was stepping into a situation where there had been some problems and the church was looking to head into a new direction. I was to fill in until the church found the right man for the job. I approached each new day on the job with both excitement and apprehension. I was diving into something completely new to me where each day was different than the one previous. After 6 months the church approached me to become the pastor, something that took me completely by surprise. It was one thing to make the bed, but now I had to lie in it. This higher level of both opportunity and responsibilty reintroduced the whole excitement/apprehension dilemma. On the one hand, there was much to be gained by making the move to Wallaceburg. It would signal a fresh start where I would be the senior pastor, casting my own vision, as opposed to being an associate pastor and following another man's vision. I would meet new people, live in a new community, and embark on a new trail. On the other hand, the move also meant leaving those we loved, abandoning the safety of the associate position (where the senior pastor covered my back side!), and having to go through the slow process of starting over. My wife, Ruth, and I spent much time praying and seeking God's direction. We went to the Scriptures where we were encouraged to be "casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). The Lord gave us a peace about this, and after a favourable vote by the congregation, we moved in July of 1993.

This e-paper is a venture into the realm of "new." We've all read newspapers on a printed page. This will be something different, something new. But, unless we try to do something beyond what has already been mastered, we'll never grow. Growing spiritually means going beyond where we've been before. This e-paper seeks to do just that, taking the news to the next level for a new generation. Are you ready for the journey?