7 things I've learned over the past 7 years.

Reflections as a Lead Pastor

On this day seven years ago, at 39 years of age, something I had never planned for, and never expected, happened. It changed the trajectory not only of my life, but also of our family. On December 17, 2018, I was elected to be Senior Pastor of Life Center. Though it was unexpected to me, I knew God was directing our steps — and we chose to trust that God saw what we didn’t.

And today, I am grateful.

(Photo courtesy of Jon Asher)

As I reflect on the seventh anniversary of our election as Senior Pastors, I have been thinking about the things that I have learned. Trust me, this list is not exhaustive. There are countless things I have learned. There are so many areas that I have been refined in, stretched in, tested in, perplexed in, and challenged in. There have been moments where I feel like I did it right, and there are moments that I wish I had a chance to do it over.

Here are seven things that I have learned through the journey of the past seven years.

GOD WILL INVITE US TO DO THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND US AND OUR ABILITY

I never thought I would be a lead pastor. To be honest, I never wanted to be one. I was content with what I had been doing. I was fulfilled. It wasn’t on my to-do list. It wasn’t on my dream board (spoiler alert: I don’t have one of those). It wasn’t a role or title or position that I was aiming for.

Why? Because I never thought I was designed to do that. And I often questioned if I could do that.

But God doesn’t ask us to do things that He thinks we can do. If we can do it, we get the credit. And that isn’t how it works. Glory only belongs to One.

Did I feel over my head? Yes.

Did I feel like I was ready? No.

Did I feel like God made a mistake? I know too much Scripture to answer yes, so let’s go with a “maybe.”

God doesn’t invite us into things because we are the solution. He invites us to join Him in what He is doing. He uses us — without a doubt! But any gift or ability or skill that we may have still points completely back to Him — the Giver of all of those things.

IT TAKES A TEAM

Though a church is led by One (yes, that individual is Jesus), it still takes a team to function. I am amazed at our team at Life Center. A variety of gifts, talents, and passions all working together to see His mission and vision become reality. From our staff to our serve team members — I am amazed at the team that Jesus has brought together.

What a gift!

CHANGE IS CHALLENGING…FOR ALL OF US

Goodbyes are hard. Transitions are hard. Change is hard. Disappointments and failures are hard.

People leave. Sometimes they tell you, sometimes they don’t.

Programs need to shift. Some people understand, some don’t.

At times, you do what people want you to do…and they love it.

At times, you do what people don’t want you to do…and they don’t. Sometimes they have told me. Sometimes I read about it. Sometimes their words about me (not to me) get back to me.

And I get it. I honestly do. Why? Change is hard.

It is hard for people experiencing it.

It is hard for the people leading it.

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE GET TO DO THIS?

This statement has been on the wall in our church office. I feel it, and I believe it. The great honor and joy of our lives is that we get to be a part of what Jesus is up to locally and globally through Life Center!

JESUS GETS TO SPEND OUR LIVES HOW HE WANTS

A friend and mentor of mine once said this to me, “Tyler, when you said ‘Yes’ to Jesus, you also made the decision that He gets to spend your life however He wants to.” To be honest, I didn’t like it when he said it to me. I think the reason I didn’t like it at first was that I knew he was right. When I said yes to Jesus, I was not only saying yes to His salvation, but I was saying yes to His Lordship. What this meant for me was that I no longer got to call the shots.

I continue to learn the truth that His ways are better than mine. His thoughts are higher than mine. If I am going to follow Jesus as Lord, I have to get comfortable with the fact that He isn’t just a consultant. He actually gets to call the shots.

THE BODY OF CHRIST IS BEAUTIFULLY RESILIENT

Life Center has walked through a lot since its inception in 1918. We have navigated two global pandemics. We have faced changes in leadership. There have been incredible high’s and gut-wrenching lows. There have been seasons of vision and seasons of survival in our 107-year history.

When I was entrusted with the leadership of Life Center, we were in the midst of a challenging change. Eighteen months later, COVID. To say the least, things went from hard to harder.

Yet seven years later, the church and it’s ministries (LCA, Life Manor, the Life Christian Foundation) are thriving. This is a testimony of God’s faithfulness (more on that in a moment), and the resiliency of The Church.

Seven years later, I realize that this story could look so incredibly different from what it does today. And that brings me to number seven…

GOD HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS AND SO FAITHFUL TO LIFE CENTER

Over the past seven years, I am convinced of one thing, because I have lived it and seen it: God is gracious and faithful.

There have been so many moments where the “unexpected” shows up, and the fingerprints of the Goodness of God are all over it.

He is faithful.

He has been gracious.

I see it every day in the stories of lives that are being rewritten and transformed. I see it in the hope that keeps showing up in unexpected moments. I see it in families and marriages that have been restored. I see it on the faces of those who are baptized in water — that they are experiencing this hope of new life in Jesus. I see it in the local and global impact of a group of people in Tacoma, WA, who believe a simple but important truth that we close each weekend gathering with:

WE DON’T JUST GO TO CHURCH, WE ARE THE CHURCH.

I love you, Life Center.

I’m thankful that we get to do this, together.