GOOD RIGHT REVEREND

CHAPTER FIVE

LET THEIR BE LIGHT

Donovan pulled into his reserved spot in front of his home away from home Good Fellowship Unity Church. The church sat on thirty-five and a half acres of land. He loved this building, all the additions he'd made since becoming Senior Pastor 3 years ago made it perfect, it was now complete. The addition of the modern glass atrium complete with porticoes was an inviting entrance. Slate floors leading to the sanctuary doors were a costly upgrade from the old white tile but gave the area more visual appeal.

Gone were the old bench seats and now in their place was auditorium seating in the expanded sanctuary. An addition of the upper level 2450 seat balcony cut into the cathedral ceilings, but the architectural design was kept tasteful.

The restructure of the alter and choir seating had cause quiet a grumbling in the church many were resistant to the changes. The church's council had voted and agreed that the changes were necessary with the growth they'd been experiencing. Some of the senior members of the church didn't warm to the changes and he'd lost quite a few in the beginning. It hurt him to lose them, many he'd known all his life they truly felt like family to him but in the end, it didn't matter to them. They did believe in his vision and it hurt. They suddenly didn't trust his or the church council's judgment and felt that the money being spent should have gone to better use.

The fact that they'd now out grown even this 40,000 sq. ft. building was shocking to even him. Both services on Sundays were filled and recently his father had been trying to pressure him into adding a third evening service on Sundays. He'd refused, he was already exhausted from the two and it was hard to show the same or more enthusiasm during the second service. He'd found once he was delivering his messages that it was hard to harness his energy or reserve some for the second sermon, but he was learning.

His first 2 years leading the church were the best. Even he was shocked during the alter calls at the end of his sermons for new members that so many would come to the front to join. The first Sunday it happened that 12 joined at once he was speechless. That number seem to grow and even now the church trustees estimated he averaged 150 new members a month. Due to the growth the church now had 3 new member classes a week, 2 sermons on Sundays in addition to his bible studies on Wednesday which were filled to capacity.

His heart swelled with the honor of leading so many to Christ, after all that was his job and he felt on an even higher level his life's calling. Internally he struggled with his own demons while trying to reassure others of theirs. He knew that he was not along in this as he'd heard it many times in confidence from other pastors. This struggle was the main reason he didn't preach perfection but instead reminded his parishioners of God's grace and mercy it was his own experience in his struggle.

The new church members really felt his messages and seemed to apply his teachings to their lives. Most were very active in the church and where he'd once prided himself in knowing each new member by name and would even follow up by calling them personally, he could no longer keep up. The most he could do now is meet with them once a month the newest members were invited to a meet and greet luncheon with the Pastor and First Lady, but he would still see faces running activities that he did not recall ever meeting.

He now delegated a lot of his former duties purely out of need. He could no long have a hand in everything it was simply too exhausting. He could no longer have the open-door policy he'd pride himself in having. Members now had to make an appointment to meet with him directly or in an emergency one of the associate pastors would represent him in his absence.

His absences had grown since his book With In You had been published and became a New York Times best seller. On his book tours he'd lost count on how many buyers said he spoke to them on their level. It was the same with his sermons he tried to reach people where they were, he was on their level in their walk with Christ and he didn't try to hide that he had struggles. He just never truly revealed how deep his demons contended with his walk with Christ.