religion and politics...

i just sat through a 6 hour executive board meeting of the denominational leadership in the area... also - where i work... before now, religious denominational leadership is not an issue i would be that concerned with... this time, however, it kind of affects my job...

tonight, a search committee presented a candidate to the executive board for voting to be our new executive director/treasurer... he would be my new "big boss..." - i have a direct supervisor (the leader of the communications team...) but his supervisor would be this guy...

and so we had to go through all these parliamentary procedures... i felt like i was in 9th grade civics class...

there wasn't much argument on the subject, which was very much of a relief... i know how heated things can be - especially within the context of religious life...

overall, i was very encouraged by this man's heart to minister to those that don't have a relationship with Christ... to those in our area who have yet to experience God's love... but not in a shove-it-down-your-throat kind of way...

my struggle was... where do i fit into this denominational mix... i definitely hate the game... for meetings like this, you put on your "sunday best" and put on a nice big smile and meet and greet... it feels kind of put-on... like i'm an actor in some bad drama... i want to know what people really think... i want to know the desires of their heart... for real... as well as what movies they've seen lately and what is their favorite tv show... i feel like there are few out there "like me"...

in talking with my supervisor who is more "like me" than most of the people i work with (i'm pretty sure - he's one that will talk about "stuff" with me - and most others don't - or they do but they don't feel the same way as me...), he expressed some of the same ideas... i don't feel like i fit into this southern baptist mold... at the same time, i play the game... partially because it's kind of required of me for my job (to not be seen as a rebel and on the outskirts of work-life...) and partially because i want to play the game - i feel like i won't get ahead (not that it's all about that... but i do want to be recognized as valid in my job and in ministry) if i hide behind my email address and cubicle walls... i need to know the names, faces... they need to see me...

blah...

in the end, they voted (33-2) to submit him to the convention (all the southern baptists in the northwest) for approval... he'll be voted on in march... if that goes well, mid-april, i'll have a new big-boss...

a good thing is... i got hired in the in-between time, when there was no "big-boss" - the old "big-boss" is now the president of my school... which is great... he was an excellent leader (from the outside looking in...) - but i have less adjusting to do than others... they served under a different leadership style first... and frankly, i'm looking forward to a change, in some ways... plus he's really supportive of communications, in general... which is my area... (it doesn't sound like my job is being cut - or anyone else's for that matter...)

i feel really good about the whole thing, despite the process... but it's part of life... i am just trying to figure out how i fit into the mix...