I do a lot of networking in our small city. When I came thirty years ago, we didn't call it that. I was just trying to introduce myself and our little church to people. And one of the best ways, I thought, was to join some civic organizations and get to know some of the officials and businessmen and women in town.
A lot of people would think all of that a waste of the pastor's time, but fortunately my congregation didn't. Instead of being jealous for my time out in the "secular" community, they were generous with it. Over the years that investment has "paid off" handsomely, as some of those contacts have translated into people coming to Christ and coming into our church. At other times, having a personal relationship with government officials has made it easier to get building projects done. And because the community sees me not just as one of the pastors but as a seasoned "civic leader," it has opened a number of unusual doors for ministry to people who wouldn't normally walk through my church's doors.
Just this past Sunday a civic leader (whom I have known since he moved to town to take his position) visited church at the invitation of one of our members. She didn't have to introduce him to the pastor, since we had served together on several committees over the years and were on a first-name basis. As with so many of these contacts I have no idea where this will lead, but I doubt that he would have responded so readily to her invitation if he hadn't already known who I was.
My member's comment to me (regarding this gentleman's quick response to her invitation) was, "The Holy Spirit was surely preparing his heart!" And, of course, He was and is. What she perhaps didn't realize is that the Spirit had begun His work at least eight years earlier!
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