My First Post

Wow, I've always wanted to have a blog to post on - so here's my very first entry.

Let me get this out of the way right off the start - I work with highschool kids at a church. In other words, I am a youth pastor. Most of the time I really wish I didn't have to tell people that. As soon as you use the word "pastor" things change. People put up walls. "Oh, he's one of those". And they change their behaviour to be in line with what they feel I as a pastor think they should be like. They are not real, they are not honest, and they certainly don't open up. They become very guarded, and don't show me who they really are. It means they can't swear, drink, smoke, make fun of religion and the church, make any sort of questionable comment; in short, relax and let it all hang out. That's shitty, because those are all things that I enjoy!

It's not that these are all there is to life. It's that when you are a pastor, people feel they have to hide things - either things that they believe I'll shame them for, or things that they are ashamed for. And when people feel they have to hide things, it means they're scared. And when people are scared, they are not honest and cannot be themselves. Ultimately, it means there is little chance of true friendship.

I have experienced this over and over with youth, with people my age, with family members (particularly on my wife's side), with people at the Photo Club I belong to, and many others. We just bought a house and moved to a new neighbourhood a couple of months ago. We would really like to become friends with our neighbours - they are a young couple our age, and appear to be very friendly. And they have a hot tub! During Christmas we took them over a plate of baking just to say hi, and they loved it. In fact, they mentioned that they would like to have us over. So in my head I imagine this scenario: we go over for the evening, walk in the door and sit down. What is the first question they ask? "So, what do you do?" And I have to tell them I'm a pastor. "Oh, that's nice" they say, but they don't mean it. The light goes out in their eyes, their faces close up, and it is an awkward evening. And we're never invited over there again. Truthfully, I do imagine the worst case scenarios.

At least I have some friends who still want to hang with me (and practice all those great vices with me) even though I'm a pastor.

Anyway, I guess that's my first post.

Jason

P.S. - To my friends in on this blog with me: I put some of my own interests into the profile, but I think anyone should feel free to add whatever they like/want.