by Josh Monda | Feb 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
Well this weekend was a big one. I have decided to post somewhat of the process in thoughts that it might help others as they may go through the process. To my surprise many people read my blog though I am not sure why. This might be somewhat of a lengthy post and by all means if you do not want to read it then just move on you really will not offend me. Or you could just scroll towards the bottom and read that part.
We started our weekend by loading the van with everyone including my mother, and my niece and nephew. We had to drop my mother off at the church as she was heading to El Salvador on a missions trip and my niece and nephew were going to stay with their dad for the weekend. So we loaded up my mothers minivan and off we went. We had decided that we would just have a great family weekend as we needed some time together. So after dropping everyone off we headed for St. Louis first.
Our reasoning for going to St. Louis? We wanted to spend some time at the zoo. By the way if you have never been to the zoo in St. Louis you need to go. Parking is 11 dollars and the zoo is free to get in. I have always loved it there and the penguin exhibit is the best. Here is their link if you want to check it out www.stlzoo.org it will open in a new window. Well at the zoo it was great it was a little chilly but man we got to see everything and Micah (my son) ran around and he loved it. What made it so great in my opinion was two things. First there was hardly anyone there so you did not have to battle crowds, second we had the chance to see nearly every animal. We had a great time.
Well we left St. Louis and made our way to Jackson Mo. Here we stayed at the Drury Inn and I have to tell you it was a great stay. The Drury has started this thing called the 5:30 kickback in which they basically serve you dinner from 5:30 to 7 and it is free. On top of that you can get free fountain drink until 10pm and popcorn as well. I will tell you this is one of the most friendly hotels I have ever stayed in. We had a great time snacking on popcorn and sipping sodas as well as swimming and enjoying the hot tub. It was great to spend some time as a family just relaxing together and having fun. If you ever go through Jackson Missouri I would recommend the Drury Inn and you may even want to stay there eve if you doing things in Cape Girardeau. Here is the hotels site if you are interested Drury Inn.
Saturday we arrived in Golconda, Il. For those of you who may not have known where we were heading now you know. When we arrived in Golconda we took that opportunity to show Sarai the parsonage. She was very excited. Sarai has been ready to move for some time however I have tried not to tell her alot when I have spoken at other churches because I don’t want her to get her hopes up only to see things fall through. All of this to say that we loved the parsonage and so did she and it would be a nice place to live.
We then were taken out to our cabin where we would be staying. What I can say about that is awesome. I loved it, of course I am an outdoor person and I love being out in the country. I wish I would have brought my fishing pole as this cabin was right on the river. I have to tell you the church really took care of us and it was such a blessing. The cabin was just a wonderful experince and it was great to be out in country enjoying peace and quiet. If you want to check them out you can do so herehttp://www.popeco.net/barrencreekcottages/ I would encourage you that if you want some time away and are ever over near golconda or you like to fish then stay there. You can walk out the back door and walk down some stairs and be fishing. It was great.
Saturday night we had dinner with the Deacons and their wives. I must say I really enjoyed my time with them. I did alot of listening as I try to do anytime (I know it is hard to believe). One thing that stood out to me is the fact that my wife really had a good time Saturday evening. Tzigane is the exact opposite of me and she definitely is not as comfortable around new people as I am. If you put me in a crowded room of people I do not know I will get to know as many people as possible she would not. However, she loved her time with these ladies and for me that speaks volumes because I love my wife and need her to feel wherever we go as well. I will just say I really enjoyed my time with these men and they seem like they would be easy to work with.
Saturday evening we arrived back at the cabin and just enjoyed some quiet time together and I went over my sermon and then we went to bed we had to be ready for Sunday.
Some of you may want to skip to this point because you really just want to know how things went Sunday. Sunday started with Sunday School. My wife and I sat in the same class and I really enjoyed our time in that class. There was some good conversation and some great input. Sarai also went to a class and Micah to the nursery. Sarai made a friend right away which is fairly easy for her to do. Of course everyone seems to fall in love with Micah and he was just loving it all up. I must say I really was not nervous, during any of this time.
After Sunday school we headed up the sanctuary for the service. I had a great time in the service and as far as I could tell the sermon went well. My text was Mark 4:26-29 the parable of the growing seed. I preached like I normally do, even though I had all kinds of advice given to me about how to preach and what to say and not to say. If you are reading this and you are heading to a church in view of a call the best advice I can give you is be yourself. Whatever you do, do not try to be someone you are not. You will only disappoint the church when they think they are hiring one person and you turn out to be someone else. Be yourself, preach your sermon, and be transparent.
Following the service we had a lunch. Which I was the last one too because well I like to talk. It was funny because they told me to go to the front of the line which was nice but I almost felt bad. There was some good cooking down there in southern Illinois and man I enjoyed some great food. My daughter had way to much dessert but they can sure cook. During lunch I sat with some teens and talked with them a little bit. I love teenagers and to be honest I love hanging out with them and seeing what is on their mind. I enjoyed our lunch but I new the Q and A times was coming and I wanted to be focussed for that time. After we had lunch we had the Q and A time.
During this time I was asked several questions. However, I was never asked a question that seemed to have some sort of ulterior motive to it. I felt every question asked was a good question and I enjoyed answering them to the best of my ability. If you would like to know some of the questions just shoot me an email from the site and I will let you know. What I believe is important for any pastor in this process is to try to understand the question and think it through and then deliver the answer. So often we get frustrated or upset with a question and really there is no need to be. So my advice would be to remain calm, take a deep breath and think it through. If you do not know an answer just tell them you do not know the answer.
Taking everything into account I felt the weekend was great. I had a great time my family felt loved and we enjoyed ourselves. I could see myself ministering there. However that decision is not up to me. Nor really is it up to the church but up to God. Please pray for the church to have wisdom, and to be united no matter what their decision. I can tell you this no matter whether the answer is yes or no. I met some great brothers and sisters in the Lord and I pray God will bless them. It was a weekend I will not forget, and a weekend where this verse rang true. 1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart ( NKJV)”
Part 3 Is yet to come.
by Josh Monda | Feb 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
May 26
My Ordination, Where God is leading, and so forth.
Posted by Josh
It was a long time coming. I still remember the early days in my ministry after I had been ministering at First Baptist Church in Atlanta MO and right before I went to Exeter Bible Church in PA I was going to be ordained. However Exeter wanted to ordain me so I held off. The problem came when 9 months after I arrived at Exeter the pastor left and we began a rather long search for a pastor. We did find a Pastor and a few years after that I thought it might be a good time to go through the ordination process. Once again it was halted by my resignation and my subsequent move back to Missouri.
This all leads me up to where God may possibly be leading me. After moving back to Missouri I began to try to find a church to minister in as a youth pastor with little success. During this this time of looking for a youth pastorate I had many friends and family ask me if I had ever considered beign a Sr. Pastor. To be honest that has never even really been on my radar. So often my response has simply been no and God has called me to youth ministry. However that began to change for me over time.
I became a member at FBC macon nearly a year ago. I needed a place where my wife and myself could find healing and a place that we could call home. We found it at FBC macon. I have had the priviledge t osit under some great teachign while being there and have had the awesome privledge to have to pastors I consider friends. I know these men love me and I feel the same way about them. It was at this church that God began to change my though process. It was here that God let minister. It was a few months ago that I had a conversation with Pastor Tim and we began to talk and he said “i believe God may be calling you to be Sr. Pastor” and htough I had heard this many times before this time it was sinking in.
After that conversation I began to pray even harder and seek what God could be saying to me. Though I did not feel I had a clear answer from God I did feel that if God wanted this He would reveal it to me. So I decided to pursue it a little farther and I submitted my resume to a couple pf church that I felt would be a good fit for me. I really did not expect to get a call. One of those churches called me within minutes after receiveing my resume, in addition I have been contacted by other church that received my resume from others. Could htis be the Lord’s leading? Right now I believe it is indeed God’s direction. God has given me a peace about this which I never though I would have. I pray for god to lead me to the right place.
To top all of this off I had a wonderful ordination service this past Sunday night. The encouragement I recieved form the deacons and other pastors was overwhelming to me. I am honored the FBC Macon has seen qualities in me worthy of Ordination. I want to be where God wants me and nowhere else and if that mean I am a Sr. Pastor that is what I want. Please pray for God’s direction.
Uncategorized
May 19
God’s Miracle to us
Posted by Josh
One year ago today my son was born. Micah John Monda was a surprise to both my wife and I. After nearly 8 years of trying to have a second child Micah came along. What miracle he was then and still is. He brings joy to our lives on an everyday basis with our daughter Sarai. There is nothing quite like seeing a baby develop and begin to smile and in some cases to see their daddy in them. I hope people see my daddy in me I hope my life point to my heavenly father. I will write more later on some amazing things God is doing in my life right now. Here are some pics of my son.
Uncategorized
May 13
Clayton’s Story
Posted by Josh
This is a powerful video that not only all teens should see but all people. It is worth a few moments of your time
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
May 04
So Bizarre – Bizarre Foods Sneak Peak
Posted by Josh
One show I like to watch around my house is Bizarre foods. Now I know that this show may gross some people out but for me the culinary appetite of Andrew Zimmern is mind boggling. He often seems to have a way of taking some food that you may think sounds like the grossest things in the world abd make it sound good and even seem good when he tries it.
If you have not watched Bizarre foods it is on the Travel Channel on Tuesdays at 10pm eastern. On the show Andrew tries everything that you could possible imagine. From bats, to intestines, to everything in between. many times I wish I could be in the countries that he travels too and try some of the food he tries. Though I may never experience it I sometimes feel as though I get to experience it through him. Here is a sneak peak of tomorrows episode. I encourage you to stop by and watch it remember Tuesdays at 10pm on the travel channel.
My Thoughts
by Josh Monda | Feb 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
May 26
My Ordination, Where God is leading, and so forth.
Posted by Josh
It was a long time coming. I still remember the early days in my ministry after I had been ministering at First Baptist Church in Atlanta MO and right before I went to Exeter Bible Church in PA I was going to be ordained. However Exeter wanted to ordain me so I held off. The problem came when 9 months after I arrived at Exeter the pastor left and we began a rather long search for a pastor. We did find a Pastor and a few years after that I thought it might be a good time to go through the ordination process. Once again it was halted by my resignation and my subsequent move back to Missouri.
This all leads me up to where God may possibly be leading me. After moving back to Missouri I began to try to find a church to minister in as a youth pastor with little success. During this this time of looking for a youth pastorate I had many friends and family ask me if I had ever considered beign a Sr. Pastor. To be honest that has never even really been on my radar. So often my response has simply been no and God has called me to youth ministry. However that began to change for me over time.
I became a member at FBC macon nearly a year ago. I needed a place where my wife and myself could find healing and a place that we could call home. We found it at FBC macon. I have had the priviledge t osit under some great teachign while being there and have had the awesome privledge to have to pastors I consider friends. I know these men love me and I feel the same way about them. It was at this church that God began to change my though process. It was here that God let minister. It was a few months ago that I had a conversation with Pastor Tim and we began to talk and he said “i believe God may be calling you to be Sr. Pastor” and htough I had heard this many times before this time it was sinking in.
After that conversation I began to pray even harder and seek what God could be saying to me. Though I did not feel I had a clear answer from God I did feel that if God wanted this He would reveal it to me. So I decided to pursue it a little farther and I submitted my resume to a couple pf church that I felt would be a good fit for me. I really did not expect to get a call. One of those churches called me within minutes after receiveing my resume, in addition I have been contacted by other church that received my resume from others. Could htis be the Lord’s leading? Right now I believe it is indeed God’s direction. God has given me a peace about this which I never though I would have. I pray for god to lead me to the right place.
To top all of this off I had a wonderful ordination service this past Sunday night. The encouragement I recieved form the deacons and other pastors was overwhelming to me. I am honored the FBC Macon has seen qualities in me worthy of Ordination. I want to be where God wants me and nowhere else and if that mean I am a Sr. Pastor that is what I want. Please pray for God’s direction.
Uncategorized
May 19
God’s Miracle to us
Posted by Josh
One year ago today my son was born. Micah John Monda was a surprise to both my wife and I. After nearly 8 years of trying to have a second child Micah came along. What miracle he was then and still is. He brings joy to our lives on an everyday basis with our daughter Sarai. There is nothing quite like seeing a baby develop and begin to smile and in some cases to see their daddy in them. I hope people see my daddy in me I hope my life point to my heavenly father. I will write more later on some amazing things God is doing in my life right now. Here are some pics of my son.
Uncategorized
May 13
Clayton’s Story
Posted by Josh
This is a powerful video that not only all teens should see but all people. It is worth a few moments of your time
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
May 04
So Bizarre – Bizarre Foods Sneak Peak
Posted by Josh
One show I like to watch around my house is Bizarre foods. Now I know that this show may gross some people out but for me the culinary appetite of Andrew Zimmern is mind boggling. He often seems to have a way of taking some food that you may think sounds like the grossest things in the world abd make it sound good and even seem good when he tries it.
If you have not watched Bizarre foods it is on the Travel Channel on Tuesdays at 10pm eastern. On the show Andrew tries everything that you could possible imagine. From bats, to intestines, to everything in between. many times I wish I could be in the countries that he travels too and try some of the food he tries. Though I may never experience it I sometimes feel as though I get to experience it through him. Here is a sneak peak of tomorrows episode. I encourage you to stop by and watch it remember Tuesdays at 10pm on the travel channel.
My Thoughts
by Josh Monda | Feb 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
It was about 2 years ago when I first came to FBC Macon looking for a place to heal. My wife and I had been through a terrible battle within the church and to be honest I did not know what was going to happen next in our lives. The only thing I knew is that I wanted to find a place where we would be loved and where I could sit under sound teaching. These two fundamentals were vital for me. After serving as a pastor for 15 years I wanted to just blend in for once. For once I did not want to be known as a pastor and I did not want the junk that I had thought went along with it. To say we were beat up I think would really be an understatement. However this post is not to focus on what has happened elsewhere but I write to focus on what God has done since that time in our lives.
You see when we first came to Macon I did not want anyone to know that I used to be a youth pastor. In fact I sat in my Sunday school class for months without telling them my background or what I had done for a living for the previous years. Yet week after week we felt loved and wanted and accepted. Not because I was a pastor but for who we were. Week in and week out I had a tremendous opportunity to sit under solid Bible teaching that challenged me often. After a few months I decided it was time to be involved in the church. However, I firmly believe you become a member and then you get involved. So we became member.
I cant even begin to tell you the tremendous amount of love we have felt from our church family. I cant even tell you about all of the times people have come and encouraged me or told me they were praying for me. I have been moved in ways that has just been overwhelming. The other night as I stood in the pulpit to preach my sermon it almost did not feel real. As I took time to thank the church for all they have done it also hit me like a ton of bricks that one day I would move on.
I have made so many friends in this church. I have great relationships with the pastors of this church and even as I write this I am sad. I love it here. I love the people and to be honest I never want to leave. However God has placed a call on my life and to be disobedient is not an option.
Thank you so much Macon FBC for all you have done. I do not know how much longer I have hear sometimes I wish it was alot longer. But this church will never know how much it has touched me. It will never know the healing it has brought to my family. The people of this church have displayed the Love of Christ to me in ways I have never seen before. In addition to that I have had the awesome privilege to be on staff here. First as the intern youth pastor and currently as the interim children’s pastor. Thank you for loving my family, and giving me an opportunity to serve. Whatever happens in the future I love this church and they will always have a special place in my heart.
by Josh Monda | Feb 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
I was reading this blog post tonight and it really spoke to me because this is where I am currently at in my life.
Thanks to http://timschmoyer.com
Last week in a conversation with my mentee, he asked, “How do you know if you’re called to ministry?” If we’re all honest, there have been times when each of us has questioned our calling to ministry, particularly during the difficult times. My mentee is not currently in that situation, but the issue of feeling “called out” of ministry is still a difficult one. When we go into vocational ministry, we often use language like, “God is calling me to serve at this church.” Or, when we leave one ministry position and go to another, we say, “God called me away from that ministry to this new one.” Sometimes we’re clearly over-spiritualizing a situation, sometimes not. But when we start to question the calling, let’s not confuse those emotions with ones of discouragement or insecurity. For example, if you had a lot of people encouraging and supporting you, would you still feel “called out” of ministry? If you felt affirmed by key people in your ministry, would your calling change? Remember, our calling into ministry does not come from people, nor should it be retracted by people. It comes solely from the Lord. If you’re doubting your call to ministry, don’t confuse it with feeling discouraged or insecure. Deep down, we all feel that in ministry.
Affirmation and encouragement are absolutely healthy and necessary things to have in your ministry, but never should we base a calling to ministry on the praise or opinions of others. Base your calling on the Lord’s direction in your life.
