A few weeks ago, we who generally preach from the Revised Common Lectionary dealt with the text "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2Tim4:7)

     Beyond whatever wisdom I imparted to the congregation, this text led me to personal reflection on my ministry.  I have fought the fight, run the race, and kept faith with my vision for Spiritual and Structural Transformation.  There have been times of joy and times of frustration, times of meaningful progress and times when I've felt like pulling my hair out.  I asked myself as my kids used to ask, "Are we there yet?" or at least "Are we as far as we're going to get with my leadership?"

     Sometimes God has a way of sending people our way with just the message we need, and I had members on consecutive days stop by to talk about the growth they felt they had experienced in their spiritual lives because of their involvement in ministry teams.  Although the majority of our members show up when they are in the mood and seem to prefer a spectator role in our ministry, that little bit of positive reinforcement went a long way toward convincing me that I had more fighting and racing to do to keep faith with my vision.  "For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie.  If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay." (Hab.  2:3)

     I was trained as a behavior analyst and I know that it is difficult to learn new behaviors because previously learned behaviors will interfere with the learning.  For some people it will be difficult to move beyond the general view that religion is a good part of the structure of society to the relational perspective held by those who take discipleship seriously.  Christmas, Easter, rites of passage religiosity seems to inoculate some people from learning and experiencing the transformational aspects of our faith.  If I come to terms with that reality, perhaps I have to readjusted some of my own expectations in terms of how long it might take to reach the critical mass where most of the congregation has bought into the process.  There is a significant amount of learning and unlearning that must take place for most life-long church members to understand what we are trying to do through The Jesus Connection.  But many do learn and find meaning in the process.

     There is still a vision for the appointed time.  I believe God is calling for major transformation in the American church, especially among old-line Protestants.  It is not a time to quit fighting or racing.  It is time to pray, and as Cliff Jones wrote last week, it is time to encourage one another in the process.  As Red Green says, "I'm pulling for you.  We're all in this together."

- Loren Olson       First United Church, Little Falls, Minnesota