Welcome Mike Golden to the PhxP
It’s rodeo week here, which used to happen concurrently with the Calvary Chapel Senior Pastor’s Conference in Murrieta. I usually opted to stay home, a decision that I wouldn’t change, even though I did enjoy the times that I attended the SPC. The last year I attended was six years ago. I had a great time, brought my son and spent most of our time with people who I conversed with on this and another blog. Caught an early flight out of ONT Friday morning and was in the stands for Friday night rodeo. It was the last time I heard Chuck speak, and I think the last time they had the conference at Murrieta. It was also the last CC conference I attended. Rodeo week here reminds me of a time that was and is no longer.
Much has changed for many of us over the past six years. Calvary Chapel split, I’ve left CCA, and making steps to become SBC. I’ve earn a second Masters and Doctorate during this season. I listen to more secular music now; less Country and more 90’s alternative. I don’t know the names of most current bands, nor do I care.
I’m no longer dogmatically convinced of a pre-trib rapture and am less certain about doctrines that people hold rather dearly. I like most women pastors better than I like most men pastors. I’ve stopped teasing my friend who is a CC pastor for what I consider to be his poor choice of friends, particularly those who he grew up with in the movement. I won’t name them. I recognize this is his upbringing, his sphere of influence and understanding that he has chosen to live in. It is the lens through which he views his reality. I see my world as much broader. Live and let live. I don’t care what McFotch and company do any more; not my tribe, not my problem. Calvary was good for me for a season, it was also toxic to me for a season; it’s time to leave all that behind.
I am trying to write some things, I have various ideas. Writing is hard discipline and there is no substitute to actually sitting in the chair for long hours sifting through your own personal wheat and chaff. You have to be your harshest critic to produce your best work. I’m actually thinking about retirement and what that really would look like. I think the world has gotten really crazy over the last 40 years and staying home, tending my garden and playing with my dog is looking better and better
Welcome Mike Golden! Interested to hear more about the journey. I’m trying to decide if I want to start a Dmin, a Phd …or wait a while. Tough to say just yet. What did you do, and how was it?
Welcome Mike! If you want suggestions on current bands, let me know. Off to see Vampire Weekend tonight… ?
Really looking forward to what you have to share in this time of transition.
Thanks Josh. I did two Masters and a Doctorate back to back to back. What helped get through it me is that I’m older, my kids are out of the house, and my church is rather small. I also have a very supportive wife. The readjustment back into a “normal ” life has not been as smooth as I anticipated.
I did the DMin as I wanted to focus my primary contribution toward those in the pews. A DMin focuses on practical theology in addresses issues and proposing solutions for the church. That doesn’t mean that PhDs don’t contribute to the church on a practical level, they do at many levels. If I had done this 20 years ago, I probably would have done a PhD. As I’m sure you know, PhDs are who most schools are hiring, so I would recommend that route if you think you might like to teach in an academic setting. There are DMin who teach full time, but from my experience, most are adjuncts. I’m sure Duane could weigh-in with some good advice for you as well.
Duane,
Thanks Duane. I need someone to drag me into this decade 😉
Hello Mike, glad to see you here and look forward to your contributions. One thing I need to straighten you out on is you will always find yourself floundering if you don’t move the oldies from the ’50’s thru the 70’s to the top of your music list. I have a few thousand suggestions!! 🙂 God bless! Allan
Josh,
Most DMin programs require a certain number of years in pastoral ministry post M.Div., although they might count some of your pastoral work pre-M.Div. In any case, the DMin is a more collaborative process. I’m in the third month of a DMin, and I can say, it is a completely different experience to the PhD. As Mike said, it really depends on what you want to do with it…
Yeah, I’m not sure what I want to do when I grow up 🙂
(I’m 44, but that’s not really a joke)
Vampire Weekend, Duane? My kids would think you very cool. ?
Pastor Mike, I have deduced that you live in beautiful country. Im looking forward to reading your articles.
Joel G
‘Modern Vampires of the City’… great lyrics, great arrangements, great guitar work…?
Thanks Erunner. I’m a mixed bag on 50’s – 70’s music. I like late 60’s- mid 70’s, but there is nothing like a line up of 90’s music. blessings to you!
JoelG, sounds like you must know where I live, LoL.
staying home, tending my garden and playing with my dog is looking better and better<<<
That's what I do 🙂
Good to see you !
Mike
Looking forward to more of what you write and hiw you are led to minister in season of hitting a new stride in your race of being in Christ.
Glad I met you while playing hooky from Warm
Beach to grab some coffee and then with you and Tim a few years in Murietta.
” Calvary was good for me for a season, it was also toxic to me for a season; it’s time to leave all that behind. ”
*******
Ditto on that Mike. I shared some of that toxic season with you. I have fond memories of worship times with you, your wife and Mitch on the worship team. I envy you at the rodeo, husband and I always loved to go to the rodeo. Always all the best to you.
thanks Xenia. God has so much to teach us in the garden.
Vic, good times! Wish you the best and always enjoy staying connected via your fb posts.
TheGhostofBelleStarr,
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, on so many, many levels. I’ve learned to be at peace with all of it and to leave them peaceably where they are. Wouldn’t trade it for anything with the exception of the incredible physical pain my wife went through. I wrote part of my dissertation on her experience during that time.
On cool bands note, if you like Metal with a Seventies sound I recommend The Sword.
Your movement out of Calvary Chapel sounds like mine, although less whiny and over a longer period, which is to say it’s nothing like mine.
Welcome! You’ll find my commentary worth all the kilobytes it takes to post.
Thanks Jerod,
I’ll give it a listen. I whined a lot in private, mainly to people who didn’t really want to hear it. That told me a few things. The principle of being careful where we cast our pearls for starters — and no, I’m not implying they are swine. It took a while, but I finally realized people are going to do what they want and they really don’t care what you think. Best to focus on other things.
Congratulations Mike… I look forward to your contributions here…. We were just talking about making a summer jaunt out to your neck of the woods… Hopefully, we can catch a service…. Sounds like some wonderful seasons of spiritual growth and maturity happening in your life. Congratulations again.
Hi Mike, welcome to the throw down room. 🙂
So when you flip to SBC, other than your new association, will there be noticeable difference to the Sunday morning service or the weekday Bible studies?
If I hadn’t been to your church in 5 yrs, what would I notice other than the Chuck Smith pictures have been replaced by photos of W.A. Criswell? 🙂
I say that lovingly as I know Mike was an old SBC guy and classmate with Rick Warren.
Paige,
Thanks, would love to see you and your husband.
mld,
LoL! I don’t think we will change anything. Part of my thinking of becoming a cooperative church is that in many ways, that is who we already are. About the only changes I have made in the last few years have been shortening our service time and taking communion more frequently. And I refer to the bread as the body of Christ, and the cup as the blood of Christ. No pictures, no bookstore, but if you have an old picture of you and Rick Warren together, we would consider hanging it in a back hallway. 😉 thanks……
Mike, so good to see you here!! It has been a while. Looking forward to future posts.
Looking forward to more conversations with you Kevin. Thanks. Blessings to you.
Is this “Centorian” of days gone by?
Might be… 🙂