Justifying Your Leadership Calling

TWO YEARS AGO we were renovating my office at the church where I serve as the Lead Pastor. One day, one of our wonderful volunteers brought in a contractor who he hoped would do the carpentry work. My congregant cheerfully introduced me as his pastor. We made some small talk and I learned that the contractor was a devout Christian. We chatted about his church and he was cordial and polite. Yet, even as we talked I got a feeling. I thought to myself: “This man did not expect to meet a woman pastor and he does not like it.” …