Guest preachers would almost always do a double take, and some even wondered out loud, “why are there two clocks in the back of the sanctuary?”
The congregation would laugh. “It is because we have an eccentric pastor,” I heard shouted a few times. Although, after the worship service people would inform him of our vision for mission work in Asia.
Why Have Two Clocks?
Each clock was labeled by its time zone, but one of them was set for an Asia time zone. This clock corresponded to the country where our global mission focus was located.
The two clocks kept us on time with our vision. It was a constant visual reminder of our unique calling to strive to advance the Gospel and plant churches among an unreached and unengaged people group far across the world.
As church members and even as a church, it is easy to forget our vision commitment, and sometimes even to forget the larger mission of the church in the world. We get absorbed in our own lives and organizational concerns, among other things.
Why Not Have Two Clocks?
We would hold our World Christian Prayer Meetings in the same room. The clocks helped us to pray better. Not only was it motivational to see them, but we could picture what was going on at that specific time and date with our national ministry partners and friends.
It is true that many comments and jokes made it into many sermons over the years, but we liked it that way. The pulpit comments from our guests helped us stay committed to our global mission focus and ready to articulate it. In addition, a number of my preacher friends would re-tell the story of the church with two clocks and help spread the vision.
Every vision needs a little eccentricity to help move it forward. It strengthens a group’s identity, commitment and fun together in fulfilling their calling. I believe this congregation loved the strangeness of its pastor and his vision.
The congregation would laugh. “It is because we have an eccentric pastor,” I heard shouted a few times. Although, after the worship service people would inform him of our vision for mission work in Asia.
Why Have Two Clocks?
Each clock was labeled by its time zone, but one of them was set for an Asia time zone. This clock corresponded to the country where our global mission focus was located.
The two clocks kept us on time with our vision. It was a constant visual reminder of our unique calling to strive to advance the Gospel and plant churches among an unreached and unengaged people group far across the world.
As church members and even as a church, it is easy to forget our vision commitment, and sometimes even to forget the larger mission of the church in the world. We get absorbed in our own lives and organizational concerns, among other things.
Why Not Have Two Clocks?
We would hold our World Christian Prayer Meetings in the same room. The clocks helped us to pray better. Not only was it motivational to see them, but we could picture what was going on at that specific time and date with our national ministry partners and friends.
It is true that many comments and jokes made it into many sermons over the years, but we liked it that way. The pulpit comments from our guests helped us stay committed to our global mission focus and ready to articulate it. In addition, a number of my preacher friends would re-tell the story of the church with two clocks and help spread the vision.
Every vision needs a little eccentricity to help move it forward. It strengthens a group’s identity, commitment and fun together in fulfilling their calling. I believe this congregation loved the strangeness of its pastor and his vision.
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