You may have seen the poll about whether Commander Bill Should be an Awana Missionary. 60% said yes as of this post. The question, addressed in the original post, is, where is God leading me?
The question was posed to see how others viewed “Commander Bill” and not to help me discern God’s will. So let me answer the question about whether or not I plan to apply to be an Awana missionary.
The short answer is… no.
I truly enjoy serving with the Awana missionaries and consulting with clubs and leaders about how to reach children more effectively. But for various reasons, I do not believe God would have me be an Awana missionary at this time. I am serving as the Associate Pastor of Children & Youth (bi-vocationally) at my church, and I believe that God has placed me here for this time. Being bi-vocational is challenging and there are things that frustrate me, but this is where God has me serving at this time. I would love to serve full-time in children’s ministry, but God has not opened that door and Awana is not currently the path for me.
So while I am humbled when people suggest I should be an Awana missionary, and I am truly humbled by the many served by my web site, I need to focus on my position in the church, where God has placed me.
If I may be able to assist you in anyway, please feel free to ask. Together, we can do great things for God!
Thanks for being so open with this process. I think you make a good model of careful decision making and seeking God’s direction.