3d • Lessons Learned
Mission in Motion: My First Wedding Request (and It Was at a Bar)
I had barely unpacked.
Just moved my young family across the country, fresh into my first role as a pastor. Boxes still sealed, books not even on shelves yet.
That’s when a stranger walked up and told me:“You’re doing my wedding.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
He didn’t mean it as a request. He was insistent. And the wedding? It wasn’t at a church. It was at a bar.
Here’s what I quickly learned:
- He was 44.
- She was 24.
- And yes, she had once been his high school student.
Not exactly the picture-perfect start for a young pastor hoping for a tidy ministry.
But what could I do? I said yes.
That day taught me two things right away:
- You don’t get to choose where God asks you to serve.
- Faithfulness starts before you feel ready.
The wedding itself was … unconventional, to put it mildly. I felt in over my head, wondering what I had gotten myself into. But it planted a seed.
Over time, I built a relationship with that man.
We talked - We debated - We prayed. Slowly, he found his way back to church. Years later, he wasn’t just attending — he became a lay leader.
When I look back, I see it clearly:That wedding in a bar was the doorway. The start of a long journey that ended in real transformation.
Leaders, here’s the takeaway:
📌 You don’t always choose your assignments — sometimes they choose you.
📌 The most unorthodox doors can lead to the deepest fruit.
📌 Your “first” step of obedience often sets the tone for years of ministry ahead.
Reflection for You:What was your first unexpected assignment? The one that didn’t fit the mold but ended up shaping your calling?
Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear your story.
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Mission in Motion: My First Wedding Request (and It Was at a Bar)
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