WHY I DO IT

“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.”  (Psalm 26:7)

Recently, I mentioned a fellow pastor (without naming him) who essentially told me he has no time to waste on reading blogs and/or mass e-mailings.  Since I’m kind of famous on a small scale for writing a blog, for sending out mass e-mailings, for being somewhat sensational, and even for writing and mailing out (by U.S. mail) a personal newsletter to around 12 people every week, today I found myself thinking about WHY I do this stuff, and why I’m the way I am, and whether my style...the “way I operate” in life is savvy or stupid!

Well, here’s why I do it:

When you’re the little guy...when you’re pastoring a very small church which is (unfairly) thought of as insignificant...when you’re thought of (well if ANYBODY thinks of you AT ALL) as at best a hanger-on in life and at worst a total failure...well, if you’ve been marginalized or you’re “job” has been marginalized in the way I’ve experienced, you learn that you’ve gotta get creative.  You’ve gotta raise your voice.  You’ve gotta get “out there”.  And, as hard as this may be for some of you to believe, IF you’re willing to be a little eccentric, a little over the top, a little “in your face” and a little bit “out there” the publicity can be very beneficial and can really pay off.

When I first came to First Assembly of God of Framingham in 1987 the church had been in existence at that time for over sixty years.  As I moved about Framingham, I learned that virtually nobody had ever heard of the church.  They did not know where it was located.  They did not know anybody who attended the church.  They did not know anything about it.  And, in most cases, they didn’t WANT to know anything about it and whey wouldn’t have cared if it disappeared and ceased to exist at any time.  Most of the people who attended the church at that time were very nice people who were content to go to their kids’ hockey and soccer games and content to (as a church) be a nice happy little family.  Most of these people were not going to “go out there and make a big splash in the community”, so little by little I set out to do that.  It STILL bothers me that people around Framingham ask me, “Now WHERE is your church?” or “That’s a BRAZILIAN church, isn’t it?”  But as frustrating as it can be, I have gotten to know some “key players” in the Framingham community and our church (which still suffers from image problems) is perhaps better know than it has ever been.

A sort of a renaissance in my life and in the life of the church is when the Christian station “J-LIGHT RADIO” existed in Framingham from roughly 1997-2002.  Some of you will remember that I became sort of a “personality” on that station...appearing every Friday morning running a Bible trivia contest, and featured on-air in various other capacities.  My “radio star” status in the local Christian community ran from roughly 1998 to 2001.  In those days, I suddenly had people almost tripping over themselves to shake my hand at Christian functions, and I even ran into people around the community who were NOT evangelical Christians who listened to the station.  Most of you know, the station ultimately failed and disappeared, and now it’s just a faint memory, but those were exciting days for me.

A few years ago, I put together a sort of a one man dramatic presentation and made the rounds in this part of New England as a guest speaker.  I had a LOT of fun doing that and I was thrilled to make some extra money.  I must admit that I stopped doing that because I got tired of making phone calls and being told “no” but when I was persistent, I did get bookings.  Sometimes I wonder if I should get back to that again, and maybe I will.

My weekly newsletter goes to twelve or so people who are either personal friends of mine, friends of First Assembly of God of Framingham, or both.  That newsletter may seem like a lot of work and energy, and it is, but at times the recipients have unexpectedly visited a church service, sometimes dropping a large check to the church into the plate.  Once in awhile, one of them has even sent ME a donation.  Every week I manage to get those people’s attention and have them for a short time thinking (praying?) about Bob Baril and about First Assembly of God of Framingham.  I think that’s been worthwhile.

The blog also “puts me out in front of people”.  I’ve met people through this blog.  One person I met is Michelle Swartz McElroy who has a fantastic blog about Framingham called  www.thisisframingham.com   I’ve also developed a strong clergy relationship with The Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, pastor of First Baptist Church of Framingham who hasa blog entitled Rev-o-lution.  I think the fact that she’s a writer and that she’s willing to kind of “put herself out there” and be vulnerable is why I’ve had a strong connection to her.

Sadly, small churches close up EVERY DAY.  Sadly, pastors of small churches resign and leave the ministry EVERY DAY.  Sadly, most people don’t know or care about any of this stuff.  Once in awhile, there’s a guy who’s going to be crazy enough to get out there and get in your face and say, “I’m me, I matter, I’m important, and even more the church I pastor matters and is important.  Here I am, crazy ideas, sensational personality and all, and I’m not goin’ anywhere!”

Is this schtick of mine doing any good?  Well, you’re reading this, aren’t you?!