Thinking on the Way

Two Sundays ago our Pastor announced he was leaving the church for a long-term mission opportunity in Africa. This certainly is an answer to his heart and will be a blessing to him and those he ministers to.

The issue is we are a small church (only about 10 regular attendees) and can't afford to pay him. He has been working a full time job while pastoring this church.

So who is going to replace him?

In his "I'm leaving speech" he spoke so optimistically about how the next pastor will take the church to the next spiritual level. I'm having trouble imaging a new pastor coming in at all.

Certainly it is correct to believe with God all things are possible. Certainly given the job, a pastor has to have the optimistic, God will do it attitude or the job will crush them. Just what is it that causes a pastor to have unrealistic expectations on what God will do?