Every Week A Tryout

In the world of preaching as a profession/career, I doubt there are scarier, more anxiety driven, more exciting Sundays than what many call “try out Sunday.” On these days a preacher and his family will make the trek to a new congregation and go through a tryout process, much akin to a job interview in the secular world. 

If I understand correctly, the tryout usually consists of teaching the Sunday morning adult Bible class (usually in the auditorium), and preaching the Sunday morning sermon. Those are the basics. But, very few tryouts are basic. 

A tryout may consist of a weekend full of youth devos, meeting elders and deacons (or committee members), job interview, open question forum with men or all members of the congregation, meals and conversations, discussion, doctrinal questions, nursing homes, head stands, and much much more. Tryout Sundays are nerve-racking. You have to bring your best and be your best. Your auditorium class needs to be the perfect balance of lecture and input/discussion. You cannot let someone take over the class and look like a push-over NOR can you ignore comments or questions from your future (hopefully) employers and co-workers in the Lord. Your sermon must be the best sermon you have ever preached but probably not one you submitted to them in the application process or one they can easily find online. In conversation you and your family must be up to the task of talking school, politics, demographics, hobbies, family, and more. At meals you must be willing to eat everything but not too much. Your children (if you are so blessed) cannot misbehave but also cannot look like they are robots without personality. The must be bathed and combed and clothed in their Sunday best (but not too nice if you haven’t discussed salary). Your wife (if you are so blessed) must be spouse, mother, conversation starter, chief supporter, not too proud, pretty, plain, funny, serious, relatable, distinct, willing but not eager, and more. The man must look the part and sound the part. He must have all the answers and be willing to learn. He must be in his 30s-40s with 20 years experience. He needs a degree but cannot act learned. His shoes must be shined, his pocket square aligned, and his hair (if he is so blessed) sublime. 

Granted, this is how some preachers view tryouts. There may even be a few elders or Christians who view them the same way – like a trial by fire of prospective ministers. But, this is an exaggeration, a caricature. No doubt. But, you get the point, tryouts are high stress!

Now, I’ve only had one “tryout Sunday” in all my life and it was over 12 years ago before Lisa and I moved to San Marcos. So, I am no expert on tryouts. But, I have recently encountered what all supported missionaries have had to face: going from town to town, congregation to congregation, eldership to eldership, pulpit to pulpit, in search of funding for our family to move and work in Singapore. Very early in that process, I felt the great stress of needing to be “on point” every week with every person and in every pulpit. To me, it felt like every week was (and is) a tryout. I present the work we have planned, if the Lord allow us to live and wills, in Singapore. Elders or deacons or committee members discuss with and about us while we hope and pray that they choose some of their mission budget to be directed our way. I usually have the opportunity to preach. We often stay with strangers and eat with them.

As we travel north, south, east, and west, we meet new people and have new experiences and stay in new homes and discuss the same thing. The mission presentation needs to be flawless, but can I use notes? The sermon needs to be spectacular, but it shouldn’t be a sermon that has been posted online in case they check. The children must look sharp, but should they still wear those “we’re looking for support” jeans* with holes? Lisa puts undue pressure on herself wondering what kind of food will be served, what she might be expected to say or do or go without a heads’ up. And more. 

*As an aside: Annie loves shoes that are falling apart. Luke doesn’t really know how to comb his hair, but we usually let him anyway. He also loves to crawl in on his knees in new pants resulting in frays. We think it is normal. Troy is growing so fast most of his pants are “geared for rain” – and we don’t want to buy more and move them 10,000 miles. Ella has the same problem with shirts. So, if they look too small, please know that we are not encouraging immodesty. We just did not get it checked in the chaos of getting out of the house of our gracious host.

In the last seven crazy months of what has felt like tryouts and tryouts, we have had some awkward meals, misbehaved kids, preaching that was less than flawless, conversations that went dry, and more. Here are a few things I have learned through this “tryout” process:

1. Supported missionaries have a difficult task long before they reach the mission field. We knew going into this that the fundraising process would be hard work. We knew before getting started that many before us had gone through the support raising process. We just didn’t know what it was like.
2. Elders have a very difficult job in regards to stewardship of the local treasury. The work of an elder and elderships are difficult. However, I know there are so many good works where they could allocate funds. Most elderships do due diligence, care deeply about ministers and missionaries, and are cautious yet gracious with the Lord’s money.
3. Christians are hospitable. They will open their homes, hearts, and lives. They will feed you. They will bend over backward for you. They will accommodate you and four children. They will watch dogs. They will offer hotel rooms and whole houses.
4. Christians are generous. Not only have we been blessed in our support raising, we have also seen first hand the generosity of congregations and individuals. They cover our expenses and milage. They have given us money for the road. They have gone over and beyond to the glory of the Lord.
5. Christians are gracious. If you misspeak, they forgive. If you look at your notes, they do not judge. If your tie is crooked or a slide has a misspelled word or the children talk or or or, they will give you the benefit of the doubt.
6. Children are resilient. They can go miles and miles. They complain and want to be home, but so do we. Our kids, Ella, Troy, Luke, and Annie have had remarkably good attitudes about different places, different Bible classes, different beds, long car trips, long lunches, long meetings, and more. They have made new friends and showed model patience and endurance.
7. My wife is amazing. Staying up late, sharing the driving load, putting together power points, meeting new people, eating new places, keeping her weekends clear because she never knows where we might be going on our “free” Sundays. She left her comfort zone a long time ago. She has been frustrated, but she has loved, parented, helped, and encouraged more than ever before in our marriage. As I tell her often, I am so happy to be doing life with her.
8. I do not like asking for support, but I love talking about good works. Most of the people I have known in my life did not find asking other people for money a fun or enjoyable task. I understand how the Lord’s church works and supports and shares, but I still have a hard time asking for money. It is not my favorite thing to do. I have found most people do not mind us asking for money because we truly believe in the good work and great opportunities in Singapore and at Four Seas. I love talking about good works. Ask me about McCarty or the Southwest School of Bible Studies or VBS in the park or short-term campaign work or Peach Valley AIM camp or more good works that I’ve been blessed to be involved in, and I would love to tell you about them. I really like talking to people about what is going on and what we hope to do across the ocean.
9. Our God is an awesome, caring God. We have been praying. We know others have been praying. This support raising process has been extremely humbling as we seek to use the Lord’s money, and it has shown us how our God answers prayers!

-Trent