A Growing Legacy

The first day we were here in India our hosts welcomed us with a formal meeting, songs, and a warm greeting. As the leader of our group, our hosts called me up to the front and had me introduce the rest of our group. They referred to me as “Pastor Michael from Aspen Grove.”

I’m not a pastor, but I didn’t correct our host because I wanted to be kind and culturally sensitive. In front of a group correcting him might be seen as an insult.
But as the week went on I kept getting promoted and my titles began to grow. Later I was introduced as “Pastor Michael, the Lead Pastor of Aspen Grove Community Church.” Then I was “Pastor Michael, who has been the Lead Pastor for five years at Aspen Grove.”

By the end of the week I was called up to give a greeting as, “The Reverend Michael, Lead Pastor of Aspen Grove.” If I stayed another week I’d probably be, “The Dr. Rev. Michael.”

Jon (who is a pastor at Aspen Grove) told me that if I stayed another week they’d start calling me the Pope.

Too bad I have to go home soon and just be Michael. It’s kind of fun to be Rev Michael. I guess he’s my Indian alter ego. Maybe I’ll get to be him again the next time we come back.

-MB