I Don't Know Pete Wilson

This is Pete Wilson.

I’m writing the post that probably every pastor like me is writing or thinking about writing if they have any idea who Pete Wilson is and what just happened. To be honest and fair, I really don’t know who Pete Wilson is. I hadn’t heard his name until a few days ago when I heard he resigned from Crosspoint Church. I knew that was a big deal. One reason I knew this was because one of the local news channels tweeted about it. Think you are an important and influential pastor/regular human? If you quit your job would the local news tweet about it? That’s a hard “no” in my case. So that was one reason I knew it was a big deal. Another reason I knew this was a big deal is that Crosspoint is a big church. It’s a really big church - even a megachurch with multiple sites, one of which is three miles from my house. I knew it was close, but it’s exactly three miles. I confirmed it on Google Maps. I’m pretty tech-savvy. Something I just read said that 7,000 people attend their services. That’s a lot of people - more than the gospels report Jesus feeding in a massive feeding miracle (although it’s argued they were only counting the men - which is dumb cause why wouldn’t you want the biggest number possible? - it’s dumb for other reasons too). 

I guess the “why wouldn’t you want the biggest number possible?” is what started me writing this post, and what I’m guessing will cause lots of other people like me to write the exact same post - only way better. You see I don’t know Pete Wilson at all, and I don’t know exactly why he resigned. But he claims he was “empty,” “tired,” and “not okay.” I know those feelings, and I have a sneaking suspicion his feelings come from the same place as mine. There’s a pressure in certain branches of the Christian Church to get the biggest number possible. Pastors who have lots of people in seats/pews are seen as effective. Those who don’t just plain suck. We all know this isn’t really true, but often the pressure remains. Some pastors are asked to turn in weekly statistics that only measure the number of people who show up to things. This is all of course happening as increasing evidence tells us that fewer people are attending religious services overall due to more competition for their time and increasing work, family, and financial pressures.

I'm not saying it’s not a great goal to have more people involved with what you are doing if what you are doing is a wonderful thing. Anyone would be a fool to say, “I want fewer people involved in this amazing thing that is transforming the world.” But I have become enamored with the idea of “healthy growth.” Such growth focuses on the health of an organization as well as the health of its leaders. For instance, I don’t necessarily agree that it is healthy for a group to double in size in a year. It would depend on a number of factors about the group and what costs come at such an increase in size. And maybe this is where the rub is for me: we rarely talk about the cost of growth in my church circles. So we aren’t strategic and wise as we grow and people can get hurt in the process. 

Again, I don’t know Pete Wilson from Brian Wilson (although, I do know Brian Wilson because I’ve seen him on TV), but I can imagine many details of his story. He likely put everything he had into what he did. He was successful in attracting people to a new mission and idea of what church can be like. Growth occurred and that gets intoxicating, so he wanted more and more. He was probably surrounded by lots of people who supported him but maybe not that many who would get in his face and stand up to him (this could be a reach, but stay with me). And because everything he was doing was so good, maybe he didn’t stop regularly enough to count the cost on him and his soul and those he loves most. It’s possible that he also neglected self care and Sabbath (other essentials to healthy growth). And then he woke up and said, “Enough with this.” I admire his courage, honesty, and vulnerability in stepping down - especially when it’s clear by what I’ve heard that many people tried to talk him out of it. And what happens next with Crosspoint Church will be interesting to see. I pray for the best and for God’s spirit of guidance in this season of change. I pray above all for a healthy approach for all involved because while Jesus attracted some large crowds and called many followers, not everyone chose to go after him, and he didn’t seem obsessed with making sure everyone did. He didn’t chase after the rich young ruler and say, “Nevermind! You don’t have to sell everything you own and give the money to the poor. Just please come follow me cause I really need the numbers!” He realized there were sheep of other flocks that God would care for in other ways. But all who did follow him were offered healing and wholeness, and all of us would do well to put these things first in our leading and following. 

I don’t know Pete Wilson, but I hope he finds peace and healing. I believe God wants this peace and healing - or shalom - and will bring this for all creation. So the pressure doesn’t need to be on Pete or any of us to do anything other than receive and share this peace. And if we do this, we are doing enough.