now that I have...

Now that I was a pastor for 10+ years and am no longer one, I feel like I've earned the right to say this:

"Following Jesus" is not "becoming a pastor". I just heard it again from a pastor who said he was "climbing the corporate ladder" and then decided to follow Jesus and go "all in"... and ended up quitting his job and becoming a pastor. 

And? I would ask? And... then.... you... what? 

I once quit my corporate job and made much less money to become a pastor too because I thought the job would be more fulfilling and interesting than what I was doing, even though it happened to pay less. Pastors or non-profit employees are not more "Jesus" than CEO's, nurses, Uber drivers, game designers and pilots. I think we know this.

Side note: It does help leaders of churches and non-profits pay their employees less, because, after all, it is a more Jesus job - that's got to be worth something. 

Just another reminder: God is not here or there, just both.