Pastor’s Page

Volume 12 Week 41 October 8, 2006

You Are a Blessing to Me!

Some Often Unnoticed Extraordinary Servants Who Are Heroes to Pastor!

On my morning prayer list, I remind my self to pray for those who pray for me, just because it means so much to me that they do. The other morning, my heart ran to others who mean so much to me, and I found myself praying for all of those not usually mentioned in my prayers.

I’m not suggesting that these are people for whom you ought to pray also. I’m only sharing with you what’s on my heart this week, and this time of prayer stuck me so deeply that I thought I’d share it with you. Some might say it’s a slow week for news at Mount Calvary (as if there were any like that!). Others might say that the headlines in the kingdom of God are often written in places where only angels can read them.

Just in case, I’ll publish part of my list, and let all of my “angels” read it with me! Thanks for sharing these few moments on a topic that I really cherish: the angels in my life as a Pastor in the Church.

Prayers!

That’s pray-ers, not prayers. These are the people, (some known to me and others unknown,) who, for one reason or another, pray for me, for my ministry among you, for the sermon on Sunday, for my family, for the work at Mount Calvary, for our mission together in the community, for the hand of God’s blessing upon our Christian community.

I mention these people first, because as weak as I am in my own life of prayer, I truly believe the promise of the Lord, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

I experience the power of God in my life often, more often than I recognize it, but I recognize the special hand of his blessing often enough to know that He blesses me far more often than I recognize. (Does that make sense?) And when I see things happening through my feeble efforts at serving as your Pastor that are significant and transformational in the lives of Jesus’ children, I know someone has been praying. That’s pretty awesome, so I pray for those who pray for me. I never want to take you for granted. Don’t stop now. God is up to something!

Champions!

I guess I’m approaching about the six hundredth edition of the Pastor’s Page, and just about an equal number of sermons at Mount Calvary. Scary thought, huh? I’d hate to tally up the number of Bible classes, committee meetings and just plain conversations in the hallway, in homes and in my office or yours! Together, over the years, we’ve dreamed a lot of dreams together, planned a lot of ministry activities, worshipped and prayed and served in many, many ways.

Each dream, each conversation, each ministry activity and each contemplation of God’s word is another building block in the vision that Jesus has for us as His representatives in our community. “Champions of the vision” are those who expand the conversation, who pick up on a sermon or a Bible class or a thought in the Pastor’s Page or a conversation and spread it around, who stir up conversation among other family members or friends, or especially those beyond the boundaries of our church family.

Champions of the vision are our cross-pollinators, like honey bees sweeping across the fields, or birds who crack open seeds and then drop them here and there so that new plants pop up in the most unusual places. They take a promise from the Lord or a dream for our service together and they start conversations that spread, as Jesus said, like yeast through a lump of dough.

That kind of conversation is the beginning of wild fire that is always a sign of the Spirit’s activity among His people. I never want to take champions of the vision of the kingdom of God for granted. Don’t stop now. God is up to something!

Water Buckets!

A wise Pastor once taught me that everyone in the congregation is always carrying a figurative bucket in each hand. In one hand is a bucket of gasoline. In the other is a bucket of water.

From time to time, comments will be made that could start greatly hinder the Lord’s work at Mount Calvary. Usually not intended to be malicious, these are questions or comments that are misstatements of the truth that could easily turn into rumors or misunderstandings that cause conflict, grumbling or hard feelings about a decision or an activity at the church.

When a statement like that is made, the listener makes a decision about their buckets, whether to throw water or to throw gasoline. Those who clarify a misunderstanding or who help find the truth, the peacemakers, are throwing water. I thank God for those who throw water first and who protect my reputation and the integrity of our ministry together by “putting the best construction on everything,” and squelching false rumors before they get started. Don’t stop now. God is up to something!

Visitors!

You know the difference between a visitor and a guest, don’t you? A guest is the bravest person in St. Louis County on Sunday morning, the person who walks into the doors of our church for the first time. They are the most important person in our church. (The second most important person is the first person who speaks to our guest!)

A visitor is someone who takes the time to go visit someone in need. Someone who works at a hospital recently told me that they saw someone else in the parking lot heading toward the front door at a time when one of our members was inside.

Don’t stop now. God is up to something!

Barnabas!

The Apostle Paul had a friend named Barnabas. Some think it may have not been his real name, but his nickname, because it means, literally, “Encourager.” Paul had times when he needed a word of encouragement, and Barnabas was right there for him. His words and his prayers and his presence seem to have made all the difference for Paul when times got rough.

I am ever grateful to God for the Barnabas’s in my own life. Don’t stop now!

Have you thanked the Lord lately for some of the special friends He’s given to you?