Don't be an Imitation!

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning." ~ Psalm 130:5-6

"Oxygen is required for human life to exist. Fuel is needed for an automobile to run. And intimacy with Christ is the essential element and necessary fuel for useful ministry. If your faith doesn’t show through your ministry, you’re simply an echo of what God intends you to be. Your personal relationship with God greatly affects everything in ministry. As a spiritual leader, if you’re not Christlike, you can’t be productive.

 

Jesus was absolutely correct when He warned, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Note the promise—bearing much fruit. Merely standing close to spiritual fires won’t make your ministry vibrant. Without constant contact with Jesus, you’ll soon become shallow, your vision superficial, your influence diluted and your satisfaction near zero. You’ll just be an imitation of the real thing."

~  The Shepherd's Covenant for Pastors by H. B. London & Neil B. Wiseman

"Often the work of the Lord itself may be a temptation to keep us from that communion with Him which is so essential to the benefit of our own souls."

 ~ George Muller

May you never allow ministry for Jesus rob you of intimacy with Jesus. May you never be an echo, but always the real thing!

Because apart from Him we can do nothing, 

~ PJVS

Lead Anyway...

"And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly." ~ Luke 22:61-62

"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." ~ John 21:17

"Peter’s failure shouldn’t serve as an indictment to discourage you from becoming a leader. It’s an encouragement that God, even with your weaknesses, can accomplish his work through you. That’s very good news! You are flawed, yes. But God will still use you to lead others to advance his kingdom. While you are responsible to learn all you can and grow to be like Jesus in every way possible, your usefulness is more dependent on God’s grace than your effort. He has called you to leadership — so lead.

You will fail. You will disappoint yourself, your followers, and God—but lead anyway... Peter’s failures didn’t disqualify him from significant leadership in the early church and from leaving a legacy for the church for all time. Flawed people can still make a profound leadership contribution."... You will make leadership mistakes. You will fail both personally and professionally in fulfilling your leadership role. You will blow it so badly some days that you will be sure your church or ministry should fire you and God should put you on the shelf. When you think all is lost, Jesus will surprise you. He will restore you as his follower and put you back into leadership." ~ Jeff Iorg, from SEASONS OF A LEADER'S LIFE . 

Don't give up! Just continue to make "a profound leadership contribution" ... as you depend on God's amazing grace.

Because "the righteous falls seven times and rises again" (Prov. 24:16)

~ PJVS 

The Sting of Criticism...

Louis McBurney wrote the following in the book "Standing Fast: Ministry in an Unfriendly World". 

"The ministry is sometimes pressure, discouragement, disappointment, heartache, criticism, and conflict. I try to communicate that to all who are considering the job. If they don’t believe me, I just show them my mail.

   • Don’t Believe Everything You Hear... 

Recently a woman shook my hand after one service and said, “Good grief, Pastor! Your hand is soft. I bet you haven’t seen a good day’s work in your entire life.”

She grinned, turned, and walked off. She obviously didn’t know how such a statement can hit pastors. I just stood there thinking to myself, Thank you very much. Good day to you as well!

A lot of criticism people throw our way is based on ignorance or misconceptions. When it’s appropriate, I try to educate people. But when it’s not, I find it best just to forget the comment.

   • Ask God About It...

When I encounter tough opposition or a stinging criticism, I ask myself, “Is God trying to show me something in this? Is this a process of character development in my own life?”

So I sometimes take these criticisms to the Lord in prayer: “This is what they’ve said about me Lord. Is it true? Help me to be honest with myself and determine what truth, if any, lies behind their comment.”

I will actually read to God the letters critical of me. Sometimes I discover God is trying to say something to me. Other times, he reassures me that I’m on the right track and not to become discouraged."

As you move into the busy days ahead, may you "Stand Fast" and remember ... "We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;" 

- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Because He set before us an open door, 

which no one is able to shut, 

~ PJVS

Selfless Compassion...

"I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race..." ~ Romans 9:1-3

I attended an ordination service for a good friend some years ago. He was being ordained to the Gospel ministry with a focus on inner city mission work. His brother spoke of growing up near the city and making many visits as a family. One thing he remembered about my friend was the way he wept over the homeless and downtrodden of the city. To this day my friend has unceasing anguish in his heart for the city. He has selfless compassion.

Sincere ministry should be passionate. The passion comes from deep within and motivates us as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14, "For Christ’s love compels us..." In the above passage he is also moved by the lost condition of his brothers and he has a passion for their salvation. His passion is so strong that he is willing to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers. He had selfless compassion.

Jesus gave his life for the salvation of the lost, what are we willing to give? Do we love the Lord and the lost enough to be passionate about their salvation? May we pray for the passion of Paul as we look to the fields that are white unto harvest? Sincere ministry needs selfless Compassion. 

"It is a fair rule of thumb that only that love of neighbor which can also draw people to Christ is truly a reflection of that love for God which is its source." ~ Jeremy C. Jackson

Love them like Jesus my pastor friend, 

~ PJVS

Sufficiency and Devotion ...

The pastor's sufficiency and devotion are two major issues that E. M. Bounds wrote about in his  book "Power Through Prayer"...

"Paul says: “Our sufficiency is of God, who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” True ministry is God-touched, God-enabled, and God-made. The Spirit of God is on the preacher in anointing power, the fruit of the Spirit is in his heart, the Spirit of God has vitalized the man and the word; his preaching gives life, gives life as the spring gives life; gives life as the resurrection gives life; gives ardent life as the summer gives ardent life; gives fruitful life as the autumn gives fruitful life. The life-giving preacher is a man of God, whose heart is ever athirst for God, whose soul is ever following hard after God, whose eye is single to God, and in whom by the power of God’s Spirit the flesh and the world have been crucified and his ministry is like the generous flood of a life-giving river...

... The preacher, above everything else, must be devoted to God. The preacher’s relations to God are the insignia and credentials of his ministry. These must be clear, conclusive, unmistakable. No common, surface type of piety must be his. If he does not excel in grace, he does not excel at all. If he does not preach by life, character, conduct, he does not preach at all. If his piety be light, his preaching may be as soft and as sweet as music, as gifted as Apollo, yet its weight will be a feather’s weight, visionary, fleeting as the morning cloud or the early dew. Devotion to God—there is no substitute for this in the preacher’s character and conduct. Devotion to a Church, to opinions, to an organization, to orthodoxy—these are paltry, misleading, and vain when they become the source of inspiration, the animus of a call. God must be the mainspring of the preacher’s effort, the fountain and crown of all his toil. The name and honor of Jesus Christ, the advance of his cause, must be all in all. The preacher must have no inspiration but the name of Jesus Christ, no ambition but to have him glorified, no toil but for him. Then prayer will be a source of his illuminations, the means of perpetual advance, the gauge of his success. The perpetual aim, the only ambition, the preacher can cherish is to have God with him." 

"Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God" 
~ 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

May you know the  the power of God as you Preach His Word, 

~ PJVS

Hope in God ...

Some of those church leaders with whom I interact have often expressed frustration and ministry disappointment. To all of you I submit the following thoughts from the book "He Used a Stone" by Andrew Mullek... 

    "A desert experience is a period of time that we go through, where the trial is long and hard and it feels like God is far from us. Our lives seem dry and barren. While in the desert, there will be at least one time when you are unsure of whether you will make it out. The desert is characterized by uncertainty. The end simply is not in sight. There is no water and there is no shelter from the heat. All sense of direction is lost. There is nothing to indicate when it will end. But it is part of the spiritual journey that God takes us through for His greater purpose.

 

Catholic mystics referred to this season as the ‘dark night of the soul’.  All of God’s leaders seem to experience these seasons. It is very apt to call the desert experience a season, because as with all seasons, it will come to pass. It is important to know that there will be victory in our desert experience. The tree might give up hope altogether under the weight of the winter snow if it were not aware of the coming spring. But the snow is necessary and so is the barren nature of the winter or the dryness of the desert.

God takes us through such times in our lives because He is producing in us a desert rose that cannot be grown under any other conditions. Some of the most beautiful plants in the world are produced in desert climates where there is little water. Such plants would simply not grow anywhere else. It is in this environment where character is developed that could not be formed any other way."

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. . ~ Psalm 42:11

May you find Hope in God my pastor friend, and be renewed in praising Him!

Because His ways are not ours,

~ PJVS

No Scars?

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)

John Crosby strikes a chord in his devotional "Called to Shepherd"...

"SOME WEEKS ARE JUST PLAIN tough. There are days when each of us just wants to throw in the towel, wondering why we do what we do. Those are the days when the evil one begins to whisper words of self-doubt and despair. He wants us to think our work is in vain. He wants us to think we don’t make a difference. He points to our team members who have embarrassed, disgraced, or worse. He points to the betrayals of others. He highlights our mistakes and shortcomings. He speaks through others both from afar and from within our inner circles. But the most dangerous voice is the one in our own heads: “This is a waste.” “I am wasting my life.” “This doesn’t matter.” “The whole world is against me.”"

John Piper digs deeper into our struggles in his timeless volume "Brothers, We are not Professionals"...

"No pastoral suffering is senseless. No pastoral pain is pointless. No adversity is absurd or meaningless. Every heartache has its divine target in the consolation of the saints, even when we feel least useful...

... All pastoral afflictions are graciously designed to make us rely on God and not ourselves. And therefore our afflictions prepare us to do the one thing most needful for our people—to point them away from ourselves to the All-sufficient God. In this alone is consolation and salvation. Therefore, “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation.”

Finally, J. Oswald Sanders touches on the marks of a faithful disciple in his volume on Spiritual Leadership... 

"Scars are the authenticating marks of faithful discipleship and true spiritual leadership. It was said of one leader, “He belonged to that class of early martyrs whose passionate soul made an early holocaust of the physical man.” Nothing moves people more than the print of the nails and the mark of the spear. Those marks are tests of sincerity that none can challenge, as Paul knew well. “Let no one cause me trouble,” he wrote, “for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17)."

Hast thou no scar? 

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? 

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, 

I hear them hail the bright ascendant star: 

Hast thou no scar? 

Hast thou no wound? 

Yet, I was wounded by the archers, spent. 

Leaned me against the tree to die, and rent 

By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: 

Hast thou no wound? 

No wound? No scar? 

Yes, as the master shall the servant be, 

And pierced are the feet that follow Me; 

But thine are whole. Can he have followed far 

Who has no wound? No scar? 

~ Amy Carmichael

 

May you keep your eyes on the skies 

and press on for the prize my pastor friend...

Because He ever lives to intercede for us, 

~ PJVS

Staying Motivated ...

When you feel like you're winding down... give thought to the following words from Ben Patterson about staying motivated ...

"One last thing needs to be said about remembrance. It has to do with the sovereignty of God. Martin Luther said he took great comfort from knowing that as he sat and enjoyed his beverage, the kingdom of God kept marching on. That assurance was a great motivator to hard work. He could relax and rest periodically, and therefore go back to work with greater élan. More important, when he did work, he knew nothing was wasted or lost because God was sovereign over everything.

That’s how it should be for us. A motivated Christian is a relaxed and grateful Christian; grateful because of what God has done in the death and resurrection of Christ, and relaxed because of his hope in God’s sure dénouement of all history in his Son. Because the motivated Christian has been freed from the bondage of the past and anxiety over the future, he can get down to the work at hand in the present."

 - Ben Patterson, "from Staying Motivated" in 

Renewing Your Church Through Vision and Planning.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." - Isaiah 43:18–19

May you "stay motivated" my pastor friend, always focused on the One who is "doing a new thing" every day.

Because He makes all things New,

~ PJVS

Principles and Absolutes ...

Sometimes we need to consider the counsel of Dallas Willard ... let's get back to the "principles and absolutes".

"Now you might ask yourself, Why does the New Testament say nothing about all those matters to which the usual congregation today devotes almost all its thought and effort? Answer: Because those matters are not primary and will take care of themselves with little attention whenever what is primary is appropriately cared for. Pay attention to the “principles and absolutes” of the New Testament church and, one might suppose, everything else will fall into place—in large part because “everything else” really doesn’t matter much one way or the other. To fail to put the focus on those principles and absolutes, on the other hand, is to wander off into a state of distraction, which is where most of our local congregations actually are. They wind up majoring on minors and allowing the majors, from the New Testament point of view, to disappear." 

     ~ Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart

(I shared the following with my flock as I retired...) 

"ONE THING" 

  👉 SEEK HIS FACE... 

    "ONE THING have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

    👉 SEEK HIS HEART... 

    "But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but ONE THING is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:41-42

   👉 SEEK HIS CALL... 

     "... But ONE THING I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Phil. 3:13-14

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." ~ Prov. 19:21

So, above all, keep the main thing 

the main thing! 

Because they would see Jesus... 

~ PJVS

Four Myths...

Here are a few thoughts from Ed Dobson, co-author of a very insightful book entitled "Standing Fast: Ministry in an Unfriendly World" ... 

BUSTING the FOUR MYTHS of MINISTRY ... 

Another tactic when the call to ministry seems in doubt is to remember the four myth- busters of ministry. The first three I heard from Truman Dollar; the last I added from my own experience.

1. It is NEVER as bad as you think it is - 

Even when things seem darkest, circumstances are usually not as hopeless or awful as they first appear. Experience has proven that you should never let church politics or conflicts obscure your vision of the bigger things God may be doing in the church.

2. It’s NEVER as good as you think it is - 

There are times in church ministry when everything seems to be going marvelously. That’s when you need to be careful. It’s only an illusion. As Jerry Falwell used to say, “In ministry I’ve never had two good days back to back.”

3. It’s NEVER completely fixed - 

Ministry is a process; it’s people. To say, “I’ve taken care of this problem It won’t recur,” is to live in a fool’s paradise. Problems can come back to plague you long after you thought they were resolved.

4. It’s NEVER completely broken - 

Not long ago, a pastor from Kenya spoke in our morning worship service. He pointed out that during the first thirty years of missionary efforts in Kenya, more missionaries died than the number of converts who were won. In spite of the difficulties and slowness of progress, these men and women were still convinced that Kenya wasn’t completely broken. And so they kept at their callings, knowing that someday their work would bear fruit. As a result, the number of African Christians has grown from 10 million in 1900 to half a billion in 2015, and it is due to reach a billion no later than the 2040s. ~ Ed Dobson, "Standing Fast: Ministry in an Unfriendly World" (adapted) 

I encourage you to keep running the race with great endurance ... because it's never completely broken! 

In His Eternal Grip, 

~ PJVS

No Little People...

Consider the words of the martyred missionary Jim Elliot...     

  "Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” 

With this in mind, let's reflect on the following thoughts from Francis A. Schaeffer ... 

   "But if a Christian is consecrated, does this mean he will be in a big place instead of a little place? The answer, the next step, is very important: as there are no little people in God’s sight, so there are no little places. To be wholly committed to God in the place where God wants him—this is the creature glorified. In my writing and lecturing I put much emphasis on God’s being the infinite reference point which integrates the intellectual problems of life. He is to be this, but He must be the reference point not only in our thinking, but in our living. This means being what He wants me to be, where He wants me to be...

   ... Each Christian is to be a rod of God in the place of God for him. We must remember throughout our lives that in God’s sight there are no little people and no little places. Only one thing is important: to be consecrated persons in God’s place for us, at each moment. Those who think of themselves as little people in little places, if committed to Christ and living under His Lordship in the whole of life, may, by God’s grace, change the flow of our generation. And as we get on a bit in our lives, knowing how weak we are, if we look back and see we have been somewhat used of God, then we should be the rod “surprised by joy.” ~ Francis A. Schaeffer, "No Little People"

So, wherever God has placed you my pastor friend, be encouraged ... and may all your ministry efforts "change the flow of our generation". So, "wherever you are... be all there!" ... making a difference for the glory of God!

Because we are Salt and Light, 

~ PJVS

Preach the Word!

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 

~ 2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV) 

"What is it that always heralds the dawn of a Reformation or of a Revival? It is renewed preaching. Not only a new interest in preaching but a new kind of preaching. A revival of true preaching has always heralded these great movements in the history of the Church. And, of course, when the Reformation and the Revival come they have always led to great and notable periods of the greatest preaching that the Church has ever known ... So my answer so far, my justification of my statement that preaching is the primary task of the Church, is based in that way on the evidence of the Scriptures, and the supporting and confirming evidence of the history of the Church. "

 ~ D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers

“If we are to see the church of God really restored to her pristine glory, we must have back this plain, simple, gospel-preaching.” 

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

May the divine unction of the Spirit of God rest upon you as you preach the Word of God today my pastor friend!

~ PJVS

Relevance...

"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations." -- Psalm 145:13

Relevance! We constantly hear the term used to encourage our efforts in communicating to a newer generation. The cry goes out for new words and techniques because the younger people will never understand or consider old truth. Unless it's new and different it won't help the cause. The question comes to mind; is there anything that hasn't changed that retains any value? 

Solomon noted that there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) The years pass from one generation to the next and history repeats itself over and over again. Technology improves our lives, but daily needs and struggles continue without change. In a very real way we need help from someone that has stood the test of time and remains unchanged. David found just such a one in the Lord, whose kingdom is everlasting and whose dominion endures throughout all generations.

Build your ministry on things that never change my pastor friend, and you will be relevant to every generation. In the face of unchanging struggles and storms of life, everyone needs someone who "upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down". (verse 14) In this great truth we find relevance in the unchangeable person of our God and King.

Because HE is the same yesterday and today and forever! 

~ PJVS

Living the Call...

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ~ Acts 13:2

Kent Hughes gives us a fresh reminder of how great a privilege and opportunity it is to be called of God ... 

"LIVING THE CALL ... Every morning we ought to thank God for the privilege of being called and allowed to serve. It is as Phillips Brooks said in his famous Yale Lectures: 

'I always remember one special afternoon, years ago, when the light faded from the room where I was preaching, and the faces melted together into a unit as of one impressive pleading man, and I felt them listening when I could hardly see them; I remember this accidental day as one of the times when the sense of the privilege of having to do with people as their preacher came out almost overpoweringly.'

Oh, for more servants of God who are overcome by the power of the call! Oh, for more ministers of the Word who treasure the privilege of presenting the Truth to the pleading men and women of the WORLD!" ~ Kent Hughs, Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." ~ Matthew 9:36

My pastor friend, may you be "overcome by the power of the call" and always love them like Jesus! 

Because He gave Shepherds and Teachers,

~ PJVS 

Great Expectations...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

~ Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV) 

The next time your great expectations fall by the wayside, maybe the following testimony of Steve Farrar will be of some encouragement for you...

"I remember years ago sitting on my front porch trying to absorb the biggest ministry setback of my life. I had put everything into this venture. I had given it all my effort, all my energy, and now it was utterly destroyed. I’m talking total annihilation. In one afternoon, the whole thing went down. As I sat on the porch that night, I was absolutely devastated. 

I was battling God and I was battling wrong thoughts about God. I was feeling utterly abandoned by God. And quite frankly, I was angry at Him, because ultimately, I knew He was the One who had allowed this great ministry plan of mine to come unraveled. But if I could have had a glimpse at that moment of what God had in store for me over the next ten years, I would have been on my knees thanking and praising Him for His goodness and lovingkindness in allowing my plan to die. God killed my dream because He had a better plan. He had something else for me to do. 

I must confess that I was not thinking largely about God that night. I was thinking cockeyed because I didn’t understand His ways. God is good even when our dreams and plans are nuked beyond recognition. But you must think largely and correctly to get a grip on your circumstances when your dreams and plans are going up in smoke." 

~ Steve Farrar, Tempered Steel

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" ~ Psalm 27:14

Because He opens the doors that can't be shut, 

~ PJVS

Dependable Parts...

“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 

~ 1 Timothy 2:8-15 (ESV)

Over the years I have played baseball, football and soccer. These are all team sports that require everyone to do their part. No matter how many MVPs or GOATS come and go, without quality working team members, winning scores will be few and never. In professional sports, winning games are often enthusiastically predicted, only to crash and burn, due to the failure of team cooperation. Off the field athletes may be distinct people, but on the field, they are expected to be dependable parts of the whole.

Anna was one of those “dependable parts of the whole” at my second church. She and her husband Mark attended services faithfully every week until Mark went to heaven. Eventually, Anna’s health slipped away and she was no longer able to come out to church. Yet, the church and I depended on Anna’s ministry. You see, she was a diligent, consistent, and ever up to date prayer warrior. She would pump me for all the current ministry needs during every visit I made. Anna was a vital team member who played a quiet, but significant part in the success of our ministry. 

Paul knew that position is never the issue in ministry. Faithfulness is the key and teamwork is the engine. Timothy needed to know that God uniquely places Godly men and women in his church to be “dependable parts of the whole”. We should treasure them and encourage them my pastor friend. Whether they serve in church leadership, Christian education or the home prayer closet, we need them. Every quarterback needs blockers to protect him and receivers to carry the ball. You may preach like Billy Graham did, but without a team, you're up the creek without a paddle. Even Jesus had a team of twelve. 

Because we are "one another",

~ PJVS

So Send I You...

As familiar as you may be with the hymn “So Send I You”, did you know that there is a second edition? 

“Over the years Margaret Clarkson realized that her 1936 hymn, ‘So Send I You’ was rather one-sided. She decided to “rewrite” the hymn in 1962, while on vacation at the Severn River. After creating the second version she believed that she created a more biblical hymn that reflected the trials, and the joys, of God’s call on the lives of his children. The new version began to replace the earlier one to Margaret’s pleasure.” – from: Archives of Wheaton College, Biography of Edith Margaret Clarkson 

“So Send I You — by grace made strong to triumph 

   O’er hosts of hell, o’er darkness, death and sin,

   My name to bear and in that name to conquer — 

   So send I you, My victory to win. 

So Send I You – to take to souls in bondage 

   The Word of Truth that sets the captive free

   To break the bonds of sin, to loose death’s fetters — 

   So send I you, to bring the lost to Me.

So Send I You — My strength to know in weakness, 

   My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain,

   To prove My pow’r, My grace, My promised presence - 

   So send I you, eternal fruit to gain.

So Send I You — to bear My cross with patience, 

   And then one day with joy to lay it down, 

   To hear My voice, “Well done, My faithful servant — 

   Come share My throne, My kingdom and My crown!”

May the trials of ministry always give birth to the treasures of present and eternal joys my pastor friend. 

Because He who called you is faithful, 

~ PJVS

Beleaguered?

"For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" 
~ 1 Corinthians 9:16

"But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them." 
~ Jeremiah 1:17

Let's take a moment to reflect on the following passage from "The Unnecessary Pastor"... 

"Contrary to popular opinion, pastors are not jacks of all trades. We have been bullied long enough by well-meaning but ignorant demands telling us what we must do, telling us why we are necessary to this or that program, this or that life. Everybody and his dog has a job description for the pastor. Everybody knows what a pastor must do to be a real pastor. That's a problem, but what complicates and compounds it is that it's nice to be so needed, nice to have culture and congregation alike interested in defining our work and giving us instructions on how to go about it. It's nice to be so much in demand ... until we find that none of the job descriptions seem to agree. It's even worse when we discover that virtually none of the people who write our job descriptions seem to have ever read or even heard of the text, the Holy Scripture, that orients our work, or to have been present at the ordinations that define our work. Necessity is laid upon the glorious but beleaguered life of pastor." 

~ Eugene H. Peterson, The Unnecessary Pastor

As one who has experienced all of the above and more, I encourage you to keep your eyes on the skies, "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." ~ 1 Peter 5:4. Beleaguered as you may be today, keep the call of God on the front burner!

 Because His grace is sufficient, 

~ PJVS

A Minister's Preaching

THE LORD'S DAY MORNING 

 A MINISTER'S PREACHING 

My Master God,

I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task; Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for thee; 

Give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction.

Present to my view things pertinent to my subject, with fullness of matter and clarity of thought, proper expressions, fluency, fervency, a feeling sense of the things I preach, and grace to apply them to men's consciences. 

Keep me conscious all the while of my defects, and let me not gloat in pride over my performance.

Help me offer a testimony for thyself, and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy. 

Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people, and to set before them comforting considerations. Attend with power the truth preached, and awaken the attention of my slothful audience. 

May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted, and help me use the strongest arguments drawn from Christ's incarnation and sufferings, that men might be made holy.

 I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness, that I might be a pure channel of thy grace, and be able to do something for thee; 

Give me then refreshment among thy people, and help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way, or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a Redeemer, or be harsh in treating of Christ's death, its design and end, from lack of warmth and fervency. 

And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.

~ Puritan Prayers and Devotions,

by Various Puritans, 

Monergism Books

Keep Your Focus...

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." 

~ 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (ESV) 

The story is told about a coastal life-saving station that saved a great many lives every year. As time passed the station became famous and efforts were made to buy better equipment and build a bigger building. The volunteers continued to give much time and energy to improve the looks and quality of the station. It eventually became more beautiful than any other station with more volunteers than ever. With all the activity focused on the station itself, one thing ceased to happen; saving lives. They lost their focus.

I enjoyed the privilege of being the pastor of three churches in three states for over forty years. From the very beginning my heart yearned for lost souls to come to Jesus. In each church, various programs of evangelism were organized and people came to the Lord. But, evangelism always had an ever pressing competitor ... the church building. Money, volunteers, time, and constant effort would drain our resources. One project would be completed just in time for the next to begin. It eventually came down to a spiritual battle between reaching the unbeliever or restoring the old building. Sadly, we often lost our focus.

The story for most of us isn't about building a beautiful palatial worship center that will "wow" the crowds. We usually inherit grand old legendary buildings that were built by spiritual stalwarts of days gone by. Yes, we're grateful for places to worship, but we are so often haunted with the ongoing cry for building restoration. While such needs press upon us, may Paul's word of counsel always call us to arms... "First of all". Let us keep prayer, preaching, and the saving of people first and foremost. Pastors, never let buildings cause you to lose your focus.

 ~ PJVS

You Can't Win Them All...

"This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." 

~ 1 Timothy 1:18-20 (ESV)

He had been a successful church planter for ten years in his home country. We welcomed him to our church and community with open arms. Soon afterwards a promising opportunity developed for him to take the lead in a new church plant. He confessed that he was being pressed by the Lord to accept the challenge. But, the "American Dream" wrapped it's ever-enticing arms around his heart and he shipwrecked. As his pastor and friend, I was greatly disappointed. But, you can't win them all.

Paul knew the taste of ministry drop-outs all too well... ("Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem..." ~ Acts 13:13)  Over the years, some dropped out, some fell into dibilitating sin (1 Corinthians 5), and others, as Hymenaeus and Alexander, totally shipwrecked their faith. No matter what the cause, when we invest our lives in others and they fall by the wayside, it's disappointing. But, we can't win them all. 

The concept of "we can't win them all" may seem trite, but when those to whom we minister walk away... it stinks. We know all the Biblical and theological answers to the sad fallout that so often comes, but we need to press on and prepare for the next "Timothy" that comes our way. In the years that followed the experience I mentioned earlier, I had the incredible privilege to mentor my two sons. These two young men of God are now passionately serving the Lord in pastoral ministries with undying devotion. Keep looking for the winners!

~ PJVS

Proven Results...

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 

~ 1 Timothy 1:15-17

I rarely purchase untested products. I often spend hours and days reading reviews and rest results on cars, electronics, and tech equipment. I’m not impressed with the slick design or brilliant colors used in making something. I need to know one thing, does it work? Someone once coined the phrase, “the proof is in the pudding”. Proven results are far more convincing than promising rhetoric.

Every occasion that any pastor proclaims the life changing truth of the gospel, they are on display. People aren’t concerned with their style of dress, hair color, or oratory finesse. The most important issue boils down to their walk with Jesus. Has the message been experienced and well proven in the pastor’s personal life? Proven results are far more convincing than promised rhetoric.

Paul made a simple claim … “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. Then he made it clear that Jesus saved him, the worst of sinners. He was transparent and forthright with his readers. Just because you are a pastor and a trusted leader doesn’t mean that you should be seen as flawless. God has put you out on display to proclaim the gospel and give personal evidence that it really works. Don’t hesitate to stand shoulder to shoulder with Paul as the worst of sinners, having been gloriously saved by God’s amazing grace. Proven results are far more convincing than promised rhetoric.