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.