Yeah, this is FUN!I’ve heard people say, “I don’t really listen to the lyrics, I just like the music.” I think we’re all probably guilty of that on occasion, or at least not paying close attention. Though I’ve heard the song before I actually listened today and found myself almost shocked to hear the lyrics of “Here Comes Santa Claus”. Talk about mixing things together! Yikes!
I got the holes drilled in the cabinet door rails this afternoon. I went to the wood crafters’ store this morning to get the proper screws for the Kreg jig but they were out. The shipment came in while I was there but they said it would take them an hour or so to unpack it, so I’ll go back tomorrow and get them, and then begin assembly of the frames. Bummer, because it’s across town.
Jim Ryun is described as one of “the greatest runners of all time” and was voted the best high school athlete ever by ESPN The Magazine readers (Tiger Woods came in second). He was the first H.S. runner to break the 4-minute mark for the mile (1964), still holds 5 of the 6 fastest H.S. mile times, and held the world record in the mile and 1/2 mile for several years as a college athlete. The current issue of WORLD Magazine has an interview with Ryun. They asked him what he decided to do with his life after track. “I was a youth pastor for a while, which was a unique experience - great preparation for running for politics. Church politics is a lot tougher than regular politics. Eventually I ran for Congress in 1996.”
Agreed on the church politics part.
Anyone who goes into ministry knows, or should know, that if you’re in it very long you’re going to get treated badly on occasion. Sometimes you bring it on yourself but most often there’s enough blame to go around. Every once in awhile someone in ministry is an innocent victim of an individual or a small group who act in ways totally inconsistent with biblical standards. In 35 years of ministry it’s happened to me twice (though those whom I think acted wrongly would give you a very different take on things). In both cases I found myself suddenly unemployed, and the first time it happened we had a new baby, our first, to care for. Because people in ministry, especially in the early years, are typically paid a very meager wage (we also expect that going in) we had no savings, and thus no money for rent, gas or food, never mind medical bills.
We obviously survived in both cases. God is faithful, and those times of testing strengthened our faith and produced spiritual growth. But God’s provision almost always comes through his people. I’ll never forget opening the door to our apartment one morning and finding a box of groceries on the porch. We ate some of those groceries that night. We had a doctor who knew our situation and didn’t charge us for medical care. And a brother in Christ pulled strings and got me a job that lasted for four months until (not coincidentally) another church called me to be their pastor.
As a result of those two experiences, and because in each case we were sustained in large part by the grace of God’s people, I was particularly touched when I learned about what has happened to _____. He and the gal who is now his wife were both students of mine when I taught at the college and I know them to be good students and good people. They now have four young children, including one with health issues. A month ago they learned that he was being terminated from his ministry position (not pastoral) as a result of one man’s decision. The board disagreed but under the structure of that ministry they couldn’t override it.
I learned this week that ____ and his family lived in a house provided by the ministry. He got one month’s severance pay and 30 days in the house. As of this weekend both have expired.
Pam and I have, since those earliest years in ministry, believed in the dynamic Paul describes in 2 Cor. 1:4. “The Lord Jesus Christ...comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” That is, if we have been cared for by God’s people when we were in need we have the privilege and obligation to pass that comfort on when we can. What goes around should come around, the circle of life, and that kind of thing.
We also take seriously Christ’s teaching in Matt. 6:3-4. “When you give to the needy do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
I want to obey both of those injunctions, so I hope writing about this situation, making you aware of it, doesn’t violate the spirit of Scripture’s teaching.
If you would like to have a part in helping this family out with their financial needs I will do what I can to facilitate that. If you go to our church web site (PathwayBibleAZ.com) and click on “Contact Us” you can send me an email through that site. If you include your email address in a message about this I’ll send you information for doing so.
Please forgive me if you find this post offensive or inappropriate in any way. But my heart goes out to a very young family that has devoted themselves to ministry and, as a result, are in very difficult circumstances.
I got the holes drilled in the cabinet door rails this afternoon. I went to the wood crafters’ store this morning to get the proper screws for the Kreg jig but they were out. The shipment came in while I was there but they said it would take them an hour or so to unpack it, so I’ll go back tomorrow and get them, and then begin assembly of the frames. Bummer, because it’s across town.
Jim Ryun is described as one of “the greatest runners of all time” and was voted the best high school athlete ever by ESPN The Magazine readers (Tiger Woods came in second). He was the first H.S. runner to break the 4-minute mark for the mile (1964), still holds 5 of the 6 fastest H.S. mile times, and held the world record in the mile and 1/2 mile for several years as a college athlete. The current issue of WORLD Magazine has an interview with Ryun. They asked him what he decided to do with his life after track. “I was a youth pastor for a while, which was a unique experience - great preparation for running for politics. Church politics is a lot tougher than regular politics. Eventually I ran for Congress in 1996.”
Agreed on the church politics part.
Anyone who goes into ministry knows, or should know, that if you’re in it very long you’re going to get treated badly on occasion. Sometimes you bring it on yourself but most often there’s enough blame to go around. Every once in awhile someone in ministry is an innocent victim of an individual or a small group who act in ways totally inconsistent with biblical standards. In 35 years of ministry it’s happened to me twice (though those whom I think acted wrongly would give you a very different take on things). In both cases I found myself suddenly unemployed, and the first time it happened we had a new baby, our first, to care for. Because people in ministry, especially in the early years, are typically paid a very meager wage (we also expect that going in) we had no savings, and thus no money for rent, gas or food, never mind medical bills.
We obviously survived in both cases. God is faithful, and those times of testing strengthened our faith and produced spiritual growth. But God’s provision almost always comes through his people. I’ll never forget opening the door to our apartment one morning and finding a box of groceries on the porch. We ate some of those groceries that night. We had a doctor who knew our situation and didn’t charge us for medical care. And a brother in Christ pulled strings and got me a job that lasted for four months until (not coincidentally) another church called me to be their pastor.
As a result of those two experiences, and because in each case we were sustained in large part by the grace of God’s people, I was particularly touched when I learned about what has happened to _____. He and the gal who is now his wife were both students of mine when I taught at the college and I know them to be good students and good people. They now have four young children, including one with health issues. A month ago they learned that he was being terminated from his ministry position (not pastoral) as a result of one man’s decision. The board disagreed but under the structure of that ministry they couldn’t override it.
I learned this week that ____ and his family lived in a house provided by the ministry. He got one month’s severance pay and 30 days in the house. As of this weekend both have expired.
Pam and I have, since those earliest years in ministry, believed in the dynamic Paul describes in 2 Cor. 1:4. “The Lord Jesus Christ...comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” That is, if we have been cared for by God’s people when we were in need we have the privilege and obligation to pass that comfort on when we can. What goes around should come around, the circle of life, and that kind of thing.
We also take seriously Christ’s teaching in Matt. 6:3-4. “When you give to the needy do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
I want to obey both of those injunctions, so I hope writing about this situation, making you aware of it, doesn’t violate the spirit of Scripture’s teaching.
If you would like to have a part in helping this family out with their financial needs I will do what I can to facilitate that. If you go to our church web site (PathwayBibleAZ.com) and click on “Contact Us” you can send me an email through that site. If you include your email address in a message about this I’ll send you information for doing so.
Please forgive me if you find this post offensive or inappropriate in any way. But my heart goes out to a very young family that has devoted themselves to ministry and, as a result, are in very difficult circumstances.
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