The Barnabas File

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, famous evangelist, said that the New Testament records tell of forty people, each suffering from the same disease, who were healed by Jesus. Of this number, thirty-four were either brought to Jesus by friends, or He was taken to them. In only six cases out of forty did the sufferers find the way to Jesus without assistance. Of the vast number of people who find their way to Jesus today, most of them reach Him because the friends of Jesus are concerned about the welfare of their souls.

Introduction

When statisticians tell us that fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches, a high percentage of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce and seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression, something certainly needs to be addressed. Have you ever considered that your pastor might need a time away from ministry in order to be refreshed and possibly even extend his years of service to the Lord and His people? In my study I am finding that Baptists are far behind some denominations in caring for their pastor’s physical and spiritual welfare, many even having a “sabbatical policy” in their constitutions. Please consider with me, the concept of pastoral sabbaticals.

Early one dreary fall morning I sat, as usual, on our sundeck enjoying a hot cup of “Michigan Cherry” coffee and doing my devotional reading.  The day before had been rainy and cloudy but at this particular moment the dark puffs of clouds were moving swiftly to the south, past the tree tops and out of sight.  I could see pieces of blue sky starting to appear and a circle of light becoming brighter and brighter. The momentary sight was beautiful.  Grayish blue blotches fading into wavy puffs of white with a backset of bright blue sky.  It was just one of those scenes where our heavenly Father took His paintbrush and illustrated with aesthetic hues a striking portrait of His splendor for all creation to see.  The ominous clouds continued to glide quickly by, the bright circle of light soon became white and I thought to myself while gazing on that artistic panorama, “It’s going to be a beautiful day – here comes the sun!”

Then my thoughts went to I Thessalonians 4:14-18 when one day we will not say, “Here comes the sun,” but rather “Here comes the SON!”

Mother’s day should always be very special. After all, mothers have been around a long time. Eve, the first mother, was called the mother of all living. Mothers never go out of style; as long as there is life there will be mothers! Preachers, on Mother’s Day, you should make a fuss over them. The Bible does (Proverbs 31)! Set your regular sermon series aside and fuss over the mothers! You had one, too, you know.

In one church I pastored, Mother’s Day always brought the largest attendance of the year, even larger than Christmas and Easter. Children and grandchildren, even many who were spiritually wayward, would always honor their mother and grandmother on Mother’s Day by coming to church with them. It was a great opportunity to preach the Gospel and the importance of walking with Christ. That same church always provided carnations for everyone present, white ones if your mother was still living and red ones if they had passed away. It was always a very special day of the year and we always tried to make it that way.

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“…for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” Psalm 119:71

“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths….teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4-5

I am writing to leaders. I don’t know about you but I never sought or chose to be a leader. It was not on my “bucket list” of things to do as a child, as a youth, or even when I began ministry. I would say that I was chosen by default. In checking the word “default” in my handy dictionary, one of the meanings listed states: “a selection automatically used by a computer program in the absence of a choice made by the user.” It might sound facetious, but from my perspective, I was absent in the “choice decision” made by God in calling me to be a leader (Ephesians 3:7). I think Moses was also. He definitely came sputtering and dragging his feet into the position that God had for him in leading Israel.

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