40 Days
I almost fell off my chair.Last night an elder at College admitted that maybe he and the other men who serve our church weren't the best communicators in the world.
Suppressing a loud "Ya THINK?", I commended him for this confession and told him how much I was looking forward to the upcoming time of prayer for these men and their leadership of the College Church.
Elders aren't perfect. The thing is, they know this! And not one of our elders wouldn't admit to needing prayer, and lots of it. With that in mind, College is going to enter into 40 days of prayer, starting on Sunday. We will be praying for direction. We will praying for Spiritual guidance. But most of all, we will be praying for these men. These men who all have other jobs...doctors, superintendants, professors...yet who devote so much of their time to the church. These men who are flawed and imperfect, yet who model maturity and discipline. These men who spend so much of their lives praying for us.
None of us have any idea where these 40 days will lead. Maybe we will see the need for a pulpit minister at the end of them, maybe not. Maybe we will discover new ways to communicate with each other, maybe not. Maybe there will be no tangible result at all. But you simply can't devote 40 days to asking the Spirit to lead us without good, Godly results.
"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your own children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Luke 11: 13)
I'll get back to lying spirits and winning Angels soon. For now, I implore you to pray for the College Church. Pray for the men who lead her. Pray for us all to give ourselves over to the Spirit and submit to His ultimate guidance.
The 40 days will end on November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. That should be an interesting post.
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:35 AM
6 Comments:
isn't this an exciting time? don't you feel honored to be in the middle of it?
I certainly do. I'll be praying constantly.
Talk about “been there and bought the t-shirt,” as an elder I’ve certainly been where your elders are when it comes to communication. I’ve been amazed at how many times I’ve been misunderstood and I’m in the “communicating business!” It must be a curse that elders have to suffer (persevere) through.
My latest bout came at our last Family Talk. One of the reasons I gave for moving our communion table to the back of our newly re-decorated auditorium was the fact that it was 40 years old and needed “re-finishing.” When I used that term (“re-finishing”) I assumed (I know, there’s a saying that goes with that word that Christians shouldn’t know or use but I was raised by a military father) that everyone would know that I meant “stain” or “paint.” No, the “curse” hit this elder again. A good sister vehemently objected to my statement saying that she didn’t think the Lord would approve of an “acrylic communion table.” She assumed (there’s that word again) that because we had switched our old, massive, wooden podium for a more contemporary acrylic model.
Fortunately, these times of miscommunication can be overcome by prayer and trust in your shepherds.
May the Lord bless your elders and your church.
Elders just happen to be human! Often we expect way too much from them; they make mistakes every day just like you and I.
Having the courage to admit a weakness is both novel and uplifting. These elders are leading by example, and my prayers are with them.
Too many times we see elders who try to push their agendas on the local church; it's good to hear of elders who desire to be servants rather than bosses.
I can't even talk about that call.
I can't even talk about it.
Sounds to me like Greg is setting up a "trap." Sorry Steve, in light of that terrible (Or as a friend of mine who coached baseball would say, “That’s a pitiful call blue!” He was thrown out of several games using that line.) call last night, my pun is in poor taste. Hang in there. At least the Angels have taken home field advantage from the Pale Sox.
Hi Steve. I just read your comment on an earlier post concerning both of us losing our dads in 1988. The parallels in our (math teacher-love baseball-love God-lost our fathers in the same year) lives are fascinating. I hope I get to meet you face to face one day. I plan on coming out for the Pepperdine Bible Lectures again. Will you be there or is it too early to tell? Take care my Brother.
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