tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post4345756820467317253..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: The hardest aspect of pastoral ministry (part two)Phil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-84541203618803529102008-06-04T15:35:00.000-07:002008-06-04T15:35:00.000-07:00Dan,I attended the Desiring God conference, STAND,...Dan,<BR/>I attended the Desiring God conference, STAND, last year. John MacArthur shared on the endurance of the saints regarding ministry. Regarding success, or the idea of pass fail (interim report card), his admonition was to work unto the Lord, to be faithful in efforts, that the "results" are up to God. I believe this to be is an exhortation to those who are in both vocational and avocational ministry as well as work place ministries. <BR/><BR/>I recommend all to give those messages a listen - the can be downloaded free from http://www.desiringgod.org<BR/><BR/>Enjoy,<BR/>RichAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12988873674168097511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-28559984141328100592008-06-03T22:09:00.000-07:002008-06-03T22:09:00.000-07:00Dan,I, too, am praying for you.Dan,<BR/><BR/>I, too, am praying for you.Messyanic Jewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14611837744225113340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-62851802816821499962008-06-03T22:08:00.000-07:002008-06-03T22:08:00.000-07:00Dan,While I'm not a pastor, this is a series that ...Dan,<BR/><BR/>While I'm not a pastor, this is a series that is resonating deeply with me. I spent 8 years in full-time missions and CONSTANTLY fought with myself over measuring my success in numbers. <BR/><BR/>I'm no longer on the mission field, but after some time off the field have come to the conclusion that numbers <I>could</I> mean something, at least in the work I was doing. They could be an indicator of success in the only area that mattered -- as a measure of the faithfulness with which I fulfilled God's call on my life to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.<BR/><BR/>I realize this is not at all the same as pastoring a church, and wouldn't for a moment argue that it is. But I believe the same measure of "success" can apply in both situations: is the call which God has placed on an individuals life being faithfully fulfilled?Messyanic Jewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14611837744225113340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-12363157214975305052008-06-03T12:51:00.000-07:002008-06-03T12:51:00.000-07:00I am not a pastor but have worked in Christian Min...I am not a pastor but have worked in Christian Ministries for nearly half my career. I think this topic is fascinating. I am chewing on the concept of an "interim report card". As I read the article, I thought..true..God does not give pastors a written review and the nature of a local church makes it hard to translate profit and attendence into success or failure. However, my mind then moved on to this thought. It occurred to me that if a pastor feels that insecure and unfullfilled about serving the people in his congregation, not many of them could possibly be true believers. Jesus said we would know his disciples by their love for one another. If the love of Christ is not reciprocating back to the pastor...then the church is not filled with disciples of Jesus Christ but rather posers and frauds....not to be dramatic or anything....musicmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03493917465831008857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-15989066270258111862008-06-02T22:11:00.000-07:002008-06-02T22:11:00.000-07:00I am a pastor a bit later in life and have been fo...I am a pastor a bit later in life and have been for a whole 10 months now. I sometimes day dream about my years as a landscaper because I could drive by former clients' homes and bask in the fruit of my labor.<BR/><BR/>I can no longer do that. I have had times of difficulty with these things already. I feel called to small church ministry for life. I sometimes feel like I'm getting nowhere - and when I'm feeling this way I realize that I am comparing myself to other pastors. <BR/><BR/>My darling wife keeps reminding me that God did not call me to be faithful with their gifts, abilities, etc. He called me to be faithful with mine.<BR/><BR/>I know that I need to redefine my understanding of success to be that of obedience - essentially Soli Deo Gloria, but I struggle. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the articles. Thanks to the folks here who have posted. I have been built up by both the articles and many of the comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-70740869782665487412008-06-01T17:42:00.000-07:002008-06-01T17:42:00.000-07:00...take a Biblically-necessary, God-honoring stand...<I>...take a Biblically-necessary, God-honoring stand that alienates the people who pay your salary...</I><BR/><BR/>As someone who is not a pastor and never will be, all I can say is, even though standing for the truth may alienate the people who pay your salary and affect your family, I am thankful that you would stand for truth in spite of such things. I see in this, a pastor unwilling to be of the accursed that compromises the Gospel according to Galatians 1:9. I see a bond-servant of Christ seeking to please God above man according to Galatians 1:10. And I bet your wife would much rather be married to a man that did not compromise the Gospel just so that she could be comfortable... and your children, as much as it may be difficult for them to leave their friends, would much rather have a dad who was a man of integrity that stood firm on the Rock, than a man that was easily tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. I could be wrong because I am not a pastor, nor am I a pastors wife. But I have seen my husband stand firm in our neighborhood Bible study, risking our comfort zone among neighbors, risking our friendships for the sake of standing for truth... <I>and I know that does even touch the tip of the iceberg of what pastors go through</I>... but what I do know is that I would rather my husband serve God and stand for God's Truth, than waiver because he cared too much about what other people think... including me.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14009121709733650503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-51660852521193126942008-06-01T12:38:00.000-07:002008-06-01T12:38:00.000-07:00John 14:10 and Ephesians 2:10 make it pretty clear...John 14:10 and Ephesians 2:10 make it pretty clear that what we do are not our works but His.<BR/><BR/>Luke 17:7 Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and recline at table? 8 Will he not rather say to him, Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.<BR/><BR/>Why do we need to even try to gauge our success? Is it our success or lack thereof to begin with? <BR/><BR/>As far as the wife goes, 1 Cor 7:33ezekielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11991868400830971195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-32917014705716087422008-05-31T22:51:00.000-07:002008-05-31T22:51:00.000-07:00What is the visible, right-now, infallible indicat...<I>What is the visible, right-now, infallible indicator? Businesses have used the phrase, "How are we doing?" Every God-honoring pastor would like to be able to ask the Lord, "How am I doing?"</I><BR/><BR/>The other thing that comes to my mind is that I may have been doing well yesterday or last year, but that's no guarantee I will be doing well tomorrow or next year. <BR/><BR/>It's humbling to remember how easy it is to find oneself in certain failure.<BR/><BR/>Success may be hard to identify, but sometimes failure can be quite obvious, when Christ is dishonored by those allegedly His servants.GUNNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422524342398284973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-88386047988064179112008-05-31T15:10:00.000-07:002008-05-31T15:10:00.000-07:00hi,Your discussion and follow-on dialog has been v...hi,<BR/>Your discussion and follow-on dialog has been very interesting. Note: my comments are from someone not working in Christian ministry, but inclined to do so with much of my heart. <BR/><BR/>From my observation of friends who are pastors and missionaries, the applicability of your notes is definitely very relevant to those in vocational ministry as well as those Christians in other vocations who seek a report card on their sacred efforts. <BR/><BR/>However, I have a hard time with the attempt to isolate pastoral ministry as a singular work that has no tangible way to rightly assess their efforts. <BR/><BR/>The vocations that have been compared with pastoral ministry are indeed good examples of tangible measures, but there are other vocations in which results seem to be similarly intangible. I choose one that makes my point: "Christian psychology". There are other vocations that cannot be tangibly measured by exact measures. Even having one's boss say "good job" is very a subjective measure and without a lot of merit as to the true nature of one's performance. <BR/><BR/>So why do I contend or ask? Because I'm concerned that in arguing that one work of God is especially more difficult than another is risking our dabbling with pride. I'm not trying to make the case that various works of ministry are not more difficult than others, but that there are different gifting for those called into different vocations, and it's God's grace that provides the talent, ability, and sufficiency to work within any of those vocations. <BR/><BR/>I believe your observations are accurate on, and relate to, all who believe and seek to live for the Gospel instead of living for the world in all we do whether at work in the factory, in the hospital, or even the pastorate. This in the context of believers resisting building their kingdoms and storing their treasures here while working in "secular" occupations.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, the pastorate appears rather difficult in that assessing a Christian's growth and how they are prepared for "work of ministry" (Ephe 4.12) is probably very difficult. But isn't this something that <I>can</I> indeed be measured? Not with attendance numbers on Sunday morning, but in other ways e.g. the flock biting less (for one), the flock finding freedom from sin, the flock becoming bold to share the gospel and counsel other believers, the flock performing various works of ministry so that those who are called will be saved. <BR/><BR/>So, the score card isn't easy to determine, very subjective on first appearance, but also measurable with appropriate metrics.<BR/><BR/>Please forgive me for any arrogance that may come through my writing, I'm trying to be cautious with my heart and comments. I'm also trying to discuss this topic so if there is something I'm don't understand, I can better learn about the struggles that those who are a gift to the church bear. With that, I'll be able to better pray for my pastors and if the Lord does move me into that vocation, I'll have a more appropriate understanding of the labor (counting the cost).<BR/><BR/>Thank you,<BR/>In His Mighty Grip,<BR/>RichAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12988873674168097511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-23790618796192789092008-05-31T13:51:00.000-07:002008-05-31T13:51:00.000-07:00Dan, great thread, am really enjoying it and looki...Dan, great thread, am really enjoying it and looking forward to the rest.<BR/><BR/>Vimto - if you read this, good to hear your testimony. I am also ministering to a small free church here in England - drop me a line!Jonathan Hunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12341478626195362383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-58648827146763527082008-05-31T11:18:00.000-07:002008-05-31T11:18:00.000-07:00Thanks for sharing that; it's wonderful to hear. I...Thanks for sharing that; it's wonderful to hear. It's a nice problem you're having, isn't it? (I've often dreamed of how pleasant it would be to have that struggle of not getting arrogant in the face of blossoming crowds!)<BR/><BR/>God bless you, encourage you, and keep you. And make stumbling onto us a regular thing!DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-15850757724733278162008-05-31T11:14:00.000-07:002008-05-31T11:14:00.000-07:00Just a note to say I stumbled on this blog and it ...Just a note to say I stumbled on this blog and it has been really interesting.<BR/><BR/>I'm a pastor in the UK. I had a 'failed' ministry in Anglicanism, where reformed preaching was brushed aside by most.....and fell into a dreadful depression....still suffering today but not so bad. I now pastor a little free church which is a delight. We are just moving to 2 Sunday services - which is causeing me to give thanks and also angst that I must not get proudful. So it is refreshing to read your 2 articles.<BR/><BR/>thanks indeed.Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01693305785702886763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-12507154201975994332008-05-30T14:26:00.000-07:002008-05-30T14:26:00.000-07:00In regards to true Biblical womanhood that opposes...In regards to true Biblical womanhood that opposes women preachers, I have found the most common argument FOR women preachers is "But look how God has blessed their ministry. Look at how many peoples lives are changed. If she is preaching the truth and proclaiming the Gospel and her ministry is successful than God has obviously blessed it and approves of it."<BR/><BR/>Ummm.... no.<BR/><BR/><BR/><I>Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.</I><BR/><BR/>Yes, we are all called as Christians to go into the world and make disciples, teaching people to observe whatever Christ has commanded. Yes, there is a judgment when we screw that up. But I dare say, for those men called into the ministry of preaching, that judgment will be <B>far</B> stricter! *shudder*<BR/><BR/>Think about it in light of the weight of responsibility upon such a man entrusted to shepherd a flock. Entrusted to preach the Truth of God's very Word and live it out. A weight he cannot bear alone. Why are we not praying more fervently for these men?Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14009121709733650503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-28077527540009733062008-05-30T08:43:00.000-07:002008-05-30T08:43:00.000-07:00I know this comment is a day late but I just got a...I know this comment is a day late but I just got around to reading this post.<BR/><BR/>I am a young pastor I have been in ministry a relatively short period of time (11 years) and have so much to learn. There are many who have gone before me with so much more wisdom that I am trying to glean from.<BR/><BR/>I appreciate this post because in my own denomination (Baptist)there is a lot of pressure to succeed. I have been told in the last month that for the church that I serve at I need to see a 5% growth in my church - salvation, conversion, baptisms, new people, etc...<BR/><BR/>I became senior pastor of the church I am serving in about a year ago. Yesterday through the Holy Spirit I was used to lead my first convert to the Lord. <BR/><BR/>I preach expositionally and exegetically, I am a Calvinist, and apparently a failure according to my denomination's leadership.<BR/><BR/>Part of the reason that I don't think I get an interim report card is that it makes me spiritually fat and tempted to rest on my laurels (also known as self-righteousness and works of the flesh).<BR/><BR/>When I don't get the interim report card, I feel a sense of urgency to continually give myself to the Lord in service, nothing is enough, or ever good enough, for my love of Christ compels me to consider that I need to seek to be a fragrant offering unto the Lord. <BR/><BR/>And then I take hold of Phil 4:4 - which tells me to rejoice in the Lord, and not myself.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723063420700705898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-75863695309506209312008-05-30T07:18:00.000-07:002008-05-30T07:18:00.000-07:00Not at the cost of breaking rule 3. You have a bla...Not at the cost of breaking rule 3. You have a blank profile, or I'd email you. Email me if you honestly are so new to this site that you don't already know the answer.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-86761323326465407572008-05-30T07:15:00.000-07:002008-05-30T07:15:00.000-07:00DJP:Care to clarify which doctrinal error?DJP:<BR/>Care to clarify which doctrinal error?Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09456884689908680100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-29820240429043306692008-05-30T06:47:00.000-07:002008-05-30T06:47:00.000-07:00Dan,I get what you are talking about and give you ...Dan,<BR/><BR/>I get what you are talking about and give you a hearty AMEN! Don't be discouraged, you have really encouraged thsi pastor.Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01256518337951573331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-35850148189149913632008-05-29T22:46:00.000-07:002008-05-29T22:46:00.000-07:00One last serious (gasp!) post for this thread.And ...One last serious (gasp!) post for this thread.<BR/><BR/>And I quote:<BR/><BR/>God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.<BR/>- Hudson Taylor<BR/><BR/>We don't have the impact God has planned for us when we're pursuing impact; we have it when we're pursuing God.<BR/>- Phil Vischer<BR/><BR/>From the beginning, Christians have been tempted to confuse success with faith.<BR/>- Mark Galli<BR/><BR/>And finally, from Spurgeon:<BR/><BR/>It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus. We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices, whose lot is to be consumed.<BR/>- Charles Spurgeon<BR/><BR/>All taken from the June 2008 issue of The Lutheran Ambassador.Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-72411120391989830542008-05-29T21:06:00.000-07:002008-05-29T21:06:00.000-07:00John MacArthur preached a message not long ago on ...John MacArthur preached a message not long ago on contentment. He said that many pastors experience "burnout" and he asked the question why don't we hear ditch diggers say they are "burnt out." (Well, I think one answers is ditch diggers don't have Masters of Divinity and they don't have the same expectation or feel they deserve more).<BR/><BR/>Anyway, MacArthur's response was I believe anytime you believe you deserve more you feel less content. If you put things in perspective and realize you deserve Hell you learn to be content in a lot of things, I guess. (It's difficult for American Christians because we're bombarded by the media telling us to be unhappy with our bodies, homes, cars, spouses, etc.).<BR/><BR/>But, you introduced in interesting caveat Dan and that is what is a pastor to do, when the response from the congregation affects the ability to support his family. <BR/><BR/>The Scriptures teach that a man who does not support his family is worse than an unbeliever. So, I think the answer is to accept the providence of God and move on to where the pastor can support his family. That may mean, if he is able, to accept another position at another church. If that is not possible, then it may mean to leave the ministry temporarily or permanently and find secular work so he can support his family. <BR/><BR/>I think it's important to consider other possibilities. One of your examples in part 1 I believe asked what is a pastor to do if he is faithful to the Word and yet his congregation rejects him. It might be that the Lord wants to pull that pastor out and place him somewhere else. Other possibilities: you have church splits, right? Can it not be in the providence of God that he allows churches to be split because in His providence He wants to remove godly men and congregants out of there because they are not good churches to be in. We know that the Lord allows false teaching to exist in churches because He wants to test the faithfulness of His own and also to judge the goats.<BR/><BR/>But again, the key is which you concluded in your part 2, what happens if the implications affect the ability of a pastor to support his family. That pastor does not have the option to not support his family and must therefore go somewhere else to find work.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-17555694765173839792008-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:002008-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:00Timotheos and Witness:Wow. You gentlemen are the "...Timotheos and Witness:<BR/><BR/>Wow. You gentlemen are the "real deal". Sometimes you just want to quit and the temptation is almost overwhelming. Unless God has called you clearly to leave, in Jesus' name, I must tell you to fight the good fight! Your sheep are being fed, which cannot be said for most of the entire planet!<BR/>We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so therefore our report card is zero on all counts. If we could "work" to an 'A', it would be a nightmare. How do we know when we have done enough? Isn't that works-based faith?<BR/><BR/>IMO, the report card is this:<BR/><BR/>Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.<BR/><BR/>---1 Timothy 5:12 (NIV)<BR/><BR/>Wasn't that Jesus' example? Examine your life based on this grade A standard, and let God work on you and the power of Jesus Christ lead you by his Word and Holy Spirit. I look forward, as all of you do, to seeing the finale of this excellent series.<BR/><BR/>But I do have one final comment about your post. See, Dan's report card IS there. Yep, he got an advanced copy! I don't know what angel's strings he pulled, but he obviously blurred it out so that we couldn't see it. Thankfully, using emerging (not Emergent) technology, I was able to decipher it:<BR/><BR/>R E P O R T C A R D<BR/><BR/>Proper sword handling.........D<BR/>Driving Emergents crazy.......A-<BR/>Blogging w/o controversy......D+<BR/>Making healthy pizzas.........F<BR/>Driving the rest of us crazy..C<BR/>Combining pipe organ and piano<BR/>with vegetable medley.........B<BR/><BR/>Now we know what he needs to work on. ;-) ;-) ;-)Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267525662313103148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-69858649461286810802008-05-29T20:08:00.000-07:002008-05-29T20:08:00.000-07:00M — your comment's gone for two reasons:1. You lin...<B>M</B> — your comment's gone for two reasons:<BR/><BR/>1. You link off to a site with some significant doctrinal error; and<BR/><BR/>2. I found it seriously in violation of Romans 12:15b.<BR/><BR/><B>Timotheos</B> — I hear you, and I feel for you and your situation. God bless you and encourage you, God strengthen and bless your wife, God grant power to your preaching of His Word, God grant clarity of through to you two as you consider exactly what course to take.<BR/><BR/>1 Corinthians 15:58bDJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-67598006487220043312008-05-29T19:18:00.000-07:002008-05-29T19:18:00.000-07:00"I am called to preach,teach,love, and equip the p..."I am called to preach,teach,love, and equip the people for the work of the ministry."<BR/><BR/>Amen. And whether 18 people, or 180, or 1,800, it matters not. Keep on Tim. The Lord is pleased when His pastors serve this way.<BR/><BR/>I have a friend in Nepal, and his brother-in-law is a pastor of people in three different villages. Jivan is an amazing pastor. And by the grace of God, and the help of the church here in America, he has purchased a piece of land and now has built a small church building, where they can all come and worship the Lord Jesus and hear the word preached. There has never been a church in this part of Nepal, and the nearby residents, many have not heard of Jesus Christ at all.<BR/><BR/>The Gospel goes forth, and God has His pastors.donsandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03665794015011057098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-5932219414453570792008-05-29T18:46:00.000-07:002008-05-29T18:46:00.000-07:00I serve as a pastor of a small church in a communi...I serve as a pastor of a small church in a community that has 45 churches drawing from a population of 8000+. My first Sunday nearly 10 years ago, we had 9. Last Sunday we had 18. I am tri-vocational and my wife also works to help make ends meet. I preach expositionally, visit our families and try to develop contacts in the community.<BR/><BR/>I've seen families come and go. I've seen a couple return because they weren't being fed. And, I've seen others leave cause we don't have a thriving children or youth ministry.<BR/><BR/>I've contemplated slapping some of these people in the head for their shortsightedness. And, I've contemplated getting out of the ministry entirely.<BR/><BR/>I've been my own worst critic, and I've watched as the ministry has caused a strain in my family, as my wife serves as 'everything not already covered by the pastor.'<BR/><BR/>We are, and have been seriously considering stepping out of the ministry to seek a job that will provide security and perhaps 'retirement.'<BR/><BR/>I have no doubt that the Lord called us to ministry. And yet, there is the doubt that occurs when one looks out in the congregation on that Sunday and you note that the same four families that told you 'we will be in church Sunday' aren't there, again.<BR/><BR/>It is easy to grow discouraged in ministry, when one judges your ministry on the basis of external standards, such as numerical growth, financial giving, and even spiritual growth to a certain extent.<BR/><BR/>As a pastor, I am not called to grow my church. I am not called to grow the treasury. And, I am not called to grow the facilities. I am called to preach,teach,love, and equip the people for the work of the ministry.<BR/><BR/>Speaking with a pastor friend one day, I noted that it is the Lord that builds the church. Some churches, He chooses to bless simply because its His prerogative. Others He chooses to bless by not growing them according to our expectations.<BR/> <BR/>Dan, <BR/>I thank you for this series.<BR/>In the grip of His Grace,<BR/>TimTimotheoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16880788118136612744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-77760633131357513022008-05-29T18:30:00.000-07:002008-05-29T18:30:00.000-07:00I have to be encouraged by the Apostle Paul's word...I have to be encouraged by the Apostle Paul's words toward the end of his life . . . <BR/><BR/><I>I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing</I> (2 Timothy 4:7-8). <BR/><BR/>Of course, we can consider the special position of an Apostle in the sense of direct revelation from the Lord, but we also know from Paul's writings that he had struggles as well. But in the end, he came to a glorious conclusion, based on his faith in the One who promised to complete what He had started. <BR/><BR/>I hurt when I read comments such as the one by Witness. That has to be awful, especially when you consider how hard hearts must be when they'd rather hear anything else but the Word of God. It helps a bit to realize it's the spirit of the age, but it still grieves.Solameaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09869424956571944997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-9105836484340551612008-05-29T15:53:00.000-07:002008-05-29T15:53:00.000-07:00Very much enjoying this series of posts, as well a...Very much enjoying this series of posts, as well as the subsequent comments and 'sharpening'. Looking foward to reading your next (last?) installment!<BR/><BR/>I believe much of your thinking/writing also has much to say to we wifes of pastors--we get to see the struggle up close and personal and strive to stand beside them and offer BIBLICAL encouragment rather than 'warm fuzzies'.Conniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16388126339087271102noreply@blogger.com