Archive for August, 2010

The Shepherd

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

In John, chapter 21, when Jesus tells Peter to “feed my sheep,” the New Testament uses different Greek words from Christ which clearly imply the vulnerability of Christians without pastoral leadership and the complete overseeing leadership required of a pastor.

Jesus refers to the sheep as “lambs,” which shows how vulernable and needy we all are without the Chief Shepherd and without an Under-Shepherd. Sheep are particularly defenseless. For example, if a sheep gets over on its back, it sometimes cannot upright itself and will die. I actually knew this to happen on one occasion on the farm where I grew up in Ohio.

The role of the shepherd, according to the Greek words used in John 21, is not simpy to “feed” the sheep, but he is also to “tend” the sheep — to do all that a shepherd does in protecting, guiding, and leading the flock.

It is interesting the role of leadership which Jesus attributed to Peter as a man of God.

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Wow, what a book!

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

I just returned from vacation.  I attended my high school class reunion in Ohio, and a small family reunion for those who still live in North Central Ohio.  I had a great time at both!

As a rule, when I fly, I read books.  Before I took off, a friend handed to me the new book entitled, Radical, by David Platt, senior pastor of the mega-church, The Church at Brooks Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama.  What a great book!  Platt challenges us to replace our goal of attaining “the American dream” with a goal to live sacrificially  for the Lord Jesus Christ.  His challenge was thoroughly supported by Scripture.  I will not dilute his thesis by sharing it second-hand here.  I highly recommend the book.  You will not be disappointed if you read it.  You can get it at almost any Christian bookstore or order it online.  It was published by Multnomah.

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Short-Term Missions

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Short-term missions has been sweeping the country for a number of years. It is exciting to visit church websites and see how many evangelical churches are sending out teams of local church members on short-term missions.

For the churches and individual church members who participate in short-term missions, the reward is well worth the time, effort, and cost. First, there is immediate reward in the spiritual good done on the mission field, as believers are built up, churches are strengthened, and the lost hear the gospel. And secondly, the short-term missionary brings back inspiration, enthusiasm, and commitment which he/she in turn shares with the local church back home. There is no downside to short term missions. How better to spend our time and money?

Short-term missions can stretch anywhere from one or two weeks to a couple of years. Some senior citizens are finding short-term missions a fulfilling way to spend part of their retirement years.

Short-term missions is one more way to help fulfill the Great Commission. God’s heart is for the lost. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” God values the eternal soul of people all over the world — in every ethnicity, culture, race, nationality, etc. (Revelation 5:9)

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