My greatest fear has been to have a miscarriage or the loss of a child.  Even when someone is sharing, so and so has had a miscarriage or lost a child, a pain in the pit of my stomach begins to ache so horribly, I shiver.  My heart no longer wants to listen.  How could anyone walk down this dark road, and come out the other side?  How could she ever be the same again?

A few weeks ago God invited me to experience a new level of intimacy with Him that can only be attained through sorrow.  Even now I cry, one tear for my loss and another for my joy in the Lord.  As I lay on that table looking up at this perfectly formed baby, I wondered how this could be happening.  The whole situation seemed like a nightmare that I might wake from in a few hours.  Emotionally, I went to pieces as the nurse said, “I’m sorry.  There is no heartbeat.”  The doctor came in; I tried to control my sobbing long enough to look at him.  I tried to listen, but my mind was unable.  I am glad that Jon was with me to hear.  My first experience with God’s strength was when I realized that I had to walk past a packed waiting room full of pregnant women.  With God, I was able to compose myself enough to walk past them without scaring them with the thought that they were next. 

In the days to come, I walked down a very lonely road with room for only one.  Jon held my hand, many sent cards with empathy from words of their road, but only I could go through with it.  Or so I thought, for Jesus whispered to me, “I am here.”  From the beginning He beckoned me to rest in Him.  Yes, rest!  I asked Him, “When people ask me, how can you look on this with joy and peace, and did you say peace?  What answer do I give them?”  He responded, “Faith.”

Bad things happen to sinners and saints alike.  Some believe that because we are Christians, some how we have been inoculated from all the things that everyone else has to experience.  The truth is that we still: get sick with various illnesses, lose our jobs, and are tempted to sin.  God is clear in His Word that He has a purpose in every trial, temptation, or illness.  It is only what these times of weakness produces in us that is different.  Where bitterness, hatred, and depression rein in some, in me God has produced faithfulness, joy, peace, and love.  We rejoice because we have been made more valuable because the genuineness of our faith has been tested, and the result is that praise, glory and honor has been brought to the One who redeemed us through His own suffering.

I rejoice because through my weakness my Jesus has been lifted up and made to be center stage in my life.  He has made me a witness to His power and strength.  The Gospel has never been more clear to me, and I my desire to tell others of this great hope that has come to me through faith in Jesus Christ has never been greater.

Note: The above was written by Matthea Glass.  She and her husband Jon were part of the Ethiopia Team that travelled with Hillions to the southern rural area called Burji. 

For an awesome testimony, listen to   http://connectwithgod.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/mattheas-testimony/

 Make Disciples.

In today’s world of internet, travel convenience and global communications, there are no better conditions under which to obey this last instruction!  

According to Matthew 28:18-20, making a disciple is 2 things: Baptism + Teaching. 

 Baptism is the outward show of a decision to follow Jesus Christ; it is an identity with Christ.  In most countries around the world, baptism is a really big deal!  In the scriptures, baptism is always linked to repentance; the early believers automatically put these two things together.  To be baptized was to change paradigms, to change direction, to change loyalties, to change identity & association.

 After the baptism, the new believer is to be taught to obey….to obey ALL the things that Jesus had taught His disciples.  In our American churches, too often we substitute teaching the 10 Commandments, or the Christian Nation, or the Do/Don’ts of Tradition.  But Jesus said for us to teach what He Himself had already taught!

 If a mirror is placed in front of another mirror, it looks like we can see to infinity.  This is a picture of the apostles & disciples  placed in front of Christ…those of us coming down the line in human history can see back to infinity, back to the source of Salvation. 

It is very important that we focus our discipleship of others, not on our own ideas, but upon the teachings of Jesus.  

 Joel brought the “all things” of Jesus’ command into 3 groupings:

1) the commands of Jesus according to the 4 Gospel records,

2) the Sermon on the Mount, which was Jesus’ description of the Kingdom & its citizens, and

 3) His teaching about living according to the Holy Spirit.

 The Commands of Jesus were 7 essential ones:

1. Repent, believe, embrace the Gospel, the Kingdom, the salvation offered through Jesus; see Matt 4:17 & Mark 1:15

2. Be baptized, and continue the life that it represents; see Matt 1, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-11, Acts 8

3. Love God and others practically, live a life of servanthood; see Matt 22:37-40, John 13, I John 3:11-18, Phil 2

4. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper, remembering His sacrifice for us as pictured at the Passover & fulfilled at Calvary; see Luke 22:17-20

5. Pray & fast.  This was assumed by Jesus and modeled by Him.  Matt 6:5-15

6. Give generously, with humility, in service to others.  Matt 6:19-21, Luke 6:38

7. Make other followers of Jesus.  Matt 28:18-20

Christ changes the heart of those who come to Him, but they must be taught.  The Spirit is working inwardly, while the teaching is occurring outwardly.   As we teach, we must focus on the teachings of Jesus, and we must give grace to the hearer.  Just as Jesus did not pressure the rich young ruler to accept His teaching and change his ways into obedience to that teaching, so we must teach, encourage and model, but we must realize that ultimately, it is the decision of the new disciple and the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel is RADICAL!   God help us to obey the simple teachings of Jesus….and to use every opportunity to pass them on to the unreached people around us!

My concern in recent weeks has been that we attempt to erect programs to attract people.  We come up with good ideas that attempt to encourage people to be more faithful and devoted.  It seems as though we are constantly making proposals in order to deal with all sorts of issues that arise from simply having people around.  With people comes a whole range of problems from inconsistency, complacency, laziness & contentment to pride, anger, lust, selfishness, backbiting, gossip & meanness.

 Often pastors will design sermons to nurture people, instruct them, admonish them, rebuke them, encourage them, and challenge them, but the one grave mistake the pastors and the people often make is forgetting to pray for one another.  Often biblical prayer is missing in church life and this is one of the reasons the church experiences such little power.

In church conferences, Christian seminars and Christian literature, we ask questions like: “What king of evangelistic strategy will best bring people to Christ?  What kind of leader will best nurture the people of God & thus build the church?  What is best for the people of God?”  Those questions are good & appropriate to answer because they force us to ask what is best for the people of God.  However, if we are not careful our aim of serving & ministering to people focuses more on leadership p& management skills (man centered ideas) & less on bending our knees to pray (God’s plan).

If we are not careful we can make the sermons, the programs, and the committee meetings more about our agendas, our pursuits, our goals, our earthly wisdom and neglect prayer.  God finds great joy when His people pray.  Prayer is not a burden to God.  When we pray, we are not “bothering this busy God.”  God is glorified when we pray.

While prayer is many things (thanksgiving, praise, confession, supplication, requests, listening, etc.), it is God’s gift to us to communicate to Him.  Prayer ushers in real change, progress & power.  God desires to be asked, sought, and trusted–thus we pray.  I think one of the major reasons churches experience little power is because we are neglecting prayer.

I like how D.A. Carson put it, “When we live up to our calling, we remember that in God’s church, people do not set the agenda, they are the agenda.”  Since we are God’s agenda, we must pray and minister with that truth in mind.  The church is God’s agenda for reaching a lost & dying world.  In order for people to live out true allegiance to Jesus, to become God’s people and to live lives worthy of the Gospel, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and to know how to live every day dealing with the issues of life, we must ask and think through what is best for the people, but we also must pray for them.

One of the characteristics of Paul’s prayers is that he devoted time to pray for others.  How would you classify or categorize Paul’s prayers?  What observations do you make as you read through his prayers?  When you read the following passages, what does God impress upon you?

Romans 1:8-10, 10:1, 12:12, 15:5-6, 15:30-33

I Corinthians 1:4-9, 16:23

II Corinthians 1:3-7, 2:14-16, 9:12-15, 12:7-9, 13:7-9

 Galatians 6:18

Ephesians 1:3, 1:15-23, 3:14-21, 6:19-20

Philippians 1:3-6, 1:9-11, 4:6-7, 4:23

Colossians 1:3-14, 4:2-4

I Thessalonians 1:2-3, 2:13-16, 3:9-13, 5:23-24, 5:28

II Thessalonians 1:3, 1:11-12, 2:16-17, 3:2-5, 3:16

I Timothy 1:12, 2:1-6

II Timothy 1:3-7, 1:16-18, 4:22

Titus 3:15

 Philemon 25

(Hand-out from Jason Evans, Wednesday Bible Study, August 18, 2010)

Metastases. The medical term for spreading. My uterine cancer was now spreading to my lungs.

“But Lord, I thought I would get a rest now. I thought now I would have at least 6 or 8 months of normal life. … no chemo appointments, no radiation, no bone pain, no baldness, no fatigue. Lord, I want to have rest & normalcy. I want to focus on other projects for awhile.”

The CT scan was routine follow-up on some suspicious nodules seen 2 months ago, just before we went on the Ethiopia trip. I knew full well that the rate of recurrence of my type of cancer is 60-90% within 1- 1/2 years. But I didn’t expect it this quick. Now what?

After I hung up the phone, I cried a little, then told Dave. And we sat together gathering our thoughts. We had to decide how we were going to deal with this. Of course, there was the usual research that had to be done. Three different types of chemo treatments were suggested; we needed to research these treatments, learn side effects & potential benefits, and be prepared for our meeting with the doctor to discuss and decide which one we were going to do.

That was the easy part. Mechanical research. Logical thinking. Tapping into the expertise available to us.

 The other part of responding was intangible… choosing a perspective, settling on a mental course, deciding the base from which I would digest this happening. In short, once again, I had to choose whom I would serve, who would be my lord. “Surrender” is the thought that came to me. “Surrender & trust His love for you.” It is a choice. Yes, the emotions are there….but in the final analysis, Life is a choice of whom to serve.

If I choose to serve myself, my goals, my agenda, my desires…then I am like a leaf floating on the water, completely at the mercy of the waves. When the sun is soft & the waves are gentle, Life is good, and I have an illusion of safety & strength. But when the sun becomes hot, I dry out….or when the waves become turbulent, I quickly sense the depths opening up to me. No, to choose to serve my own self is no real choice….except the choice of Disillusionment & Death.

But to choose to serve Love…the Savior who gave His all for me…the One who birthed me in His mind long before my arrival on earth…the Father who is also All-mighty God…………. In that choice is Life, even in the midst of death. From the beginning, both Dave & I made the decision to travel through this cancer with Truth and Transparency:  Truth to anchor us, and Transparency to help others.

Today as I got up from a nap, the Lord met me with a new understanding. To choose Him & His way means to live according to the Truth of Scripture. What does this mean, practically-speaking?

It’s like eating a meal. The food is before me on the plate. I can acknowledge the reality of its presence. I can see it. I can discuss it with others. But it does me no good, sitting on the plate. I must first make the decision to eat the food, and then I must act on that decision by lifting it piece by piece into my mouth. Once in my mouth, I chew on it, savoring the taste, considering its texture, interacting personally with it. But it still does me no good. I am more intimately involved with the food, but I can still spit it out.

I have not committed to it until I swallow it. Only after surrendering to it, after allowing it to pass the point of no return, do I gain any benefit from it. Because with that decision to swallow I set in motion the largely-unconscious absorption of the food into my own body. Blood carries the food to my cells, and my cells now have strength for their work. It is the act of swallowing (not the looking at the plate, not the chewing, but the swallowing) that makes it possible for me to absorb the benefit of the food, so that the food becomes part of me and empowers me.

Truth is like that food. It is real. It is discussed. It is sitting on the plate waiting to see who will “eat”. Truth is the Scriptures, “cooked” by God Himself and placed in front of us. “Come and eat”, He says.

So we gather around the table. We ‘oo’ & ‘ah’, commenting to each other what a wonderful meal. (“Great sermon!”)   In our neat little Bible Studies we discuss the colors, the scents, the layout on the plate . We set up hypothetical situations in which the Truth could be beneficial. A few of us, a very few of us, get brave and put a bite into our mouth. We chew on it. We think & meditate on it. We discuss it with the Lord. We test it against our private thoughts. We wonder if we should trust it and take the swallow.

Only the courageous amongst us go so far as to swallow. Most of us prefer to just slowly starve to death, looking at the plate of Truth, happy to sit around the table with others, from time to time bravely tasting a bit, but never committing to the swallow. Never daring to go beyond the point of no return. Perhaps this is what Jesus referred to when He said “The way is narrow, and few there are who find it.” Few amongst us are willing to commit to the swallow.

For myself, I have committed. I have chosen Who I will serve. I have decided Who is the Rock under my feet, the Wind beneath my wings, the Light in my hand for the path ahead. And in that choosing, I have swallowed. And I will continue to swallow as the Lord places Truth before me.

The Truth Food placed before me this afternoon was a reminder of the character of God. “God is love” “God does not change” “God is good, and all that He does for us is intended for good.” “God has only goodwill toward Man.” “The heart of God is pure; He does not delight in pain, in wrong, in injustice.” As I chewed on this Truth, it developed in my thinking. The texture & taste of His love began to unfold.

This is not the first time I have chewed on this Truth. The thoughts were familiar. “My Father loves me. He loves me personally. Because of His character and His love, He does only that which is good for me and for His Kingdom.”

“He does only that which is good for me…..good for me…good for me…”

As I walked around the bedroom after my nap, chewing, the Lord was asking me, ”Do you dare to swallow?”

I dared.  I swallowed.

I took that Truth into my being. It settled in my soul. I committed myself to it. And it wasn’t long before the nourishment began to be felt in my spirit. A renewed strength. An ability to leave my bedroom & focus on the work at hand. But it was more than that. Along with the strength came a deeper understanding of Life. And I began to see that there is something greater than peace in the midst of difficulty. The Truth of His love and His intent for only goodness was digested & issued into a JOY about the future.

“I wonder what is the Good He is bringing now? When will this Good come? What shape will it be in?” And flooding my soul came a joyful expectation, almost like playing a game of treasure hunting. Tomorrow will I see the Good He’s working? Next week? Maybe there is more than one Good thing He’s working on. Will this Good be in me or in others?

The Scriptures say that the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace….” I don’t know that they appear necessarily chronologically in our lives, nor are listed in order of importance. But I notice that JOY follows LOVE. And when we swallow the Truth of His character of changeless love, of constant goodwill towards us personally, then He fills us with JOY.

Will you swallow the Truth He’s presented to you? Do you dare to surrender to Him?  Do you have the courage to abandon yourself to a God who loves you?

Join me in this Life journey.  Let us swallow together.  And let us together watch for His great goodness in the coming days & weeks.

 ”Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for this food.  Bless this food to our bodies & us to Thy service. Amen”

“God is great.  God is good.  Now we thank Him for our food.”

“Thank you for this day.  Forgive us of our many sins.  Help all those who are sick.”

“Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”

Automatic, robotic prayers have come into existence partly from well-intentioned teachers, who have written prescribed prayers as a way of teaching young children how to pray.  In previous times, the Catholic church wrote prescribed prayers for all ages, and this practice has overflowed to mainline protestant denominations.  As adults in evangelical churches, often our robotic prayers flow out of our laziness.  Prayer is work, and at times of prayer we are more conscious of time constraints and low energy than we are of the spiritual benefit of serious prayer.

 You will not find robotic prayers in the life of the Apostle Paul.  Jason has begun a new series on Wednesday nights: the Prayers of the Apostle Paul.  His goal is to help us to see what a powerful prayer looks like, so that we can move away from robotic prayers into powerful prayers that move the Hand of God for the Work of God.

 Last night, we looked at Paul’s prayer in II Thessalonians chapter 1.  And I’d like to briefly summarize the components of this prayer.

1. Paul gave thanks to God for signs of His grace in the lives of others, shown by their increasing faith.  Not only did they believe for salvation, but they continued to believe for living.  A growing confidence in the promises of God was demonstrated in their life choices & responses.  This generated thanks by Paul to God Himself, because Paul recognized that in the end, any spiritual fruit is the work of God, not man.  Are you watching your brothers & sisters on the Hill for evidence of increasing faith?  Do you see more complete obedience?  Is courage growing?  Is sensitivity to sin becoming more acute?  Have you thanked the Lord recently for His work of grace in producing this expanded courage to obey & trust?

2. Paul gave thanks to God for signs of His grace in the lives of others, shown by their increasing love.  The two “high rules” of the one who follows Christ are Love God and Love Others.  It is because of His grace in our lives that love is flowing from us to God and others.  There is no other source of Love, apart from the Author of Love.  In whom are you noticing a growing love?  Do you see increasing tenderness, more reaching out, greater acts of service in someone?  Have you paused to thank the Lord for His grace in their lives that has produced this love?

3. Paul gave thanks to God for the perseverance of the believers, even when their faith came under trial.  The Church has an Enemy.  Increasing faith & love in the Body wakes up that Enemy; he targets the Family for destruction.  Only God can give strength to perserve under difficulty.  Paul was careful to thank Him for His grace towards the Body in making them strong in their faith during times of difficulty.  He recognized that God has done a work that is beyond what a pastor or community can do.  And He was careful to acknowledge the grace of God & express thanks for it.

So in this prayer of Paul’s, he starts with thanksgiving….for the most important thing there is…the grace of God in our lives!  This grace is MUCH more important than health, than financial blessing, than comfort.  This grace is a blessing of the Lord that lasts for eternity!  And it is worthy of our thanks.  In fact, Paul actually says “I am bound, obligated, absolutely must (!) thank You for this grace.”   Although 20 centuries have passed since Paul prayed for the Thessalonian church, this obligation has not deminished.  Today, we have the same obligation of thanksgiving…because the same Lord is showering us with the same Grace that He did centuries ago.

Jason challenged us to look for His grace in the lives of others on the Hill.  We must be sharing with each other what He is doing, and we must be thanking HIm for what He is doing.  Start with those closest to you, in  your family, in your close circle, where you can readily see His grace….and then expand to those in the “extended” Family, who give testimony on Sunday or Wednesday. 

Let’s join together in a great ‘hymn’ of thanksgiving to the One who delights to demonstrate His grace in our midst!

4. Paul verbalized his confidence in God’s ultimate plan of deliverance and vindication; he openly affirmed the character of God.   When we pray, it is good to verbalize our confidence in the character & plan of God.  He reveals much of His plan in the Scriptures.   No, He doesn’t tell us all the details of His personal plan for us, but He gives enough information to show His character.  And enough to give us cause to put our trust in Him.

Just as we delight to hear other’s express confidence & trust in us, so the Lord delights to hear our expressions of confidence & trust in Him.  Read the Psalms.  Most of them were written by King David…and they are a wealth of prayerful expression of confidence in the Lord’s plan and character.

5. Paul asked the Lord to make the believers in Thessalonica ‘walk worthy of His calling’.  This is an old-fashioned way of saying “live in a way that brings honor to the One who has called us to Himself & has given us His message & His ministry.”  He dared to ask this of the Father because of His confidence in the character & plan of the Father.  This request grows out of the confidence he’s already expressed.  “Wherefore….” says “because of this….”    Because of the character & plan of God, we can ask for His further grace in our lives.

 I hear that every morning Wal-Mart employees gather together before the store opens, and they do a chant/sing-song about the glory of Wal-Mart.  Human Resource directors around the country recognize that employees do better work if they have a sense of pride in their company.  Paul is asking the Lord to give us a sense of pride in our Heavenly Company….a consciousness of the wonder of our placement in the Body…an internal motivation to live up to the honor of having been chosen to His ambassadors to the world.   Such an awareness, which generates living on a ‘higher plain’, is a gift from the Father.  Only He can open eyes to see the inestimable value of His calling.  Only He can generate a desire to live up to that calling.  So it is appropriate that Paul ask the Father for this gift.

As you & I pray for our Family on the Hill, or for our blood family, or for our neighbors….are we asking the Father to impress upon them an awareness of His calling upon them and to motivate them to live on the higher plain called ‘walking worthy’?  Let’s move beyond praying for gall bladders & ingrown toenails!  Yes, God is interested in the smallest detail of our lives.  But let’s pray for the things that matter for eternity!  Paul did.

 6. Paul asked the Lord to make the believers in Thessalonica fulfill His pleasure in goodness.  One translation (NASB), puts it this way: “powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith.”  Another translation (Net Bible) says: “fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith.”

The idea, as I see it, is that Paul is not only praying that the believers would want to ‘walk worthy’, becoming aware & dedicated to their appointment as His Ambassadors, but also that this awareness & dedication would come to full fruition so that every good thing in their hearts, every desire to expand in courageous faith, would be actually produced by the Lord.

 This reminds me of the verse in James 1:17:  “Every good & perfect gift comes from the Father.”  Actually, on examination of the text, James is saying “The desire to give and also the act of giving is a work of the Father.”  He divides the giving into the desire/motivation/dedication and the fulfillment of that desire.

 In the same way, the Apostle Paul divides future growth into the desire to ‘walk worthy’ and fulfillment of that desire…..both of which are a gift from the Father.  So Paul asks for both.

And why does he ask?  Verse 12 tells us….so that the Lord Jesus Christ is glorified in us.  He doesn’t ask this for our own comfort, for our glorification, for some gain that we get….he returned to the previous sections of his prayer…the plan, purpose, glory of the Lord Jesus.   In other words, all requests of Paul are consumed in his desire that we live for Christ!!!

Jesus said “If you ask anything in my Name, I will give it to you.”  Is Paul’s purpose for asking this of the Father according to the ‘name’ (character, purpose, desire) of the Lord Jesus?  Yes!  And so Paul could ask in confidence, knowing that it was in unity with the Lord’s heart for His people.

 So this week, try to model Paul’s prayer in your own life.    Look for the spiritual work God is doing in the Family and in the World.  Thank Him for His work of grace in the lives of others & yourself.  Be specific with examples of increasing faith, increasing love and steady endurance.   Affirm His character & His plan; be specific, based upon the Word of God.  And be bold to ask Him for His continuing work of grace in making us desire  to ‘walk worthy’ and then act on that desire.

May God lift our eyes to see the real world of prayer, and depart from the powerlessness of robotic exercises.

NOTE:   STARTING THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, THE FAMILY WILL BE GATHERING FOR FAMILY PRAYER TIME 1/2 HOUR BEFORE SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTS AND 1/2 HOUR BEFORE WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY STARTS.  WILL YOU JOIN US?

 ”A noble work requires a noble man.”…so said Elder Jason, teaching the Scriptures.   Sunday morning the passages to be taught were I Timothy 3:1-7 & 14-15, Titus 1:5-9 and I Peter 5:1-3.  These lessons are a further expansion of Acts 20, where Paul is visiting with the Ephesian Elders.

This is now the third sermon on elders of the Lord’s church.  “Some of you might be thinking that you are ready for something different.  But you need to understand that this is the time of teaching from the Bible, and we need to focus on what the Scriptures are teaching, not on our own likes/dislikes.” (My paraphrase of Jason’s introduction.)   How wonderful it is to have a man in the pulpit to dares to preach the Word as the Word preaches itself!

The big question set before us Sunday morning was this:

WHAT WILL BETHEL HILL BAPTIST CHURCH DO WITH ALL THE SCRIPTURES DEALING WITH ELDERS???

This is a heavy question.  What will we do?  The Scriptures always call for a response.  Many, many times in the Book of Acts the people cry “What must I do…..?” in response to preaching by Peter, Stephen, Paul, and others.   The question has not changed….what will followers of Jesus do with His instructions?!  God help us to obey!!!  God help us to surrender!!  God help us to follow Him whole-heartedly!!

Looking at these 3 passages, Jason brought to our attention a sober observation: “The Bible talks more about the QUALIFICATIONS of elders than anything else about elders.”  These qualifications are public, universal, inter-generational, trans-cultural pre-requisites.  These pre-requisites are not dictated by pastors, set by denominations, or established by community norms.

The elders in the Lord’s church who are spiritual & ministerial overseers,  under-shepherds of the Chief Shepherd, teachers of the Word, and servants of the Body & the Lord (see On Elders, Part Two). And the pre-requisites for men chosen to this work are set by  the Scriptures.  Why?  Because of the seriousness of their work, and because of the testimony of the local body in the midst of unbelievers.    This list of pre-requisites was written so that the household of God, the Family of God, would know how to conduct themselves.

 Is the Word of God true? YES!   Is our God the living & true God?  YES!   Is Bethel Hill Church the Family (Household) of God? YES!

 We must get a hold of this fact: As the Household of the Living God, the people on the Hill are the pillar & buttress of Truth.  We are the Foundation of Truth for a lost & dying world, both here in Person County and around the World!  Therefore teaching the Word must produce a lifestyle change.

 Most of this list of pre-qualifications for the work of elders is a list that applies to every Christ-follower in our Family!  Because each of us…man, woman, child…is the embodiment, the model, the holder & presenter of Truth to those around us!

 Putting this whole concept in perspective, Jason laid it before us this way:  

“When you are describing Bethel Hill to others, and you are inviting them to join us….how do you present our church?  Do you say ‘It’s friendly. It has good programs.  It has wonderful things for the children.  It’s in a great location.?’   How often do you include the fact that Truth is taught here in your description of our church?  How much do you emphasize that we live according to the Truth of Scripture, and what Scripture teaches is central to our workings as a church?”

Serious thought!   The same could be asked of us personally.  When I (or you) think if our identity, how much emphasis is put upon our response to Truth?  We describe our work, our home, our family, our activities….but what about our character of obedience to the Truth God reveals to us through His Scripture?  How readily do we relate the changes He is bringing about in our lives through our humility before those Scriptures?

 ”The responsibility to lead God’s people is more than one person can bear!” Jason reminded us.  We must be encouraging each other & teaching each other as joint-heirs of the grace of God.  But we also must look to Scripture, which emphasizes repeatedly that the work of over-seer is given to elderS …no, that is not a typo…the S is capitalized to show emphasis.   Multiple men are given the responsibility of the Lord’s Body on the Hill….not just Jason & Joel as our “pastors”.  

(Incidentally, as Jason reminded us again in referencing these passages, “pastor”, “elder”, “bishop”, “over-seer” are all used interchangeably in the Bible.  A pastor is an elder, who is a bishop & an overseer.  My daughter is called Jess, Jessica & Jessie….but she is one person.  My comfort zone is to call her Jessie; my son’s comfort zone is to call her Jessica; my grandson’s comfort zone is to call her Mommy.  So it is with us regarding our Family…..our comfort zone says “Pastor” for Jason & Joel, or “Elder” for the other men…but the Truth is that they are all the same role.   Each ‘title’ speaks of a different nuance of function, but all titles apply to each elder.  They are each a spiritual & ministerial over-seer; they are each Bible teachers; they are each shepherds under the Chief Shepherd.)

God has blessed Bethel Hill with spiritual health.  We are a healthy church.  But like the churches in Crete (where Titus was establishing elders),  BHBC needs  to put some things in order.  Our future depends upon putting some things in order by bringing us into closer alignment with the clear teaching of Scripture.  So let us be wholly committed, WHOLLY committed, to obedience to the Lord of the church on the Hill.  A general attitude of obedience, sweet fellowship, common interests, lack of discord is not enough to impact the world for the Savior.  These things are not enough to allow His salvation to flow freely through us to those who are floundering spiritually.  Now is the time for obedience in the smallest detail!  Let us not wait until the spiritual arteries of the Hill become clogged with distraction, with tradition, with comfort before we get serious about obedience in even small details.

 Before discussing each qualification in detail, Jason pointed us to the passage in I Timothy 3:16.  “There is a mystery about godliness.  This mystery cannot be captured.  Somehow God uses a godly person, regardless of their gifts, organizational ability, education.”   He uses godliness in people to do His work amongst His people.  “Make sure the elders you vote for will serve you as God want them to serve you.”

 It is good to “digest” these thoughts of godliness,  detailed-obedience,  terminology,  identity, and authority.

 With regards to the pre-quisites of the men who do the work of oversight of the Lord’s church on the Hill, as already mentioned, these are public requirements.  Nothing is under the table.  Nothing is man-handled, politicized, culturalized, or  adapted for convenience.  It is what it is.  The Apostles who received teaching directly from the Lord Jesus have laid it out for all generations, in all cultures, in all circumstances.   And they have laid it out many times…in several books.  And their teaching is not to be ignored or belittled without great danger to the flock here, in this place, in this culture, in this time slot of history.

Jason divided all the lists of the pre-qualifications for elders into 4 broad categories:  Moral Character, Spiritual Character, God-Given Talents, and Spiritual Work.  Then he defined the pre-requisites in each category.  Let’s look at them…

1.  Pre-requisites/Qualifications dealing with the Moral Character of the man who desires to be an elder…..

 above reproach…   “This means he is free of any offense or disgraceful issue that allows others to discredit his conduct.”  Yes, we allow grace for the short-comings of others, but with regard to those men that we entrust the spiritual oversight of the church, we should not see a blemish or a reputation that causes those outside the Body to say ‘really??!!’ when they hear this man is an elder in our church.

 husband of one wife…  “In understanding Scripture, there is no requirement to be married, but if he is divorced, he should not be re-married.”   In Ethiopia, as Muslims come to Christ, having already married several women, the church there does not require the man to leave his wives, abandoning them & jeopardizing the children.  No, these families are welcomed into the church fellowship, but the men are excluded from serving as elders.  Here in America, polygamy is outlawed by our government…but serial marriages are common.  Because of the clear, simple teaching of Scripture, and a heart of obedience in our congregation, divorced & remarried men are excluded from the work of eldership.

temperate…  Simply put, this means self-controlled.  A man who cannot control his own emotions, who is inclined to rash behavior, does not meet the pre-requisites for the work of elder.  Proverbs 16:32 says “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.  And he who rules his (own) spirit than he who takes a city.”  We’ve seen this lately in the life of politicians and sports figures.  All political & sports achievement is cancelled by the man who cannot control himself.  And so it is in the Lord’s church.  One elder who lacks self-control will neutralize much spiritual work.  So the Lord of the Church says: “Don’t give this responsibility to a man who cannot govern himself.”

prudent… This means a man who possesses discretion, a sound mind in handling people & their problems.  “One thing I’ve learned in my years here…every one of you is different!” Jason said.  He’s right, of course!  We’re all different.  Some of us are private, some public.  Some of us are open about things in our lives, some are closed.  There are many differences, and those men placed in the position of responsibility for the spiritual life of the believers here must have a sensitivity to the difference in personalities.  Prudence means having that gift of noticing & dealing appropriately with the differences existing in our Family.

respectable… Orderliness-in-lifestyle might be the idea here.  An elder shouldn’t be sloppy in his living manner.  His daily lifestyle should be one that deserves respect, reflecting Christ as Lord.

non-alcoholic…  That’s pretty self-explanatory.  Not controlled by liquor.  Often those surrounding a person have a better sense than the person himself on this matter.  So we need to be honest on the matter, and also submit to other’s evaluation of our weakness.  (In today’s world, I’ve wondered if drug use is not a parallel to alcoholism.)

pugnacious…  Now there’s a word!  (Is this the scientific name of that cute little dog called a “Pug”?  I doubt it..)   Pugnacious means “bad tempered”, “argumentative”, “always fighting about something.”   Often, those in the community, the neighbors of the Family, know better than we who is pugnacious.  We put on a “happy face” and “mind our Ps & Qs” when we are with the church family.  We need to be involved with each other on our home turfs, in everyday situations, so that we can see clearly the true character of our brothers & sisters.   A man who is generally disagreeable, short-tempered, self-centered, looking for something to disagree on (whether on the ball field, in the home, or in the church)….. does not meet the pre-requisites for being a spiritual over-seeing of the Lord’s people.

good reputation….  Beyond the church family, what is the reputation of this man in the community, in his work place, in his family?

2. Pre-requisites/Qualifications dealing with the Spiritual Character of the man who desires to be an elder…..

eager to serve… “If it doesn’t light your fire, say ‘no’ when asked to serve.”  Amen!  The work of an elder is hard work.  God doesn’t want a man who is half-hearted, groaning, disinterested.  It is better to have a few joyful servants on the Elder Board than to have a large number (even if stipulated by the church by-laws) of ho-hum men who can’t wait to get home to watch their favorite TV program!

not a “lord”…You know the kind of person that thinks they are above everyone else…snotty, uppity, egotistical, bossy, dictatorial, tyrannical.  Well, these people are not cut out for being elders in the Lord’s church.

not self-willed…  stubborn, obstinate, self-centered.

gentle, kind, gracious… “An elder is able to yield to what others find appropriate in their lives.”  That’s a good statement by Jason….able to yield to what others find appropriate in their lives.

not loving money…  An elder isn’t moved, motivated, jump-started by monetary considerations.  He runs on a higher motivation.

manages his home… Before becoming an elder, a man must show that he is a CHRISTIAN husband and a CHRISTIAN father.  How Christ-like is he in his relationship with his wife & children?  Is there the aroma or pleasant fragrance of Jesus about him as he talks, as he guides, as he teaches his family?  The Puritans used to say “Think of your family as a little church.”  The man who cannot guide & manage his small ‘flock’ at home cannot be expected to manage the large ‘flock’ on the Hill.

not a new convert…  Living the life of Christ requires endurance.  Those men who qualify as elders of a congregation must be men who are proven followers of Christ.  They demonstrate consistency in the issues of life, they are repeatedly surrendering to the will of God shown through the Word of God.  Young believers might have a lot of energy & enthusiasm, but they need to be tested & proven strong in the Lord before they are placed in the position of over-seer of the Lord’s people.

lovers of good things… Simply put, the man who wants to be an elder is not someone who delights in the latest gossip, who looks for bad news about others, who gets some sort of thrill in the latest crime or tragedy.  No, the man we want as elder must be someone who searches for, and enjoys, things that are wholesome & pure.  In our age of information, the man who qualifies for the elder position is one who controls the information to which he is exposed, so that it nurtures his spiritual life…he shuns pornography, shady movies, violence, etc. , so that his spiritual life is enhanced.

3. Pre-requisites/Qualifications dealing with God-given abilities of the man who desires to be an elder…..

able to teach…  One of the responsibilities given by God to the elders in His church is spiritual over-sight.  This involves knowing biblical Truth, teaching the Body, and helping each person to obey that Truth.  This job description is the big difference between Deacons & Elders; deacons are not required to teach, but elders are required to teach.

 So, does this requirement mean that an elder must be seminary-trained? Absolutely not!  He must be able to feed  the Scriptures to the flock; he must be able to communicate.  But he does not need to be eloquent in speech, nor does he need to be formally authorized to teach by a graduation document from a Seminary.  Holding fast to the Word by knowledge & obedience is not optional,  but stylistic differences in teaching are absolutely OK and appropriate.  Each elder can & should teach differently in style from his fellow-elders, but the Truth does not change from one elder to another.

desire the work…  The man that God has appointed an elder in His church will have a heart-throb, an eagerness to do the work of elder-ing.  He is not ho-hum about it; he is not lackadaisical or negligent.  For this man, the work of an elder (& it is work!) is a joy; it bring satisfaction & fulfillment.  When the going gets tough in the work of over-sight, we need men who are strong, eager & internally motivated to do the work.  In fact, Jason related how one experienced pastor put it: “If you can do anything else, do it.”  Only become an Elder/Pastor if it is so much in your heart, you just HAVE to do it!

4.  Pre-requisites/Qualifications dealing with the Spirit’s work in the life of the man who desires to be an elder…..

In the matter of choosing elders at Bethel Hill, the issue is not are we doing it wrong or badly now….the issue is ‘Can we do it better? Can we do it closer to the instructions of Scripture?’  In other words, we want to ‘keep closer’ to the details of Scripture, and do honest evaluations of the men we recommend to the Elder Board.  We are looking for men who are clearly evidencing the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives….a work that produces the qualities of elder-ship.

Have you noticed something about this list of pre-qualifications for the elders?  Most of them are applicable to ALL Christ-followers! 

And so….we are back to one of the early thoughts in Jason’s teaching…living ‘worthy’ of the Gospel.

Most of this list of pre-qualifications for the work of elders is a list that applies to every Christ-follower in our Family!  Because each of us…man, woman, child…is the embodiment, the model, the holder & presenter of Truth to those around us!

 The prayer of the spiritual over-seers of our Family on the Hill is that God will continue to do His work in our midst, that He will continue to hone obedience into our Family lifestyle, and He will make us to be good representatives of His Gospel to a  lost & spiritually-dying population around us!

God made us with interests & abilities; He allows us to get satisfaction & enjoyment from hobbies, sports, food, business ventures, clubs.  He has given us gifts in the shape of health, wealth, possessions, relationships.  But He has also made us with a will to choose Who or What will be our master.  To gain joy from something or someone is one thing…..to become depressed, or angry, or dysfunctional when separated from that thing or person is quite another.

 The “abundant life” that Jesus discussed in John 10 is directly related to the place of the Gospel in our lives.  Everything is vying for the central power of our life.  Everything is pulling for control, for dominance of our time, money, attention, affection.  We’re pulled this way & that with so many voices.

Only the Gospel has the power to deliver on its promises.  All other ‘pulls’ are full of lies & deception & vanity.  And if we place ourselves under their power, we will end up like driftwood stranded on a beach….powerless, abandoned, bleached out. 

And we will wonder: “How did this happen?”

 But the person who uses his God-given will to surrender, to serve, to submit to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the person will know joy, strength, satisfaction, peace, hope, and settledness-of-spirit without limit, without aftertaste, without bitterness & disappointment.  The Gospel is a pure sweetness, a wholesome lifestyle, a deep healthy strength that defies description.

 Now…..A local church focused on the Gospel will flourish in the same manner as an individual focused on the Gospel.   This truth is true at all levels….individual, family, church, nation.  The Gospel spans all associations, all relationships, all generations, all situations.

 Our Family on the Hill wants to be a healthy church.  Health can only exist if the focus of our Family is on the Gospel.  Notice,  I did not say “a focus”…as though we can have multiple focus points.  No, I said “the focus.”  There can be only one focus of a life….or a church.  As with the human eye, there is only one focus point…all other parts of the picture are “peripheral vision” that set the focus point in perspective.

So, our activities, our communications, our teaching times, our link-ups are all the peripheral things that bring the Gospel in our midst into clear focus.

(By now, you might be wondering, “What on earth does she mean by ‘The Gospel’???!!?”   I thought you’d never ask!  This website had a page called ‘What is the Gospel’.   Instead of taking time here in this article to explain again what is the Gospel,  let me just refer you to that page.  You’ll find it as one of the tabs on our Home Page.)

 So,  how do we describe an elder in a healthy, Gospel-focused church?  Joel preaches & visits in many churches.  He’s seen a lot of different types of elders.  Being the good teacher that he is, he said “First, let’s look at what a godly, Bible-directed elder is NOT.”

A Bible-directed Elder is NOT….

                …authoritarian

                …just a good businessman

                …a politician, pursuing position, promoting self

                …a “good ‘ole boy”  (“Some good ‘ole boys have led the church to good ole’ destruction!”)

                …just an older man

Additionally, biblical elders are NOT a group of men who rule over a group of churches; this is commonly done in some large denominations, but you will not find this in the Scriptures.  The pattern of the New Testament churches is clear recognition of the unity of the believers in doctrine & in practice, within the context of local fellowship or ‘Body’.   Each believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  Each believer has direct access to the Throne of God.  Each believer is given ministry within the Body.  And the authority of the Body is given to the group of believers in that Body, not to a select few who rule over & exercise dominion from the ‘outside’.  All of this dynamic is tied up in the truth that the Holy Spirit Himself resides in each true believer.  (See I John 2:26-27,  I Corinthians 12 and Ephesians1-2 for more on this unity through the Spirit.)

In modern language, we call this “Congregational-type” church government.  The authority of the local church rests in the Body of Jesus Christ at that locality.  In other words, each person in the congregation has “authority”, as an extension of the person of Jesus and the indwelling Spirit thru the Word. 

 Also, the group of elders is NOT a self-governing body.  These men cannot be a law unto themselves, to do this or that as they “feel led.” No, these men are accountable to the Body of Jesus meeting in this locality on the Hill.  The Body (individuals representing Jesus’ church) is “higher” on the “organizational ladder” than the elders.

Finally, the group of elders is NOT the final authority of matters of the church.  Again, they are accountable to the Body of the church, not the other way around.

That’s a lot of “NOT”s…..not authoritarian, not simply business-y, not politician/self-promoting, not ‘good ole’ boy’, not just older, not corporate/regional in operation, not self-determining, not final authority.  Knowing what our elders are NOT is only the starting point.  Because of the many centuries of distorted church organization and our own traditions & histories, we must start with what they are NOT.  Now it’s time to move to what the elders ARE…according to the Scriptures.

So….with this long list of “not”s, what ARE elders??? (And as we move into this discussion, let’s not forget our focus: The Gospel.  “Everything is about the Gospel, from the leaders to the sweepers, “  Joel reminded us.  Paul himself said the same thing to the believers in Corinth: “I didn’t come to you with fancy preaching, or startling thoughts.  No, I determined by my will that I would have only one basis for our relationship: the crucified Jesus Christ.  I lost my own weakness, fear, anxieties, preachings in the power of the Spirit.  Why?  So that your faith would not be anchored in a man, but in the power of God.”  See I Corinthians 2:2-5 for the whole story.)

This complete abandonment to the power of God in the Gospel is the basis for understanding what elders ARE.  And we must never lose sight of that here on the Hill.

With this anchor in the Gospel, what exactly are the elders of our Body?

1. Elders are spiritual overseers  appointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:28).  Now, we don’t use that word “overseer” much any more, but in the good old days this word meant a person who looked over the whole project, who understood big picture and who knew how all the little pieces fit into the big picture.  The big picture belonged to the Owner of the project; the over-seer guided all the little parts so that the big picture was developed. (Sometimes we use the word “supervisor”, but that word has more of an authoritarian twist than Scriptural word “overseer.”)

In the case of elders, they are *spiritual* overseers.  They look to the little pieces of spiritual activity that are going on in the Body and they make sure that the little pieces are bringing about the big picture.  “The Holy Spirit lifts a man to where he is respected as a spiritual leader,” Joel explained.  Somehow, all the “little pieces” of the congregation find a way of looking to someone to help guide them into the big picture.

This could involve any spiritual matter…doctrinal clarification, repentance from sin, relational guidance in applying the spiritual relationship that binds us, etc.  Anything of a spiritual nature in the congregation of believers should be under the oversight of an elder.

Joel gave an example of elders dealing with the issue of doctrinal purity.  In Acts 15, a church was confused about the nature & requirements of salvation.  So the elders were sent to the “mother church” in Jerusalem to get the matter clarified.  It was their responsibility as elders to safeguard the spiritual life of the believers, to oversee their personal spiritual growth, bringing it into pattern with the big picture as presented in the Scriptures.

 2.  Elders are ministerial overseers (Acts 11:27-30).  “Ministerial” means the practical logistics of spiritual work.  In the example of Acts 11, the elders took practical responsibility for the removal of the designated offering from the church in Antioch to the church in Judea.  This offering was spear-headed by the Spirit through the prophecy of a man named Agabus.  The elders stepped up to do the practical work of the spiritual ministry of the believers to their brethren.

Today, our elders still do practical work associated with our spiritual ministry through oversight of the financial issues of the church, through sending out of ministry teams for mission work,  etc.  But the practical ministry workload can be overwhelming, so that the spiritual work is neglected.  This happened in the early church in Jerusalem.  So instructions were given to separate additional men to assist the elders in the practical demands of the Body’s ministry.  These men are called Deacons.  Their role is to focus on the practical work of the Body, so that the elders can give themselves more to the spiritual work.  We all work together, focused on the Gospel…but so that we are able to meet all the needs (especially with larger churches or in difficult times), we divide the work into Elders and Deacons.  (An interesting aside: in addition to having ‘deacons’, the early church had ‘deaconesses’….women who relieved the elders of some of the practical ministry issues.  Phoebe is an example of a woman assisting the elders in practical work; see Romans 16:1-2.  Also, in a real sense, every believer is a “deacon/ness”, because every believer is a servant & active participant in the practical working out of the ministry.)

Spiritual work is never disconnected from practical work….and the elders are overseers of the practical work as well as the spiritual work, and the deacon/nesses assist the elders in the logistics of the Body.

3. Elders are biblical teachers.  Look at Acts 20:32.  Paul is commending the elders to….”the word of His grace, which is able to build you up…”    It is the power of the Scriptures that builds the Body.  And that power is unleashed by elders who are preaching & teaching the Word to the Body.  (As opposed to Deacons who serve so that teaching won’t be neglected.  See Acts 6:1-6 to discover when & why Deacons were introduced to the church.  Deacons and Elders have different roles in the Body.)

Towards the end of his life, the Apostle Paul gave very clear, pointed instructions about elders to his young protégé’ Titus.  In Titus 1:9, he states clearly that these elders must know the Word and be able to do two things with that knowledge: 1) exhort, encourage, spur on those in the Body and 2) reason, debate, discuss spiritual things with those outside the Body.

Many people think “Oh, an elder must have gone to seminary.  How else can he know the Word well enough to teach it!”

 This is a great misconception!!!  Where were the seminaries in Paul’s day?  Did he say to Titus….”Hold everything, Titus!  Don’t do anything until we get our Bible School & Seminary up & running!  The keys to understanding the Scriptures are in the Seminary….if we don’t get those keys, the church is locked out of Bible knowledge!”

 No, no, no!  Any person anywhere can know the Scriptures.  In southern Ethiopia exists a young man named Shoko.  He is totally (& I mean TOTALLY) blind.  Yet, he has memorized most of the New Testament, just by listening to cassette tapes of the Scriptures.  And he is fast becoming known for his wisdom and teaching skill…..yet he probably has no more than 6 or 7 grades of formal education.  So why is he so full of spiritual wisdom?  Because he is in the Word!  Not because he went to seminary or Bible School!  The Holy Spirit of God is the One who makes us to understand the wisdom of God….and He does this through the written/spoken Word of God.  No seminary or Bible school has that power!

 Many men & women holding pieces of paper from accredited institutions of higher learning know very little about the heart of God, and often do not have the ability to teach the truths of God. So the paper itself, the coursework required for that paper, the professors teaching the courses, do not guarantee a man who meets the qualifications of Scripture for an elder.  Let us be careful not to replace the requirements of Scripture with our own ‘Churchianity’ requirements.

 Let us focus on the end result, not the means.  The end result is a person who knows the Word….how he learned that Word can happen in many different ways….as long as there is a teachable spirit (humility), the Spirit of God (to open eyes), and the Word of God (which never changes).

 4.  Elders are under-shepherds.  (There’s another one of those old-timey words!)  An under-shepherd is somewhat the opposite of an over-seer.  Instead of viewing the project from overhead like an over-seer, the under-shepherd is working in the project from underneath.

Underneath what/who?  Underneath the Chief Shepherd…who is the Lord Jesus, of course!  (It is not with flippancy that we refer to Bethel Hill Baptist Church as The Lord’s Church!)

In other words, the elders are to be having their eye on the Chief Shepherd and are following His lead in the management of the “sheep”.  In a way, they are the “employees” of the Chief Shepherd.  On our farm we have several Shelties.  Their official name is “Shetland Sheep Dog”.  They are bred for guiding sheep according to the wishes of the shepherd-owner.  So as they are running around the hillsides with the sheep, they have one eye on the sheep & the other eye on the shepherd-owner.  In this way, they can guide/direct the sheep according to the wishes of the shepherd-owner.

 It is interesting in I Peter 5:1-4, the Scriptures warn that these elders are to do their work as under-shepherds willingly…not by compulsion, not by coercion, not for payment, not with a view to gain in any sense.  These elders are men who are working amongst the “sheep”, leading by submitting, leading by example.  Their personal lives are modeling the Way of Christ.  There is an integrity about them personally that inspires the sheep to trust & follow their example.”This wonderful way of leading makes it easier to note the elder in a congregation,” Joel summarizes. 

As an under-shepherd, the elder must be willing to ‘wound’ the sheep for the sake of the Gospel; his goal is to save the sheep from hurt; to correct him for his own good.  Also, the elder (under-shepherd) is willing to heal for the Gospel; his desire is to apply a balm to the spiritual pain of the sheep in his care, and to ‘carry’ him if necessary until the healing is complete.

 What a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus with His people!  And in biblical elders, we have a sort of personification of this picture!

5. Lastly, Elders are servants.  They live out the life of Christ in the Body. As Jesus Christ Himself was a servant,  so the elders are servants.   As the Lord of the Church laid aside His own agenda, His own comfort, His own ego to serve His people…..so the biblical elder will lay aside his agenda, his comfort, his ego to serve the Body of Christ that is placed in his care.  Joel referred to this role as a sort of ’summary’ of the other roles.

Sadly, there are men who say they want to be an elder & serve the church, but they are really focused on income, retirement plan, insurance, and all the perks that go with the position.  Take away those benefits, and these men fade into the background.

 In Conclusion…..                                               

Look at these words that has been used to describe the biblical elder:  willing, humble, eager to serve, spirit-focused, hard-working, healing, protecting……………….all of these words describe the faithful servant of the Lord Jesus.

As Joel concluded his thoughts on the Scriptural teaching about the kind of men who are biblical elders, my mind wandered over the list he had given, and I found myself forming a pyramid.  You remember those Food Pyramids produced by the FDA for public education.  The bottom layer is the largest layer, and it forms the foundation for healthy diet: grains.  And at the top of the pyramid is a small little triangle, and it shows the little piece of the diet that is not so critical to health: sugars.

In my mind’s eye, I formed an Elder Pyramid.  The foundational level was “Servant: to Body & to Savior”  The next level was “Under-shepherd: Caring for the Sheep & Accountable to the Chief Shepherd”.  The next level was “Spiritual Over-seer”, for the spiritual protection of the Body.  The next level up was slightly smaller, “Bible Teacher….Discipler”.  And the small top section was “Ministerial Over-seer: Logistics Coordinator”.  (Please note: this pyramid is my absorption & processing of the truth Joel was teaching; you won’t find this pyramid, per se, in the Scriptures.)

Here’s another skematic.  All skematics have limitations, but this second one emphasizes the role of Servant as a summary, encasing the other roles.

The tendency in our American church culture is to give lip service to spiritual issues of leadership within our churches, and to give practical priority to those men who smooth operations….the ‘good ole’boys’ and those men who are gifted in practical matters (construction workers, financers, businessmen, etc.)  We don’t highly esteem servants, or those brave enough to do the hard work of spiritual oversight.  We love Bible teachers if they make us feel good, but we really don’t want those who are serious about discipling us into followers of Jesus.  In other words, we often flip the pyramid to accommodate our own comfort & agenda.

So….think about it.  What kind of elder do you want at Bethel Hill?  What kind of elder are you willing to be before the Lord?  We cannot have a healthy church without biblical elders.

AUTHORITARIAN                             SERVANT                                             SPIRITUAL OVER-SEER/PROTECTOR

POLITICIAN                         JUST AN OLDER MAN                     JUST A BUSINESS MAN                  Good Ole Boy

UNDER-SHEPHERD                          BIBLICALLY LITERATE/ABLE TO EXPLAIN, ENCOURAGE, DEFEND

                               MINISTERIAL OVER-SEER

We’ve come to Acts 20 for a discussion of the apostle’s teaching about Elders at just the time when we as a Body are considering who to add to our group of Elders.  In Acts 20:17-32, the Apostle Paul is approaching his final trip to Jerusalem, and he’s anticipating that in Jerusalem he will be arrested & taken to Rome.  As he passes near the city of Ephesus, he calls the church elders to come down to meet him at the shore of Miletus.  These verses are his “farewell address” to the men who are now carrying the spiritual load for the church that Paul had started several years before.

There were several things that jumped out at me as Joel read this passage on Sunday. Paul starts by  summarizing his past ministry in the church, a ministry that the elders themselves knew quite well.  Check out verses 18-21.  (How many church leaders do you know who would summarize their ministry like Paul?)

• “I was consistently a humble servant, despite fears & temptations & difficulties, in the midst of the Ephesian believers….I was faithful in my work from the first day until the last; I didn’t wimp out when the going got tough.” (my paraphrase)
• “I gave it my all…I held nothing back that would be profitable to the church people; I worked literally from house to house, working myself to the bone.” (my paraphrase)
• “I kept the message clear, a message of repentance & faith, focused upon the Lord Jesus; my message was given without prejudice, it was openly given to all people who would listen.” (my paraphrase)

In verses 22-23, Paul states flatly that he expects to suffer great hardship through arrest & imprisonment when he arrives in Jerusalem.  Many folk have asked, “Then, you stupid idiot, why are you going to Jerusalem?!”  There’s little doubt in my mind that the elders surrounding him on the shore of Miletus were asking this question silently in their minds. “Why take such a risk?  That’s stupidity…to risk your life!  If you play it smart, Paul, you’ll be able to continue your work for many more years….and we won’t have to part with you.”

He anticipates their question & shares with them the secret to his ministry:

“My life’s hardships don’t bother me in the least.  In fact, the breath of life itself is not treasured by me.  There is only one thing that is precious to me….that I be faithful to finish the work He’s given me, to finish it with joy, to continue to declare clearly the Gospel of the grace of God.”

Paul lived for the Gospel.  It was the only thing that mattered to him.  It drove him, empowering him to survive incredible hardships.  (Read II Corinthians 1:8-10 and 11:23-33 for more details of these hardships.)  It comforted him.  It satisfied him.  It anchored him.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ was Life Itself to the Apostle.  Everything else faded from importance….breath, comfort, reputation, security, health, convenience, relationships, respect, money.  He would fight tooth & toenail to preserve and protect and advance the Gospel, but he willingly (even joyfully) let all other things be taken from him.

As he stands before these elders who love him, and whom he loves, he speaks plainly.  “You will not see me again.  So remember what I’m saying:  I have been faithful to you in the only thing that matters.  I have not skimped on the Gospel!  And now I charge you, as elders, pay attention!  As overseers, as guardians, as trustees of God’s church, you must do what I have done…you must teach the people the whole counsel of God, the whole Gospel..that precious Gospel that cost the very blood of the Son of God!”

Why was the Apostle Paul so urgent??  The church had been planted, it had grown, it now had good elders.  Why such urgency?  Isn’t this a little overly dramatic?

Perhaps more than any other human being, aside from the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul seemed to understand the nature of Man.  He knew the sin that is bound up in the heart of even the most well-meaning person.  He had witnessed in others & in himself destructive actions that flowed from misguided hearts.  He was not naive.

And he knew that the battle for the Gospel, its purity & its application to the heart of Man, would continue long after his death. 

So he warned these elders in vs 28-31.  “Watch out!  Other men will come to the believers under your care.  They will pervert the Gospel.  They will dilute it.  They will redirect people away from the Savior to themselves.  They will be like wolves, entering the sheep pen quietly, discretely, while the sheep are resting, dozing or distracted.  And then they will feast upon the sheep, killing the sheep spiritually while filling their own bellies, reveling in the joy of their power, lifting themselves up as conquerors & taking dominion over the sheep……so watch out!!!  Stand guard!!!  Be alert!!!  Protect the Gospel, feed the sheep, warn of intruders.  Become personally involved with the sheep, just as I did, even with tears & anxiety & heartache….”  

Wow! What serious words.  Imagine what the elders were thinking.  Their hearts full of grief at leaving Paul, and now their hearts full of fear about incoming wolves.  Where were these wolfish men that were coming, intent on destroying the Gospel in their fellowship?  How could they guard the flock as Paul was commanding them?

Paul himself has the answer in vs 32….God Himself would do this work through the elders, and He would do the work through the Word, through grace…building them stronger & stronger, and establishing their destiny as His sons, with all the rights of inheritance.

I’m sure that this confidence of Paul in the ability of God to do His work through these elders, just as He had done His work thru Paul, had a calming effect upon the elders.  It put things in perspective.   The purity of the Gospel in the beginning was real.  The danger of wolfish men was real.  But the faithfulness of God to continue the work was also real.  (The only thing lacking was the willingness of the elders to do their responsibility, to do their work as guardians.)

If I had been Paul, I think I would have stopped with this comforting reminder of God’s faithfulness.

But Paul had one last word.  It relates to money, of all things!  “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or belongings.  You yourselves know that I have worked with my own hands to take care of my needs..and also of the needs of those travelling with me.  I have set an example for you.  Follow my example.  Work yourselves for your own needs, and also for the needs of others who are weaker than you.  Remember not only my example, but also the clear words of Jesus, our Lord.  He said ‘The one who gives is more blessed than the one who receives.’”

Paul’s parting words were about money in the life of the minister.  In today’s world of ministers becoming career-focused, or making a buck off the sheep, or turning the Lord’s work into business…have we torn this page from the Bible?  This meeting with the elders of Ephesus is up close & personal.  Paul said “there was no covetousness in me while ministering to you”…  none of that hidden, discrete, dignified, rationalized envy of other people’s money & possessions. 

Covetousness is a quiet sin; it cannot be measured.  It is very deceptive.  But actions can be measured; actions are open & public.  When Paul was working day & night, everyone could see how he labored, how he disciplined himself, how he lacked covetousness.  In II Thessalonians 3:6-10 and in I Corinthians 8-9 Paul discussed thoroughly about the spiritual value of self-supported ministers.  Yes, they have a “right” to financial support … but when do those following Christ claim their ‘rights’?  No, it’s better to follow the example of Christ in Philippians chapter 2….He had all the rights of the God-head, but He set them aside to become our Savior.   And Paul says very plainly & repeatedly: “Do as I have done.  Follow my example. Do not seek money!  Do this for the sake of the Gospel.”

We are allowed to see the Apostle in all his humanness.   Like other humans doing ministry in the church of the Lord Jesus, he was tempted to indulge himself, to seek comfort, to rationalize short-cuts, to allow ‘worship’ of himself as leader, to become prideful & smug in wisdom & ability.  He knew, as often we do not like to accept, that the inner core of Man is rotten unto Death.  And we must constantly push ourselves to not allow even a small wedge of Self to enter the Lord’s ministry.

Paul pushed himself in diet, in salary, in simple lifestyle, in clarity of teaching, in integrity, in unpretentious ministry.  He pushed himself to minister without prejudice; the dress, the wealth, the background, the connections, the sex, the ethnicity of people was utterly irrelevant.  The Gospel was for all people.  Paul disciplined himself for purity & simplicity in order to keep that Gospel pure (both in delivery & in message).

On the shoreline of Miletus, the elders of the Lord’s church in Ephesus said ‘goodbye’ to their spiritual father; for the last time, they hugged the one who had willingly suffered so much to bring them the Gospel.  And as the ministry baton was passed to them as guardians, the words of Paul bore into their hearts & minds.

“Don’t covet.  Don’t put a monetary price tag on your ministry.  Work yourself ‘to death’ to keep your ministry pure.  Sacrifice everything in your life for the Life of the Gospel.  Watch out for wolves.  Follow my example.  Be a servant, even when the going gets tough.  Keep the Gospel pure, undiluted, unpolluted, simple, clear….and give it to all people without prejudice.”

Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders are words that are directly applicable to the elders of Bethel Hill Baptist Church.

May God help us not to tear out pages of the Scriptures to suit our culture, our tradition or our personal preference.

Let us, like the Ephesian believers, pursue the whole counsel of God…..even down to the matter of elders.

 Though the weather and the leaves change, the Lord’s work on the Hill continues!  Programs come and go with the calendar, but the focus remains constant…..imploring our friends, neighbors and far-away acquaintances to consider the saving Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and yield their lives to His loving command & authority.  Making Him Savior & Lord is the ONLY thing that makes Life worth living! All other pursuits…even good church programs…are vanity; they vanish into thin air when the heat is turned up & Time passes on.

So, keep these programs & changes in perspective.  They are transient things.  They have no glory in themselves, except as they promote the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our personal lives, where the rubber meets the road, where the moment by moment decisions are made of what to think, what to say, and what to do.

1) Sunday School is changing over.  Soon we’ll post the new quarter’s teachers and subjects.  In the meantime, if you are a teacher…either “permanent” or “relief”…plan to join Jason & Stacey Hatley in the kitchen/fellowship area for an early -morning meeting on Sunday, August 15.  The time is 7:45.  Coffee & rolls will be ready for you.  Come prayed-up and ready for the Spirit to do His unifying and clarifying work as only He can do it!  Note: That’s this coming-up Sunday….only a few days away!

 2) The Nursery is full these days….precious little ones who are reaching for love & guidance.  Has God gifted you with His strength (as in a strong back)?  Has He given you a measure of calm spirit in the midst of seeming chaos?  Do you love those little people who can’t yet talk well?   If so, consider giving back to Him in the form of volunteering your time, energy & skill during the Sunday School hour.

 There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer, or call Stacy Hatley at 336-364-3560, or email her at  bhcssdf@yahoo.com

3) This week our Beulah Baptist Association is organizing some general community good-works.  These range from yard sales, landscaping, cookie bakes, school supplies & eye exams.   For details about these daily events, check out their website pdf description at  http://beulahassociation.com/PDF%20Files/missionblast11.pdf

   4) The pillars have arrived!!!  And so has the paint!   These are our new pillars, which will replace the rotting ones on our front porch.  Cal Berry is looking for a few good men (or women) to help transfer the paint from the buckets to the pillars.  All supplies are provided (except your painting clothes).  I can personally recommend the Ethiopia Painting Crew of Jason Evans, Danny Chambers, Ed Johnson, the Humphries family, Bange and Oshe.   Call Cal if you’d like join this fun & work…or call one of the Ethiopia Painting Crew.

 5) It’s that time again!  Deacon nominations are being taken.  Now, here on the Hill, we don’t just recommend those men that are good-lookin’, or known as “good ole’ boys”, or the umpteenth descendent of a founding member.  No…No….No!  We see what the Head of the Church says about who we should nominate.  And He’s given pretty clear instructions through two of His apostles. In Titus 1:5-11, the Apostle Paul outlines very clear character/lifestyle issues we are to look for…without unconfessed/blatant sin, having only one marriage, having a calm/peaceful home, showing good stewardship under God, not strong-willed/selfish/short-tempered, not undisciplined in matters of drink or money or physical behavior, treasuring the Word of God & able to use that Word to encourage & correct others.    Those men chosen by the Holy Spirit through us have been given a clear job description by the Apostle Peter in I Peter 5:1-3.  Read the list yourself….Feeder, Guider, Protector, Server (without hidden agendas), Example/model.

 God has already placed men in our midst that meet these qualifications and that are willing to do this work.  Here on the Hill, He’s given us many truly godly, humble servants of the Lord in His church.  And by His Spirit, if we are willing to obey the Scriptures and seek His Voice on the matter, He will show  us whom He has chosen.  Remember Jason’s sermon a few weeks back from Acts 13?  The people were praying when the Spirit said “separate for me, for work I’ve appointed, Saul & Barnabas.”  And we can trust Him to give us this same guidance on the Hill.  …  So let us give our hearts to the Word of God, and our ears to the Voice of God…and then let us nominate those men that He settles in our soul.

Write the names of those who are settled in  your soul on a piece of paper, and give the paper to someone on the Nominating Committee:  Paul Bentley, George Woody, Nora Pixley, Danny Chambers or Cindi Jacobs (I think I got them all )

 6) In somewhat the same vein as the Elder/Deacon nomination, the Committee has suggested folk on the Hill for the other ministry needs.  A listing of their recommendations is in the Foyer.  There are a few blank spaces. Pray over these blank spaces, and if the Lord of the church spurs you, then call someone on the Committee & volunteer to have your name put on that blank place.  Then move forward into the new year trusting the Lord’s Voice to you and His ability to complete that which He has begun in and through you.

 7) M&M Kidz….anyone interested in joining a children’s Bell Choir?  Call Joni Dudley if you are.

 8) Our Ethiopia Team made The Courier Times newspaper of Roxboro, NC on July 10.  It’s a full-page article, complete with many pictures and an interview with our own Dr. Rick.   Unfortunately, the article is no longer on their website, but you can read it on the bulletin board at the kitchen…which, of course, is the happenin’ place on the Hill )

 9) Youth for Christ Warehouse is starting up again each Saturday evening.  Our family on the Hill has volunteered to help out on the SECOND Saturday of each month, from 5pm-10pm.  This is a time of touching the area’s youth with the love & purpose of Jesus.  Food, Games, Bible Teaching are bound up in friendship….and that friendship could make the difference between Life and Death for a young person who is confused, distraught, strung-out, or otherwise searching for purpose in living.  Will you bring this before the Lord, and ask Him simply: “Do You want me to help these Saturday nights?”  …  Then just be obedient.    Jason Evans and Joel Bradsher are working with Tim Bowes in this work; let them know if you are appointed to join the force for Jesus amongst these youth.

10) “Thank you” from the family of Basil Clower.  In the providence of God, he was taken from us, following weeks of sickness.  “We want to thank  everyone for the calls, visits, food, and especially your prayers in the loss of our Dad, Basil Clower…..Rose & Wendy.”  Be sure to keep this family in your prayers, as they continue to adjust to his absence.

 11) And the grand finale of this listing of family news is the decision of Miss Taylor Watts.  “Are you willing to follow Him and be obedient to Him the rest of your life?”   So asked Joel, publically, before all the people, high up in the pool of water.  “Yes”, she replied.  And under she went…completely immersed, picturing for us the death, burial & resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  The waters did not save Taylor this morning.  No…her decision was made some weeks back.  Her sister had been reminding her of Jesus’ love & claim on her life, and the week at Youth Camp brought the quiet, thoughtful surroundings to spur the questioning of others about the salvation that was needed in her life.  The whole issue of baptism took us back to the second chapter of Acts.  Peter was reviewing with the Jewish leaders the record of redemption in their religious history; his conclusion: Jesus is the culmination of all this history.  The Temple, the Sacrifices, the Promises, the Prophets….it all culminated in the great Sacrifice and Resurrection of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself!  Such a review of the record makes people either rise up in anger & rejection, or break in wonder & ask “So now what do we do?”    Sometimes Peter’s audiences did one, and sometimes they did the other.  In Acts 2, thankfully, they did the latter….and Peter answered very directly & simply: “Repent & be baptized.”    Repentence means a complete life change…in values, in actions, in focus, in goal, in relationships.  And repentence is linked by the Apostle Peter with baptism.  They go together.  If someone has repented, he has been saved from sin…and if he’s been saved, he’s been saved to obedience…and baptism is the public declaration of the intent to be obedient. 

As Taylor walked up out of the pool of water, Joel put the lid on the issue: “Jesus calls us to live a public life for Him.  There is no such thing as a private Christian.”   The relationship between the Savior and the Sinner is a personal one, but it is never private.  Never.

Have you entered that relationship with the Savior?  Have you embraced the Culmination of history and asked the question “So what do I do now?”   Have you repented (turned around from the old life) and made that decision public through baptism?

Much to think about…..  I’m sure Taylor would love to share her story of her Savior with you.  But the decision is yours…and so are the consequences.

Sun-Sun, July 18-25

Mon, July 26…Tying things up.  The Alaba Team will have one last day to connect with the evangelists that have been their prayer partners, and to meet with the elders.  Pray for wisdom & bonding.  The Ultrasound Team will spend all day travelling back to Addis. Pray for safety in travel.

Tues, July 27…The Alaba Team will join the Ultrasound Team in Addis; they will have a few hours to shop, and then will have a last supper together before we all board the airplane.  Pray for Dave & Becky as they have last meetings & tie up loose ends.  Pray for safe travel; again, Dave will fly separately from the rest of us.

 Wed, July 28…Everyone will, Lord willing, arrive safely in their homes in the USA.  Pray that the seeds of truth & training will remain in the hearts & minds of the Ethiopians, and that God will bring Himself glory as His Word accomplishes His purposes.  Pray for the clinic staff to retain & practice what they have learned.  Pray for the Ethiopian church leaders, translators & youth corps as they recuperate & absorb their ministry experience.  Pray for all your prayer partners that are around the globe; thank God for their faithfulness alongside of you, in upholding this work.

 And thank God for the absolute privilege you have had in being a part of the Ethiopia Team of July, 2010!