“Preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Danny BurnleyPastor, do you remember when you were called to preach the gospel? Do you remember how humbled and excited you were to serve your Lord? Do you remember when you were asked to preach your first sermon or to share your personal testimony for the first time? What about the first love offering that was offered to you when you did not want to take it? You were just so thankful that God called you. Remember? If so, read on.
In 1996, Jim Herron, our director of missions for Greenville Baptist Association retired. I was serving as president of our associational pastor’s conference at that time. Our moderator moved to another state and since I was the vice moderator, I became the moderator. It was the most challenging time of my ministry.
I was informed that as moderator I was to appoint a search committee to seek out our next director of missions. No one was more thankful to see our new DOM, Ron Davis, than I was, and, I might add, he has done an excellent job in our association. Praise the Lord for DOMs.
There were many challenges that I faced, but the greatest challenge was when several discouraged pastors visited my study on different occasions. Who was I to advise these great men of God?
One pastor shared with me that he would be resigning the following Sunday. He was so discouraged. Another shared that he wanted to resign his church, but he was afraid that God would take him behind the woodshed. If he didn’t, he feared he would lose his family. Another pastor sobbed over a business meeting where his church came apart – and there were others. What was I to say?
I shared with each of them about an old preacher who died years ago and is in heaven today. He told how, as a young boy, he lived on an old farm. Each night, his father would send him out to the barn to check on a cow that stayed in one of the stalls. This old preacher said that he noticed something would always happen every time he went into that dark barn with his lamp. As soon as that light appeared in the barn, the birds would begin to sing and the rats would run for cover.
The old preacher said he learned from that experience and he applied it to his ministry. He discovered that as a pastor, where he stood behind the pulpit and preached the word, God’s light would shine. Yes, two things would always take place – the Christians would begin to sing, and the rats would still run for cover!
My encouragement to those pastors was the same: Remember your first love. Don’t worry about buildings, budgets or baptisms. Return to the joy of your salvation and calling. Preach the word, and leave the results to God.
Today, each of those pastors is being used of God in mighty ways. You would be amazed! Are you discouraged? Return to your first love. Preach the word!