I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY! Having been a circuit preacher since 2008, I have filled plenty of pulpits around New Mexico. My most precious story of having a perceptive Pastor in Church was when Sheldon Wolf was at the First Baptist Church in Reserve, New Mexico, one Sunday years ago! God told me to keep my eye on him.
I talked with Sheldon in depth every time he came. I asked him the second time I met him if he ever thought of being a Pastor. He told me very clearly, NO! I asked him to pray about it and to seek the face of JESUS. The next time it was again, NO! The third time Sheldon said he would pray about it! When the Lord clearly tells me something, I stick with it. Long story short, after much prayer, Sheldon said he would like to be a Pastor — the Pastor of FBC in Reserve. Hallelujah! The congregation voted Sheldon in! FBC of Reserve has been blessed by Pastor Sheldon, and his precious wife and child.
Raise up Pastors in your Church! Look through a Biblical lens when you look at the men in your congregation. There are many who have the God-given potential to preach! PRAY! LISTEN TO GOD! ENCOURAGE! TRAIN! LOVE!
We are blessed to have Pastor Chuck Akeley here at FGGAM! Years ago the Lord showed me that Chuck was to be a Pastor! Chuck has such a heart for Jesus and people. Chuck also is so very dedicated to the Word of God and he holds a Biblical Worldview. Just a few months ago, Chuck became the Associate Pastor of For God’s Glory Alone Ministries. Sharon and I are so ever grateful for the love of Pastor Chuck. I have never met a more dedicated man to God.
Very, very important to remember, God selects Pastors, not man. Pastors are called by God not man.
I so much love the following message in the Baptist Press:
Baptist Press
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – When Richard Ulrich offered to teach a summertime preaching class, he expected a handful of men in his congregation would be interested. “I thought we’d have five or six.” He was surprised.
“We had 16 show up the first week, and several more joined later or studied the book along with us,” said Ulrich, pastor of Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Illinois. More than 20 participated. Ulrich’s plan for a short course concluding with a one-night preaching event for the participants turned into two months and three services to give everyone a shot at the pulpit.
One meeting was for half of the men to bring devotions and offer critique for each other. Then in two worship services, a total of six more men preached, most for the first time.
“I think a lot of them had more gifting and skills than they realized,” the pastor-teacher said, adding that one of the men in his church who preaches at other churches said he had been praying for years for God to raise up others.
For Ulrich, response to the preaching lab was confirmation of a need in his local association and beyond. Churches need preachers. There aren’t presently a lot of viable options. And churches like his can train men who will preach and perhaps become bi-vocational pastors.
“The result was amazing,” said Brian Kenney, a retired pastor who served as interim associational mission strategist (“AMS”) for Sandy Creek Association. “The church was so excited to see men being trained and standing in their pulpit.” Incoming AMS Isaac King now has a new list of supply preachers.
The Baptist Press article may be read in full HERE.
