This is the "unedited director's cut" version of an article I wrote for the Master's Seminary
Have you noticed? Have you noticed that the list of plenary
speakers at most of the major Christian conferences in America is typically
compromised of well known ministers most of whom have also enjoyed abundantly fruitful ministries? In light of this long-standing pattern it
would be really easy to conclude that if a
pastor/missionary/Christian parent labors long and hard in faithful service to Christ they too will experience similar blessings this side of eternity. In other words, those who preach the Word
with excellence, shepherd the flock with love, and lead God’s people with courage
and integrity often come to expect like results. If not Christian book deals, VIP status within
the Gospel Coalition ranks, tens of thousands of Twitter followers; at least, a
flourishing congregation and a growing church staff on the home front. It’s the American dream and Christian
ministry wrapped up in one.
This common train of thought is often depicted in major motion pictures. Take McFarland USA for example. As many of you know, this well produced movie follows the career of now legendary Coach Jim White. At the beginning of the film, Kevin Costner (AKA Coach White) is forced to relocate his family to a depressed town in rural America. The particular school where Coach White now teaches and coaches at is in major need of “revitalization.” As with most ‘feel good’ sports movies one of the underline messages of the film is as follows: Championship banners and ‘happily ever afters’ come to those who work hard and persevere. Ok great, but what does any of this have to do with pastoring, parenting, and/or the mission field? If you stay with me I will try and show you.
Do you honestly think? Do you honestly think that if William Carey
ministered today that he would be asked to be a keynote speaker at a major
missions conference six years into his heroic missionary career? “Our first guest speaker sold everything and has
been laboring in India since 1793. To
date, brother Carey has led zero souls to Christ and has performed the same
number of baptisms. Missionary Carey
stays busy translating the New Testament into Bengali while pastoring a local church
of seven (if you include his family).”
In this vein, how likely is it that someone like Jeremiah the prophet would
ever be asked to sit on an A-list panel at one of the many mega
conferences? “Since brother Jeremiah
started his public ministry in Israel he has been constantly dismissed by his own people. In fact, his congregation is now ten times
smaller than when he first started preaching fifteen years ago.” “Which bring me to our final guest panelist,
‘Joe the preacher.’ Brother Joe serves the Lord tirelessly as a bi-vocational
pastor in Fargo, North Dakota. Joe is a
regular guest speaker at Golden Years Nursing Home, the Cass County Jail, and
Walker and Jones Funeral Home where Joe has now officiated over one hundred and
twenty Christ-centered funerals.” You
can almost picture the ‘Yum Yum Center’ emptying out as these no-namers are
introduced. Sadly, as a culturally
conditioned creature I can see myself following the crowd out the door.
Why me? As you read the helpful contributions of my
esteemed ministry colleagues you will no doubt come to my monthly blog
contribution and wonder aloud, “Why Caleb Kolstad? “ I have asked myself the same question, “Why
me?” I believe that my primary
contribution to this new online ministry is to try and encourage
brother-pastors, missionaries, and faithful laymen to not grow weary in doing good.
As providence would have it my heart goes out in a special way to those faithful
servants that are knee-deep in trying ministry revitalization contexts. In Titus 1:5 the Apostle Paul writes, For this reason I sent you to Crete that you
might SET IN ORDER that which remains… By the grace of God, using the Word of God, Titus
and his fellow undershepherds were to try and put “humpty dumpty” back together
again (note especially the Greek word ἐπιδιορθόω).
In this vein, many of
my forthcoming articles will be aimed especially for those of you who can echo
the heartfelt words of missionary David Brainard, “It is good for me to have
endured these trials and to have seen little to no success” (Psalm 119:71). As we continue to serve our Lord and Master
Jesus Christ may we remind ourselves brothers and sisters that this momentary light affliction is producing for
us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all comparison. Therefore, we do not lose heart! 2 Corinthians
4:16-18.