Lessons Learned from a Long Line of Godly Men- Embrace Suffering!

As you make your way through my series of articles on church revitalization articles please consider the Scripture passages and other ministry resources that I have linked in every journal entry.  Suffice it to say, the trials that God took us through during my first four years of ministry in Freeport are really not that unique.   Which Christian parishioner or faithful pastor ever lived a care free life?  Job himself noted that "Man is born into trouble as the sparks fly upward."

As you listen to the following leadership interviews you will hear some faithful Christian leaders share a collection of honest reflections about some of the trials and tribulations of gospel ministry.  The snippet of John MacArthur (1 minute-8 1/2 minutes) and Paige Patterson (46 minutes-52 minutes) are the clips most applicable to this series of articles on reformation ministry.  I continue to learn so much from the testimony and example of godly men such as those interviewed in this audio recording (see below). 

http://www.9marks.org/audio/9marks-leadership-interview-sampler

http://media.9marks.org/audio/interview-leadership-sampler.mp3

Here is one very powerful quote from the 9 Marks interview sampler.  "I have learned to embrace the suffering and to embrace the criticism and the failure and the pain as probably the most productive work of God in my life.... Their is a sense in which the best things that have ever happened to me are the mutinies that have occurred in my church, the disappointments, the criticisms, and the misrepresentations."

Alexander the Coppersmith

"Alexander the Coppersmith did me much harm

but the Lord will repay him according to his deeds"
(2 Timothy 4:14-15). 

In college I was privileged to be discipled by a number of faithful men.  Pastor Mark Spansel was one of the godly men who invested in my life and future ministry.  Mark often let me use his office at the Master's College so I could study the Word and utilize his personal library "after hours."  As an extended family member of the late Dr. D. Edmond Hiebert Mark owned a number of books from the personal library of the great New Testament scholar.  One of the Hiebert books that has been most helpful to me is shown above. "In Paul's Shadow: Friends and Foes of the Great Apostle." 

It is obvious in reading the New Testament epistles that the apostle was not afraid to name names.  Alexander the Coppersmith was one of the many named "ministry foes" of the apostle Paul.  Apparently this metalworker wrecked havoc on Paul's pastoral ministry.  In time Alexander did God's servant a "great deal of harm."  2 Timothy 4:15 informs us that Alexander strongly opposed the apostolic message.  The rest of the backstory would have likely been very familiar to the original audience and so Paul does not say much more than this.

As a faithful Christian the great apostle tried to practice what he preached.  For example in Romans 12:18-19 Paul wrote, If possible, so far as depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'I will repay, says the Lord."  Instead of trying to settle a personal score in a fleshly way Paul left room for the wrath of God.  Paul believed that God Himself would "repay this man for his sinful deeds." 

As a faithful shepherd Paul also sought to protect his flock and Timothy from the contaminating influence of this Coppersmith foe.  So Paul mentions this man by name in a letter that would have been read aloud to the entire congregation.  In 2 Timothy 4:13-15, the apostle dually warns these believers of this human "leaven."  So what does Paul and Alexander have to do with me or FBC?