That’s the Pastoral Ministries team at Dallas Seminary during the annual Faculty Workshop before the new school year begins. And it begins tomorrow. Summer’s over!
Orientation for new students was last Thursday. During lunchtime that day, faculty members sat at various tables and were joined by incoming students. That’s a lot of fun. Free lunch and a chance to meet some of the eager beavers. I had a whole bunch of e.bs. where I was located. A couple, with the husband joining to do preliminary work before applying for the Ph.D. program; two students doing the counseling degree; another for the linguistics program. Lots of fun hearing the great stories of how they ended up here at DTS.
Joining us a bit later at our table was another e.b. who is in the Master of Theology program, likely to be in the Pastoral Leadership track. Quite an interesting fellow, this. Married with two kids. From one end of the country. And … disabled and wheelchair bound. His was a fascinating story, as you can expect. And an e.b. he sure was, ready to begin studies, enthusiastic to serve the Lord.
As I did the others, I asked him why he had chosen DTS. After three years of asking the same question to incoming students at my table on orientation day, I thought I’d heard all the possible answers to that query. Permutations and combinations of influence from friends, alumni, pastors; books published by faculty members; quality of education; etc. But his reason was a new one. And it warmed my heart no end!
“One of the reasons,” he said, pointing at me, “was you.”
Me? Chuck Swindoll, yes. Howard Hendricks, yes. (And he couldn’t be mistaking me for one of them—not by a long shot!) And many other luminaries on the faculty, yes. But, me?
Apparently the guy had listened to one of my sermons on the DTS website a year or so ago that had impacted him.
Yup, it warmed the cockles of my heart to hear that.
You know, as time goes by, one does begin to wonder if any of the stuff one does really matters. Is anyone being impacted? Is anyone being influenced? Sermons I preach galore. But is life change happening to any of my listeners? Is it worth the trouble? Should I continue? Hesitation builds. Uncertainty looms. Questions rise.
And then, this! Affirmation like this is truly a godsend. It encourages us to persist and persevere, to carry on and stay put, to hang in there and dig in … for the long haul. Even if we don’t see much tangible result to our endeavors.
My conclusion after our lunch that day? God can sure use anything! Me, inanimate objects, donkeys, nature …
Orientation for new students was last Thursday. During lunchtime that day, faculty members sat at various tables and were joined by incoming students. That’s a lot of fun. Free lunch and a chance to meet some of the eager beavers. I had a whole bunch of e.bs. where I was located. A couple, with the husband joining to do preliminary work before applying for the Ph.D. program; two students doing the counseling degree; another for the linguistics program. Lots of fun hearing the great stories of how they ended up here at DTS.
Joining us a bit later at our table was another e.b. who is in the Master of Theology program, likely to be in the Pastoral Leadership track. Quite an interesting fellow, this. Married with two kids. From one end of the country. And … disabled and wheelchair bound. His was a fascinating story, as you can expect. And an e.b. he sure was, ready to begin studies, enthusiastic to serve the Lord.
As I did the others, I asked him why he had chosen DTS. After three years of asking the same question to incoming students at my table on orientation day, I thought I’d heard all the possible answers to that query. Permutations and combinations of influence from friends, alumni, pastors; books published by faculty members; quality of education; etc. But his reason was a new one. And it warmed my heart no end!
“One of the reasons,” he said, pointing at me, “was you.”
Me? Chuck Swindoll, yes. Howard Hendricks, yes. (And he couldn’t be mistaking me for one of them—not by a long shot!) And many other luminaries on the faculty, yes. But, me?
Apparently the guy had listened to one of my sermons on the DTS website a year or so ago that had impacted him.
Yup, it warmed the cockles of my heart to hear that.
You know, as time goes by, one does begin to wonder if any of the stuff one does really matters. Is anyone being impacted? Is anyone being influenced? Sermons I preach galore. But is life change happening to any of my listeners? Is it worth the trouble? Should I continue? Hesitation builds. Uncertainty looms. Questions rise.
And then, this! Affirmation like this is truly a godsend. It encourages us to persist and persevere, to carry on and stay put, to hang in there and dig in … for the long haul. Even if we don’t see much tangible result to our endeavors.
My conclusion after our lunch that day? God can sure use anything! Me, inanimate objects, donkeys, nature …
The heavens are telling
of the glory of God;
and their expanse is declaring
the work of His hands.
Psalm 19:1
of the glory of God;
and their expanse is declaring
the work of His hands.
Psalm 19:1
And so all of us believers work together as a team, in Pastoral Ministries and elsewhere, in seminaries and churches, in homes and offices, in schools and marketplaces, all over the world, and all across time. Persistently, perseveringly.
God is not unjust
so as to forget your work
and the love which you have
shown toward His name,
in having ministered and
in still ministering ….
Hebrews 6:10
so as to forget your work
and the love which you have
shown toward His name,
in having ministered and
in still ministering ….
Hebrews 6:10
No, He will not forget. Others might. Ignored we might be. Unsung and unappreciated. But God does not forget. No, He does not and never will. Let’s keep at it!
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5 comments:
That was so wonderful to hear of the story of the student. Keep living and serving till the Lord returns.
It was an encouragement to me to keep doing the same.
you, indeed, have touched many lives!
Hello Abe. You made an impact on me at the preaching workshop at Sydney Missionary & Bible College a few weeks ago. I've been following you blog since then, but the Lord spoke powerfully to me through your sermon then on Mk 14. The woman who anointed Jesus made a tremendous sacrifice - profuse, pure, precious & praisworthy. See? I remembered that without taking any notes! And I spent the whole 2 hr drive back to Newcastle chewing it over. Thanks!
Hey Pastor Abe!!!Now I am dying to hear you so pleeeese send me a link to one of your latest messages. It must be special!
Tiggy
Reading these comments remind me of similar things I either wrote or said countless times before---You do make such an impact on others---more than you know or hear about--and they impact others---keep planting those seeds---watering when you can....but know that we are so grateful to our Lord for placing you in our lives, no matter how brief or interment the time was, you have made a difference and still do.
Some of your sermons are listened to over and over and over again---Amen! :) Thanks, Abe!
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