Serve by Design

(These reflections were adapted from what was read at a recent celebration of life service for one of my cherished Texas friends. Regrettably, I was unable to participate in the service due to cautions surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.)  Monique and I along with our 13-month old son, Matthew, moved to Granbury, Texas in September of 1977. I had already been attending seminary classes in Fort Worth for a month when the opportunity came to serve the First Baptist Church, Granbury as an Associate Pastor of Education/ Outreach. As it would turn out, my office would be adjacent to the work space of the church's secretary, Kitty Best. Our work-day lives would be inextricably connected for the next seven and a half years. Kitty Best June 8, 1929 - May 12, 2020 Although Kitty was the church's only secretary, she was so much more! Today, she would have the title Administrative Assistant. She managed our office and did so without computers, WiFi/ Internet service, or any of...

I have been asked to serve as a presenter for a small group intensive. It is a supportive role as part of a larger meeting of leaders convening for a two-day conference hosted by our Baptist state convention. This is my second stint at contributing in this way. I led a similar breakout session two years ago.  My topic this year is titled, "Reimagine Mentoring Mentors." After 45 years of pastoral ministry, I have discovered and rediscovered over the years that it is humanly impossible for me to do everything that needs to be done in local church ministry. Therefore, to be effective as a pastor-teacher at equipping others to do the work of the ministry (see Ephesians 4:11-13), I need to utilize the mentoring leaders God gives to the local church. Stewardship is about time, talents and treasures! Mentoring leaders are stewards and managers of God's resources. With respect to the resource of men and women who serve as God's leaders in the local church, mentors are s...