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When you read this post, the elders and pastors of University Reformed Church will, Lord willing, be in the hinterlands of Michigan on our annual retreat. In previous years we have worked through a book or talked through a big issue facing our church. This year we are only going to do one thing: pray.
I've always been inspired and convicted by the Apostle's priorities in Acts 6. You know the passage well. Some of the Greeks were upset with the Jews because the Greek widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The Twelve had to do something about this problem. But they knew they were not the ones to handle it directly. "It is not right" they said, "that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." So they appointed seven men full of the Spirit to take care of the distribution. As for the Apostles, they would "devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
That's what I want my ministry to be about--the word of God and prayer. In so far as the elders are supposed to be like the Twelve and the deacons like the Seven, I want our Board of Elders to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word. Of course, there are other responsibilities for the elders, shepherding and overseeing the flock being chief among those responsibilities. But we must never neglect prayer.
And if we are to be like the Apostles, we must do more than pray at the beginning and the end of our meetings. We must be so devoted to prayer that we say no to other worthwhile ministry. That's the inspiring and convicting part of Acts 6. Sure, I pray as a pastor. I pray privately. I pray in church. I pray at meetings. I pray for others. The elders pray for a good chunk of time at every meeting. They pray in people's homes and at the hospital. But what are we consciously not doing so that we can be devoted to prayer? We can't say yes to prayer as the Apostles did unless we are saying no to something else. For Friday and Saturday of this week at least we are saying no to agenda items, no to a football game or two, and even no to our families. It's not much, but it's a start.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
When you read this post, the elders and pastors of University Reformed Church will, Lord willing, be in the hinterlands of Michigan on our annual retreat. In previous years we have worked through a book or talked through a big issue facing our church. This year we are only going to do one thing: pray.
I've always been inspired and convicted by the Apostle's priorities in Acts 6. You know the passage well. Some of the Greeks were upset with the Jews because the Greek widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The Twelve had to do something about this problem. But they knew they were not the ones to handle it directly. "It is not right" they said, "that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." So they appointed seven men full of the Spirit to take care of the distribution. As for the Apostles, they would "devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
That's what I want my ministry to be about--the word of God and prayer. In so far as the elders are supposed to be like the Twelve and the deacons like the Seven, I want our Board of Elders to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word. Of course, there are other responsibilities for the elders, shepherding and overseeing the flock being chief among those responsibilities. But we must never neglect prayer.
And if we are to be like the Apostles, we must do more than pray at the beginning and the end of our meetings. We must be so devoted to prayer that we say no to other worthwhile ministry. That's the inspiring and convicting part of Acts 6. Sure, I pray as a pastor. I pray privately. I pray in church. I pray at meetings. I pray for others. The elders pray for a good chunk of time at every meeting. They pray in people's homes and at the hospital. But what are we consciously not doing so that we can be devoted to prayer? We can't say yes to prayer as the Apostles did unless we are saying no to something else. For Friday and Saturday of this week at least we are saying no to agenda items, no to a football game or two, and even no to our families. It's not much, but it's a start.
I've always been inspired and convicted by the Apostle's priorities in Acts 6. You know the passage well. Some of the Greeks were upset with the Jews because the Greek widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The Twelve had to do something about this problem. But they knew they were not the ones to handle it directly. "It is not right" they said, "that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." So they appointed seven men full of the Spirit to take care of the distribution. As for the Apostles, they would "devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
That's what I want my ministry to be about--the word of God and prayer. In so far as the elders are supposed to be like the Twelve and the deacons like the Seven, I want our Board of Elders to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word. Of course, there are other responsibilities for the elders, shepherding and overseeing the flock being chief among those responsibilities. But we must never neglect prayer.
And if we are to be like the Apostles, we must do more than pray at the beginning and the end of our meetings. We must be so devoted to prayer that we say no to other worthwhile ministry. That's the inspiring and convicting part of Acts 6. Sure, I pray as a pastor. I pray privately. I pray in church. I pray at meetings. I pray for others. The elders pray for a good chunk of time at every meeting. They pray in people's homes and at the hospital. But what are we consciously not doing so that we can be devoted to prayer? We can't say yes to prayer as the Apostles did unless we are saying no to something else. For Friday and Saturday of this week at least we are saying no to agenda items, no to a football game or two, and even no to our families. It's not much, but it's a start.
