#38
Three ways to be sure your care is distinctively pastoral and Christian.
Jesus gives us the answer: “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water (1) in my name (2) because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41) Paul’s care was pastoral and christian when he talked about God and prayed with the Ephesian elders. (Acts 20:17-36). Three ways to be sure your care is distinctively pastoral and Christian:
- YOUR PRESENCE Since you are a Christian, without intention, your presence will give off a Christian aroma, (“Your reputation goes before you.”) Because you represent their church, you are a member of their Christian family reaching out to them. This gives Christian overtones to your caring initiatives.
- BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT GENERATING A SENSE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD a) Articulate the faith. Examples: (1) If there are problems you can say, “I believe God will help you.” (2) If it is a joyful event, “It seems that God has chosen you for special blessing.” b) Pray for and with people. Either assure them you will pray for them, or pray with them on the spot. Praying with them right then is the better of the two.
- ACCEPT THE STAKE YOU HAVE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL LIVES. a) Desire their spiritual growth, and do what you can to facilitate that growth. b) Grieve over their known weaknesses and sins. Note: There is a great difference between being judgmental and being pastoral! c) Concern yourself with their church participation. d) Know that you are a member of your church’s pastoral team.●
(Audio/Byeong) Dr. Melvin said pastoral and Christian in the light of care, because I think there are so many referring care today, for instance, skin care, car care, body care, son on, so our care should be pastoral and Christian. And Melvin uses the Scriptures: …Jesus gives us the answer to anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name; And St. Paul’s care was pastoral and Christian when he talked about God and prayed with the Ephesian elders. And Melvin gives three ways: Our presence with them will give off a Christian aroma; Be intentional about generating a sense of presence of God; Accept their spiritual lives; Desire their spiritual growth, and do what you can to facilitate that growth; Grieve over their known weaknesses and sins. We must know there is a great difference between being judgmental and being pastoral!
COMMENTS
in relation to WHAT MAKES CARE “PASTORAL” AND “CHRISTIAN”?
Else Rodland, USA, said:
As Christians, regardless of our gifts, regardless of any special training we have received regardless of where we are serving in the church, in the community or in the marketplace, are called upon to encourage.
Churches may have different visions. They may have different goals according to God’s purpose for that particular congregation. What we have in common is that our church life will include spending time in fellowship with other Christians. When we meet together we are to encourage one another. We are to say things and do things that stimulate others to a deeper passion for Christ and a stronger commitment to our relationship with Him and with each other.
A Christian more than anyone else has good reasons to bring hope and encouragement to a broken world. Let’s take advantage of every opportunity.
Words that encourage are: Prompted by Love 2. Directed toward fear …perfect love casts out fear. John 4:18
We must consciously remind ourselves that, as we interact with others, our goal is to encourage. How do we get started? It is really very simple: Door openers to encourage are to show an interest in whatever the other person wants to say.
- Let the other person share without fear of being rejected
- Convey confidence in the other persons ability to do the right thing
- Our understanding is better than advice
We must commit ourselves to reduce the fears in others. It is difficult to share deep concern and family problems with another person. Many times we will never know, and that’s OK. Our words of love can reduce fear and encourage.
How do we encourage?
Study, know and share God’s unconditional love – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that, whosoever believes in him, will nor perish, but have everlasting life “ John 3:16
We must remember God’s unconditional love for all people in that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for us. Our commitment to share that love with others will help us take ownership of that same unconditional love. I know God loves you. I may not know you very well. But knowing that God loves you, and because I love God, I can love you too.■
Byeong, Melvin University, says:
Can you apply this to your personal lives and ministry?
The best way I have done is to visit their church in advance, mostly Sunday afternoon service or Wednesday evening service, so telling to the whole people about this ministry, so some handed up to candidate after service to their pastor, then I give them book to study together next one month, usually I give them to preview for a month. So one month later, I visit and equip them, and then next Sunday I visit again to attend Commissioning Service. I found that whether I am there or not is very different, so I try to attend the final moment, sending time, there I put PACE symbol pin put into their cloths. It is really good myself to be there, congregation also lay pastors are more serious because their trainer, myself, there, at their sending moment. So amount of energy come to their mind and heart again.
Preview is also important to the national level. When we, LPM Korea, started this ministry we pre-studied a lot, even we went one-night retreat to study first book a few times, and continued to study a lot. So I suggest to LPM India, pastor Alto, to pre-study with group of national leadership people. Because they need to develop more knowledge and through the pre-study they will get sound strategy for the near future ministry. We found that mostly, wise church, its pastor follow our guidance, so also not only to get motivation but also expectation, ready to do, had enjoying to study new thing followed.■
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
by BYEONG
An open letter on leadership: I saw the following article many years ago, and over the years I have used it for pastors seminars, and many occasions.
To: Jesus, Joseph’s son, Woodworking, Nazareth 25922
From: Jordan Management Consultant, Jerusalem 26544
Dear teacher:
Thank you for submitting 12 resumes for the new organization. We reviewed each of their documents and not only reaffirmed them through computers, but we also had personal face-to-face interviews with psychologists and professional aptitude consultants. I am sending you the results enclosed. All the results are in the envelope, so please look carefully at each one.
I would like to give you our general opinion, informing you of the final discussion as a whole.
Our opinion is that most of the candidates you nominate lack background, education, and professional skills that do not fit your business. They don’t have a team concept. We strongly recommend that you re-recruit people with experience in management and proven competence.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and impatient. Andrew has no leadership qualities at all. Two brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s son, put personal interests before loyalty to the company. Cutting boards tend to demoralize. We believe it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Jerusalem police. Alpheus and his son, James, were certainly radical, and both scored high on the bipolar scale.
But one in 12 candidates demonstrates tremendous potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, of meeting people well, of sensitive business minds, and of contact with well-known people. He is very motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend that Judas Iscariot be your right-hand man. I wish you success in your new business.
Thank you.
Jordan Management Consultant
The above is also interesting. There’s another similar story, and once there was a heavenly meeting, and they said to Jesus, “Can you take people who are not even capable and to accomplish with the great mission of world evangelization? Why don’t you change them?” Jesus’ answer: “Even so, I will continue to work on behalf of them.”
Should the above stories eventually continue to work with people who are not capable? There are times when the question arises for us, too. I had that experience, too. But if you look at the book “Built to Last” and some other books, you have to work together while raising internal people to make ministry successful in the long run.
I also had an experience with this problem, and I thought about changing to a new member at that time, but when I read the books “Continue with Internal People,” I decided to continue with the early members and continued. Then, as time passed and the time came, new people naturally joined and achieved the desired purpose, resulting in the expected results. What if I had changed people from the beginning? The mere thought of it is so terrible that the consequences are predictable.
SIB.KIS
“나무를 보지 말고 숲을 봐라” 라는 얘기들을 많이 한다. 구글검색에서 다시 보니 여러 가지 견해들이 있는데, 결국은 전체를 보라는 얘기였다. 예를들어 어떠한 것을 볼 때, 어떠한 행동들을 할 때 통찰력과 관찰력을 가지고 시야를 높혀라, 작게 보지 말고 크게 보라, 작은 것에 신경 쓰여 큰 것을 놓치지 마라, 사소한 일에 스스로를 옭아매지 말고 큰 일에 힘을 써라, 등등이었다.
꼭 같은 개념은 아니지만 우리의 사역에도 비슷한 것이 있는데 멜빈목사님께서 사용하신 용어로 SIB.KIS 이다. See It Big, Keep It Simple로 기억하기도 좋은 듯하다. 이것이 의미하는 것은 어떤 사역을 할 때에 “우선 전체를 [알고],” [실천]에서는 구체화하라는 뜻이다. 나의 개인적인 경험으로 봐서는 교회 전체에 대한 시스템을 갖추고(SIB), 개개인의 사역에 집중하라는 것이다 (KIS). 우리의 사역(평신도목회)에 비추어보면 Lay Pastors Ministry(LPM)는 시스템으로 큰 그림이고(SIB), PACE(Prayer, Available, Contact and Eample)로 실천설명서(KIS)가 되는 것이다. 즉 숲과 나무 양쪽이 어떻게 조화를 이룰것인가가 중요하다.
멜빈목사님께서는 두권의 책을 썼는데, 첫번째 책은 사역자 개개인의 사역설명서인 ‘나무(구체적인 사역)’에 비유된다고 볼 수 있다. 반면에 두번째 책은 그 개개인의 사역들이 교회안에서 시너지를 내야할 때는 어떤 시스템이 필요한지를 다룬 책이다. 그래야 교회에 유익이 되고 더 큰 에너지가 생기고, 전체적인 문화가 만들어지면서 더 큰 비전으로 발전될 수 있는 것이다.
이는 개개인이 하는 개별적으로 분리된 것이 아니라 ‘공동의 사역’이 되어야 한다는 뜻이다. 그러면 시스템이 작동하여 교회가 기대했던 대로 효과적이라는 결과를 얻을 수 있다. 한마디로 교인 각각은 [사역]을 하되, 전체 [시스템]은 목회자가 만들어주어야 한다. 그렇기에 교인은 나무만 봐도 되지만, 목회자는 나무와 숲, 두 가지를 보아야하는 것이다. 마치 연관 된 두개의 다른 그림을 동시에 보듯이, 연관된 두권의 책을 동시에 보는 것과 같아야 한다는 것이다.
대개 교회들은 큰 그림은 얘기하고 또 설명한다 (SIB: See It Big). 큰 비전 제시는 너무 좋다. 환상적이다. 그런데 그것을 교인 개개인이 구체적으로 무엇을, 어떻게 하라는 실천설명서 (KIS: Keep It Simple)가 없으면 울리는 꾕과리요, 시끄럽게 소리나는 빈 수레에 불과하다. 이것은 사실 우리가 종종 보는 실제적인 예이다. 그래서 SIB. KIS가 중요하다.
이 두가지는 각각이 별개로 매우 중요하다. 어떤 사역에서든지 목회자는 이 두가지를 반드시 알아야 한다. 목회자의 기본임무는 숲을 먼저 봐야한다(SIB). 그리고 성도들이 무엇을 해야하는지도 알아야 한다 (KIS). 마치 벽에 걸려있는 두 개의 완전한 그림을 동시에 보는것과 같다. 숲이냐 나무냐의 선택문제가 아니다.●