Vol. VI
No. 21 November 18, 2007
Written by Christopher
Mentzer
I
was at my computer working on this year’s NaNo story when an e-mail popped up
from Ryan Hoover. Although I didn’t
want to stop my writing streak, I decided to see what was up with him. He’d been writing me a lot lately, not that
I mind, but with his congregation changing a lot, in terms of members, he’s
been writing me. Here’s what he had to
say…
RYAN:
You’ll never believe what happened last week! I was called by my preacher last Saturday and asked to preach in
his place! He had taken ill and was
unable to do it. I inquired about some
of the other, more experience, brethren if they would do it and he rambled off
a list of ailments or other reasons that they couldn’t do it. Apparently half of the congregation is ill
and another third was out of town. I
was chosen because I had done a few midweek invitations. He also asked me to get someone to lead
songs, prayers, and work the Lord’s Table.
This was my moment in the limelight, as they say, and I was scared to
death. I contacted Josh and he agreed
to lead songs and then I ended up calling two other congregations from other
towns to see if they could send a few men up to Mentor to help out.
Well Sunday came and we had a turn
out of about twenty, our average is more than twice that amount. I threw together a quick Bible study for the
morning class and we all agreed to cancel the evening service. Overall it went fairly well for as little of
notification as we had. Once the
service was over, I looked at all of us who led the service and realized we
were all less than forty years old! Not
that that’s a bad thing, but there wasn’t much in the way of bible experience
amongst all of us. Fortunately we were
all given a little experience in a Men’s Training Class that helped us prepare.
I’m
glad I read his e-mail because it gave me some encouragement. Here was my reply…
CHRIS: Quite
a story! I’m glad to see you “took the
bull by the horns” and made the most of a unique situation. I’m sure it’s not an everyday occurrence but
one that should always be prepared for.
A lot of times our younger members, including myself, are in the early stages
of training for taking a more prominent role in the congregation. Others, however, seem too busy to even want
to participate. One day will come when
they arrive for services and realize that they are now the adults and the rest
will look to them for guidance.
The letters to Timothy were an
encouragement for the next generation of preachers and “leaders” of the local
congregation. A reminder to study (2
Tim. 2: 15), to stay with the truth (2 Tim. 4: 1-2), and how to behave like a
“leader” (1Tim. 3). Not every
congregation has time to conduct a Men’s Training Class but an effort by those
“more seasoned” in the word should talk with the younger members to help them
to prepare. If not, then every Sunday
would become a song service because no one has prepared a lesson.
Later
that same week, I received another e-mail…
RYAN: You’re
right about that, Chris! Had I not been
working on a sermon at the time, I might have just turned into a song service
which isn’t bad but it’s the lazy man’s way out of a situation. In Proverbs 13: 4 it is written, “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; But
the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” Those who aren’t interested in participating
expect the others to do it for them and will realize that others aren’t always
there to do it at all.
All too often, in this generation, we find
ourselves with more things to do so as not to have to participate in the
service. A congregation cannot flourish
unless its members do the work. As Paul
writes in Eph. 4: 15-16, “but
speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head,
`even' Christ; 16. from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together
through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in `due'
measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building
up of itself in love.”