Medal of Honor

When I first met Jack G. he had walked into the office wearing paint splattered work clothes. You would never had known that he was a retired naval chaplain, had a doctorate, and was an Ordained Minister. At that time, he had announced that he was here to help, if I needed him. I did.

Over the next few years, on behalf of the district, Jack would drive thousands of miles and fight some very difficult battles in order to assist several congregations. He poured his life and finances into helping those churches.

This week, Jack and I had lunch, then he and his wife left for the lower Forty-eight. I will miss him.

If there were such a thing as a Superintendent's Medal of Honor, he should have gotten one.

Alaska School of Ministry

The Alaska District had a new development during the October Presbytery. With his permission, I would like to let Lattis Campbell tell you about it. I am quoting from his November newsletter.

"Recently, the Alaska District Presbytery moved to establish a non-degree level (not college level) of training for those seeking ministry training in Alaska. This move was necessitated due to the fact that Far North Bible College no longer offers a non-degree level of courses. Primarily, this will allow the Alaska District, under the auspices of Alaska Leadership Development Network, to have a more hands-on involvement in the equipping of those seeking non-college level training. This move was in vogue with several other districts in the Assemblies of God that are developing similar programs."

This will result in cost savings for our future district leaders, a curriculum that is developed specifically for this level of ministry, having in-state assistance, and a multi-district support group.

"Hello Bishop"

On Friday, I called the medical clinic to see if I could get an appointment. At the earliest I was hoping for next week and would have settled for sometime this month. I mean, how bad can a rash get in two weeks? Then, over the phone, I heard the magic words - "we can get you in right away Mr. B." Well, it didn't take me long to get across town! Severe to moderate itching can be quite motivating!

My next stop was at the Fred Meyer pharmacy. Having a few minutes to wait for the prescription to be filled, I had two options - find an isolated location in which to scratch (thumb), or, go look at electronics. Having been sternly warned at the clinic - "whatever you do, don't scratch it!" -I headed for the electronics.

While browsing I heard a lady say, "hello Bishop." She was from S. Anchorage and we had a nice visit. Bishop, while being biblical, isn't a term we have used much in our fellowship. Yet, today it is becoming increasingly more common.

While speaking with Scott T. the other day, he mentioned that we may have a new district coming into the General Council. Should this happen, I believe the term Bishop will become an official title, approved and in the governing documents of that district. Interesting.

P.S. It isn't life threatening or contagious - the itch.

Ministry Development Fund

About six years ago, Norman Lindsay and I met in the District Office's Board Room and began what would eventually become the District's Ministry Development Fund, or MDF. It involved capping one fund, rolling over assets, and combining others to produce an endowment fund that is now casting off thousands of dollars each year for ministry.

Each October the Finance Committee reviews grant applications which are ranked according to priority guidelines, which have been created for the MDF. This application is a one page document that can be downloaded from the District's web site. The Finance Committee then forwards it's priority list to the October Presbytery. The Presbyters will review the recommendations, edit the priorities and amounts if they see fit, and then approve the final list for distribution.

At the last meeting of the Presbytery, thousands of dollars were approved for AG ministries for the coming year.

As R. Lee Ermey would say (Mail Call) - "Hu Rah" for the boys and girls in ministry.

Building Relational Bridges

In my last post I threw out some challenges for Christians, and I received some very good advice concerning"building bridges" from "anonymous."

In most cases building relational bridges has been most rewarding, and I have loved doing it. One such bridge goes to Bishop W. who is with the COGIC; I love celebrating his birthday each February. Other bridges go out to the Salvation Army, some to our Baptist friends, the Covenants, the Four Squares, two very fine lawyers, and one great independent church in Pennsylvania, etc. I should also mention a Credit Union and a dive shop. Family members and friends are on top of this list, and, in their case, I thank God for cell phones and unlimited weekend minutes.

In other cases, building relational bridges can be more challenging. These are often asked to be built around a call for tolerance. In some cases this can be good as well. I do need to be more tolerant in traffic, and I'm glad Joyce showed tolerance after I made the bed with the top bed spread 90 degrees askew (it was real short on the bottom but the sides had plenty of material). Tolerance for people going through difficult circumstances is always received well.

In other cases, building brides around tolerance can prove to be difficult and needs to be approached carefully. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Then, at one point, He asked one of the men, "but what about you...who do you say I am?" Tolerance would suggest that there are many ways to God, but here it says only one way (John 14). That man and I need to answer that question carefully. By-the-way, I answered the same as the man above.

I am all for building bridges, with love and caring, wherever and whenever I can. However, some decisions, based on what we value, will impose some limitations on bridging. How does that adage go? -"We have to stand for something or we will stand for nothing."

Front Lines

I believe we live in a time when expectations on everyone, in the ministry, are getting higher by the day. We are routinely reminded that we are failing to produce and mentor converts, or even to retain those who previously filled our ranks. To add to this, the Bible is no longer the accepted ideology of American society or the pervasive theology of our times. We have become increasingly unpopular. Movies make fun of us, and nightly news casters express more respect for Muslim extremists than Christians. So, in order to survive, we must step up to the plate (using a baseball analogy) and go toe to toe (boxing analogy) with our distractors. In addition, yesterday's expectations don't seem to be getting the job done, and today's expectations need to be directly proportional to the challenges that confront us.

Mark Batterson's blog says, "the church planters are, by default, the research and development department (R&D) of the Kingdom." He goes on to say that they are the ones serving in the trenches - the front lines of the church. They are the ones that directly face the challenges of our times, and that is true. Yet, it is not the whole truth as there are others who need to rise to the challenge and become spiritually active. The rest of us should not be willing to relegate our portion of the mission, the Great Commission, to the few and the brave, serving on the front lines. We are not called to be observers; we are participants!

I do look to the church planter as a key link. However, more and more I have young and old ask me "what is happening?" They have an expectation that something is happening, and that we are engaging and preparing for a victorious tomorrow! A tomorrow that they want to be a part of! I cannot, and will not, tell them that I am merely a fund manager, a bureaucrat, a not-essential in the battle of our times! I, like you, am looking for the front lines where I too will engage the enemy of our souls.

Erwin Rommel would ride in an open car at the front of the battle, leading from the front, not the safety of the rear.