A while ago I posted this piece on a former blog of mine. I thought it'd be a good to reflect on where I was, where God has brought me...and His hand in it all.
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There are few things greater than having a "band of brothers" with whom to serve the Lord in student ministry. In the first church that I served I had "helpers" in student ministry. We all need helpers--those that help set up, clean up, make calls and so on. There's no denying the value of such people in ministry. Big wheels, small wheels, they all help with the inner-workings of church life. Those that served in my former student ministry were invaluable in this capacity. At the same time it seems necessary to have people serving in ministry that function on another level. It is this level of ministry partnership that God has blessed me with at the current church I serve.
I'm not sure how you might categorize such friends in ministry. But I'm not sure that this is most necessary. For discussion sake, I will borrow a term that I read in an article by Sinclair. B. Ferguson. Brotherhood.
There is a group of young men within our church that are very much a Brotherhood. No, we do not have any initiation practices. We do not have any special wardrobe or apparel that we don on special ocassions. On the outside, there's no distinguishing us from any other members in our church. But if you were to dive into our hearts you might see what draws us together. Though not perfect, we all have an intense hunger for God. We have a desire to keep the gospel pure that lost souls might come to know our all-surpassing Savior Jesus Christ. We have a passionate love for God's people. As scripture says of the early believers, we are of one accord. And because we are sons of God who have these common desires, we are drawn together. Now that doesn't mean that we agree on everything or that others in our church are not in accord with us or that we are a faction within our church. It simply means that God has used our friendships in such a way that we push each other towards God. We hold each other accountable. We share with each other what we are learning in order that we do not fall into doctrinal error. In fact, this bond in us is so intense that the thought of "doing" ministry apart is practically unbearable. Although any of us would have God's will over our own desires.
In discussing the "principles that recur in the annals of the expansion of the Christian church", Sinclair B. Ferguson writes in a Tabletalk article titled, "Columba: Missionary to Scotland,"
BEGIN:
There are few things greater than having a "band of brothers" with whom to serve the Lord in student ministry. In the first church that I served I had "helpers" in student ministry. We all need helpers--those that help set up, clean up, make calls and so on. There's no denying the value of such people in ministry. Big wheels, small wheels, they all help with the inner-workings of church life. Those that served in my former student ministry were invaluable in this capacity. At the same time it seems necessary to have people serving in ministry that function on another level. It is this level of ministry partnership that God has blessed me with at the current church I serve.
I'm not sure how you might categorize such friends in ministry. But I'm not sure that this is most necessary. For discussion sake, I will borrow a term that I read in an article by Sinclair. B. Ferguson. Brotherhood.
There is a group of young men within our church that are very much a Brotherhood. No, we do not have any initiation practices. We do not have any special wardrobe or apparel that we don on special ocassions. On the outside, there's no distinguishing us from any other members in our church. But if you were to dive into our hearts you might see what draws us together. Though not perfect, we all have an intense hunger for God. We have a desire to keep the gospel pure that lost souls might come to know our all-surpassing Savior Jesus Christ. We have a passionate love for God's people. As scripture says of the early believers, we are of one accord. And because we are sons of God who have these common desires, we are drawn together. Now that doesn't mean that we agree on everything or that others in our church are not in accord with us or that we are a faction within our church. It simply means that God has used our friendships in such a way that we push each other towards God. We hold each other accountable. We share with each other what we are learning in order that we do not fall into doctrinal error. In fact, this bond in us is so intense that the thought of "doing" ministry apart is practically unbearable. Although any of us would have God's will over our own desires.
In discussing the "principles that recur in the annals of the expansion of the Christian church", Sinclair B. Ferguson writes in a Tabletalk article titled, "Columba: Missionary to Scotland,"
"The third principle is that God's way, customarily, is to advance His cause through spiritual brotherhoods (not meaning exclusively male societies). Herein lay part of the pwer of the monastic movement, and certainly of Columba's mission: he and his companions, bound together by their common vision, were prepared to risk all for the cause and for one another. This pattern goes back through Scripture to the schools of the prophets, to the Lord and the apostles, to the apostolic missions, to Augustine and his friends, to the great Reformers, and, perhaps most notably in our own history, to the Puritans and to the Great Awakening. Iron sharpens iron.
Columba's story thus serves to encourage us to pray that God would raise up laborers for His harvest, and bind them together to live, serve, and--if need be--give all for Christ and His cause. This so often, has been the instrument God has used to advance His kingdom into future generations."
As I read this portion of the article a few weeks ago for the first time, it resonated with me in such a way that my thoughts dwelt for some time on the goodness of God for giving me such brothers in student ministry. They are the men that are part of this group blog--although a few have yet to post anything! I imagine that they will eventually.
These men are crucial to my spiriutal health. John Piper, in his biography on David Brainerd, said that ministry partners are important becuase they keep up from becoming proud in ministry "success" and they keep us from being discouraged at what seems to be ministry "failure". Yes, they do this for me and so much more. My prayer is that God will use me in some small way to return to them what they have given to me.
I do not know what the future holds, but it would a most wonderful blessing if God allowed us to serve alongside each other til the Lord returns. And if you do not have a "brotherhood" or a "sisterhood", I pray that God brings you into such a fellowship with a group of godly believers.
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In being part of a church plant, one thing I have prayed for and desired is a new brotherhood. Slowly but surely God is answering that prayer. At the same time, I am still privileged to be close friends with those that have moved away or be directed by the Lord elsewhere. Joey, Jeremy, Matt, Ruben, Richie, Paul, Ernesto, Brian, BJ...I love you guys and miss serving together. Maybe one day God will allow us to serve together once again.
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