We Need One Another

I know I have said it before. I will continue to say it. I honestly believe we who serve as pastors/ministers in the local church NEED one another. I unashamedly encourage you to become involved in times of fellowship designed to build up our personal relationships.

What do we do when we are in personal crisis? Who do we talk with when someone makes false accusations? Who serves as our "accountability partners" when we are discouraged with our work and determine not to go forward with what God has called us to do? Truth is -- if we find ourselves discouraged and alone, and we have not developed relationships with others, then we are prone to depression; seclusion; and fail to be the men of faith that God has called us to be.

In my 30+ years of ministry, I have only encountered three "evil" persons who worked against me in the work I felt called of God to do. All the others truly felt that they were doing the right thing to preserve the church. I have discovered that people who genuinely fellowship with one another and get to know one another develop a way to work together. Some of you have heard me say that I believe a great deal of controversy in our convention could have been averted if key leaders had just asked one more question instead of "speculating" what the other's motives were. If we know one another better, we would be more likely to ask that one further question.

Now---that would not be true for one who sets out to advance their own agenda and is not really searching for Truth. But, as implied above, those persons are few. I pray more and more of us will fellowship together more and more and strive to work together to advance the Kingdom.

I made a statement the other day in an Ordination Council at one of our member churches. I stated much of what I stated above in my "advice" to the candidate. I told him that my burden for those people that do not strive to have fellowship with others called to this work - in my opinion - if they are not careful will be prone to also forsake their personal relationship with the Lord. I would invite some feedback on that sentiment.

Let me ask a few questions as I close:

1. Who mentored/mentors you?
2. Who are you mentoring?
3. When was the last time you actually shared a hurt/burden with a neighboring pastor?
4. Why did you share with the pastor above?
5. What hinders you from sharing your deepest burdens with the pastor down the street?
6. What do you need to do to remove that hindrance so you can build a relationship with that neighboring pastor?
7. When is the last time you prayed with another pastor one on one?

I think these are pertinent questions. I pray that you will actively seek out others in ministry to fellowship with. I am so grateful to God that He has brought men of faith into my life that I can unload on and share my deepest concerns. I will be honest, there are those in my circles of denominational life that do not know the "real me." But I do thank God that there are those in my circles that I know well enough to know that anything I share with them will be held in confidence and I know they will lift me up in prayer.