TOGETHER: Faithful servants, doing God’s work

Posted: 4/28/06

TOGETHER:
Faithful servants, doing God’s work

Last week, I spent time with ministers of education and administration at their annual retreat in Salado. These men and women carry crucial staff assignments, serving at the nerve center of our churches. Generally, they take off the pastor’s shoulders many of the organizational and educational details that otherwise would consume much time and energy.

I consider them gifted and godly friends and colleagues in ministry who play an often-unnoticed and sometimes-under-appreciated role. They have a special calling, and they need the faithful prayers of their congregations.

Executive Director BGCT Executive Board

Their assignment—to provide lay-led Bible study—helps the church do all its work more than any other ministry or organization I know.

A properly trained and utilized Sunday school enables a church to fulfill its God-given assignment—help people grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

No single organization has done more to help churches care for one another, reach out to the lost, lead members to embrace biblical and spiritual values, teach the truth of God, provide time for intercessory prayer, minister to the needs of the community, and prepare minds and hearts for worship.

Jesus said as we bring people the gospel and baptize them, we must teach them to obey all his commands. Surely, he must have had in mind something like a church with a strong Sunday school ministry for all ages.

God bless the men and women who faithfully serve our Lord and his people by investing their lives in training and equipping for service all the people they can gather.

From Salado, I drove to Austin, where I had the opportunity to open a session of the Texas Senate in prayer. The Senate passed a resolution in appreciation for the life of Phil Strickland, our Christian Life Commission director who went to be with our Lord in February.

Here is the prayer I offered:

“Our Father, you are in heaven, but we are not yet. So, in the meanwhile, may we be like trees planted by streams of water which give fruit in season and whose leaves, even, do not whither away. For that to be so, the Psalmist reminds us, we must not walk in the counsel of the wicked or sit in the seat of mockers. We find genuine delight in doing the will of God, and we give careful thought to the way that is your way.

“We give thanks, today, for the life of a man who lived among us like that. He lent the weight of his powerful convictions and integrity to move debate and decision-making forward. He helped us all to do right and give care for the least among us by the force of the facts, common sense and ethical values which he pressed upon us.

“You know, O Lord, that Phil Strickland prayed for these men and women. And he not only prayed they would have both divine wisdom and moral courage, he prayed for their families, for their well-being and for their faith.

“O Lord, bless them in their work this day and every day. We end our prayer with the words of Jesus: ‘Let your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.’ Which surely must mean, at the very least, that we will use the power and influence of our lives to bless and teach all the children of Texas.

“In his name, I pray. Amen.”

We are loved.

Charles Wade is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.