BLESSED EXHORTATIONS (PART 6)

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

A person doesn’t usually enter Christian ministry and come to success immediately. There is a definite growing process, one nurtured directly through the influence of the Holy Spirit but also through the relationships shared with experienced Christian leaders and mentors. At least, this has been my experience as the Lord took me from being a baby Christian to a spiritually mature Christian leader and mentor in my own right.

My experience starts way back when I was growing up as my mother would take me to the Presbyterian Church in my small hometown in western Pennsylvania. It was there that I went through a catechism class and was presented my first Bible, one I still have and cherish to this day. As I advanced into my teens, I was encouraged to be a servant and so I became an acolyte and also accompanied the church choir on occasion with my trumpet as I had become one of the top players in my high school at the time.

At the center of all this encouraging and spiritual prompting was the Pastor of the church, the Reverend Darr Briggs. He never failed to show interest in me and my growth as a Christian youth, always sharing a kind word. In observing him, he did this naturally with everyone in the congregation and it was so obvious to me that he had a special love for people, a love reflecting the very love of the Lord Jesus who he served in the ministry.

Later, I would move into adulthood and end up back in the Presbyterian Church, this time in Virginia Beach, VA. My wife Grace and I had just gotten married and looked for a church where we could worship and serve together. On a visit to the aforementioned church, we met the Reverend Dick Keever who warmly welcomed us into the congregation. His preaching was always so scripture-centric and I learned something every week from him and like Reverend Briggs, Reverend Keever had a natural love for others and a real knack for remembering names, one that was almost supernatural to me. I think Dick could have met a person one time and if he didn’t see them again until two months later, he would remember their name perfectly. I’m convinced to this day that he just cared for every person he met so much that he valued them and their name. I have always tried to model his talent but I’m afraid I have a long way to go to match his proficiency.

Reverend Keever also was responsible for nudging me into assuming more of a leadership role in the church and so I started to teach a small group, instructing every other week while partnering with another group teacher. This led to ordination and three tours on Session at the church where I learned all the ins and outs of church management from the inside out. I also was given the opportunity to preach sermons on several occasions, something I have had the privilege to continue doing through the years.

Currently, my wife Grace and I are members of a wonderful Baptist church in Virginia Beach, one with a fantastic Pastor and vibrant congregation. I am co-teaching a small group there and while managing The Christian Walk ministry. A published author and host of a local radio broadcast, my current Pastor Ron Jones has inspired me to take my ministry work to another level and I plan on publishing my first book in 2024.

My point in mentioning all these special Christian leaders and mentors is that it applies to today’s sixth blessed exhortation as we continue our study of Hebrews, chapter 13. Here is today’s verse:

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. v.7

Now, I would be remiss in failing to mention other pastors such as John MacArthur, and the late Charles Spurgeon, Charles Stanley, and Billy Graham, all of which influenced my Christian walk and ministry through their preaching and teaching through the years. I’m sure you have your own list of favorites who have impacted you and, for all of us; the encouragement from our scripture today is simply this:

Emulate strong Christian leaders and mentors.

We’re to remember them, those “who spoke the word of God” to us while considering “their way of life” and imitating “their faith”. Ultimately, I think we’re then to take this to another level, for as we know, no one lives forever here on earth. As great Christian leaders and mentors pass away, there needs to be others to replace them and carry on the torch of teaching the word of God while showing people how to live properly through Christ with steadfast faith.  

My prayer every day is that the Lord will use me and this ministry to make a major kingdom difference while helping lead and mentor the future Christian role models of tomorrow. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I believe it can and will happen.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.