the reluctant leader

I'm Not Really A Pastor, But I Sure Need One

I write a column for Evangelicals Today magazine. My assigned topic this month is "Pastor Appreciation." Here's what I submitted to my editor. 

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Even though lots of people call me "Pastor Steve" I don't think I'm really a pastor. I do not have the title "pastor" on my business card, and every time I take one of those spiritual gift surveys I score almost zero on the pastor part. So, I guess it is only natural that none of the "pastors" who have been major contributors to my spiritual development are real pastors either. They are actually evangelists, teachers and prophets - not pastors.

Whatever I have become as a Christian, a missionary, a church planter, and a leader, I owe a debt of gratitude to three "pastors" who helped shape my life and ministry. I'm scared to think what I would be doing today if these men had not stepped into my life when they did.
 
In the fall of 1975, I was a sixteen-year-old high school kid running from God. By the end of that year, I was no longer running from God; I was following Him. What happened? Ron Musselman, youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi happened! For some reason unknown to me, Ron adopted my high school as his mission field, and he picked me as his evangelism project. After mocking Ron and his disciples from a distance for a few months, he finally cornered me and I heard the gospel for the first time in my life. I did not want to repent and surrender my life to Jesus, but Ron continued to pray for me and engage me in God conversations. After a few months, I gave my life to Jesus and the discipleship process shifted into high gear. For the next 18 months, Ron met with me and a few classmates weekly for Bible study and prayer. He established strong biblical foundations in our lives. For the past thirty-six years, I have built my spiritual life on the foundation laid by Ron Musselman. I am forever grateful that Ron picked my high school, that he boldly preached the gospel, and that he faithfully established foundations in my life.
 
In the fall of 1977, I was a freshman business student at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. One of the first people I met on campus was Walter Walker. I came to Starkville get a degree. Walter came to Starkville to plant a church that would reach students. For the next four years Walter equipped and empowered me and other MSU students to do ministry. In 1981, when I was one semester from graduation, Walter moved to Nebraska to plant a new church and left me—a twenty-year-old student—in charge of our little church. I constantly thank God for a campus pastor who believed that God could use young people for his purpose. And I thank Walter for not waiting until I graduated to give me an opportunity to minister.
 
In January of 1990, I was an accidental missionary, a reluctant leader, and a clueless church planter in Manila, Philippines. Emanuele Cannistraci (aka "Pastor C") was a traveling minister who made an annual trip to the Philippines. The mission organization that sent us to the Philippines in 1984 had recently disbanded. Seeing we were clueless and alone, Pastor C took us under his wing, treated us like family, and helped us every way he could.  He mentored us—teaching us by word and example how to do ministry with integrity, how to do life with joy, and how to do family with no regrets. He often visited us in the Philippines, and we stayed in his home in California. It would take a book for me to write all I learned from Pastor C. Today he is 79 years old and still circles the globe preaching the gospel and mentoring next generation leaders.
 
I am thankful for the three "pastors" who helped me at important stages in my life, even though they were probably not really pastors. Ron was an evangelist, Walter was a teacher, and Pastor C was a prophet.  But to me they were my pastors.
 
This Christian life was not designed to be a solo journey. That's why we need "pastors" even if they are really evangelists, teachers or businessmen. I have been fortunate to have three great ones in my life at just the right time. How about you?

Crashing Planes and Crushing Myths

This was originally written for Evangelicals Today magazine. I thought I should repost it on the 10 year anniversary of 911.
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September 11, 2001. As always, I phoned my dad to wish him a happy birthday. I was getting ready for bed in Manila. He was getting ready for work in Mississippi. After a brief discussion about the US stock market, I handed the phone to my three sons so they could speak to their grandfather. As soon as we hung up, I heard my wife calling, "Quick, you have to see this. A plane just crashed into a building in New York!"

Like thousands of others around the globe, I was glued to CNN for the next few hours, watching in disbelief as three more planes crashed, killing thousands, wounding a nation, and terrorizing the world. Over the next few days the news moved me to tears, to anger, and to prayer.

I was amazed that the same news producers who usually mock and vilify preachers, were now putting them on primetime asking their perspective on the attack. The line-up included Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, TD Jakes, Dr. James Dobson, and others. Courtesy of CNN, these men probably preached the gospel to more people that week than at any other time in their lives.

Of course, the newscasters interviewed plenty of "experts" who had nothing to say, but kept talking anyway. I did not know whether to laugh or cry when they interviewed novelist, Tom Clancy. I suppose he qualified as an expert on terrorism because he once wrote a novel about a hijacked plane that crashed into a building. It's a sad commentary on contemporary culture when all it takes to be an expert is the ability to make up a good story. Here's what Mr. Clancy had to say about the situation: "We need to be careful not to overreact to this. We must realize that WE ALL SERVE THE SAME GOD OF LOVE."

Do we all serve the same God? Do all religions present a God of love?

Tom's comments about the tragedy are typical of most post-modern pseudo-intellectuals. Unfortunately even Christians get sucked into this pagan way of thinking. It is my hope that the events of September 11 will forever expose and crush the following myths that corrode the foundations of the Faith.

THE MYTH OF RELIGIOUS SINCERITY
Anyone who was ever attempted to be a witness has heard some variation of this statement: "As long as you are sincere, it doesn't really matter what you believe or which religion you follow." It seems that sincerity has replaced truth as the ultimate religious issue of our day. Unfortunately, many today are sincerely wrong.

Suppose we are both on a sinking ship and neither of us can swim. We are told to get into the inflatable lifeboats and we will be safe. We both sincerely believe what we are told and act accordingly. You get in one boat and I get in the other. One problem: my boat has a hole in it and sinks. It does not matter how sincerely I believe the boat will save me, if it has a hole then my sincerity is useless. Unfortunately many people sincerely believe in religions and philosophies that are filled with holes, destined to sink.

Don't ever forget that the pilots who crashed into the World Trade Center towers, killing thousands of innocent people, were very sincere in their service to their god. This is the result of elevating human sincerity above divine truth. Let September 11 be a reminder that truth, not sincerity is the ultimate issue.

THE MYTH OF RELIGIOUS EQUALITY
Another common myth everyone engaged in evangelism has heard goes something like this: "All religions lead to the same God."

If one person studies and practices the teachings of the Bible, another the Koran, another the Veda, another the Book of Mormon, will their values, beliefs, and lifestyles be the same? Of course not, because all religions are NOT basically the same, they are fundamentally different.

For example, Jesus taught his followers to love and serve pagans in hope that they will voluntarily turn to the true God. Even if this has not been obeyed in history, this is what Jesus taught. And it is a far cry form declaring holy war on infidels and unbelievers.

So, do all religions ultimately lead to the same God? Do all roads really end up at the same place? Does it matter which road you take if you are trying to go home? Of course it matters because all roads do not lead to the same house. If you take the wrong road, you will not reach your destination, no matter how sincere you may be.

When Thomas said to Jesus: "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (John 14:5) Jesus did not answer: "Thomas, my son, it does not matter which way you go because all paths ultimately lead to God."

No! Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Jesus was very narrow. He said there was only one way, not several options.

May the same acts of violence that took the lives of thousands of innocent people also destroy the myths that blind the minds of millions around the world.

The Certainty of Forgiveness

While reading Ephesians this morning I was struck by the certainty of forgiveness.

Paul wrote: "In him WE HAVE redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins..." (Eph 1:7)

Paul writes that WE HAVE redemption & forgiveness. He dies not say that we might have forgiveness sometime in the future, or we could possibly have, or we hope we might do enough good deeds to earn forgiveness...

According to Paul forgiveness is certain, something we can have. And we can know we have it. Right now. Present tense.

Why can we be so certain we are forgiven?

Paul goes on to say that we have forgiveness "in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us" (Eph 1:7,8).

Forgiveness is ours, not because of our goodness, but because of God's grace. And his grace is not randomly sprinkled here and there in tiny portions; it is LAVISHED on us!