Quote from Forum Archives on January 21, 2003, 3:45 pm

Posted by: MasinickBrian <MasinickBrian@...>

Friends,

I promised that I would follow up on this. Today I got a chance to
speak by phone with my pastor, Greg Comfort, and we've managed to
connect with one another. We plan, Lord willing, to have lunch together
next Friday to see what we've been mutually missing. I'm eagerly
awaiting the opportunity to encourage my pastor and get to know each
other better, not just pass by each other in church. It promises to be
a good time - I think that we'll instantly connect with one another.

Please pray for both of us.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Brian Masinick wrote:

>Dear friends,
>
>Yesterday I mentioned that I would be writing about my pastor.
>Here's what I said:
>
>"Later, I'll be sharing my own thoughts on a message my own
>pastor shared with our local church congregation this past
>weekend. I encourage each of you to attend a church in your
>local area. If you're having difficulty finding a good local
>church, use the Web as a resource to hunt for what you're
>looking for. Most churches these days have at least some
>information about what they emphasize on a Web page. Some of
>them, like my own church, even make online streaming audio
>and/or video of church sermons and other resources available
>online. You can use such resources to find a local group in
>your area. Such resources can also be used to supplement weekly
>church activities, but I do not recommend them as a replacement
>for the local church. The local church, for better or worse, is
>still the primary resource that God has chosen as a vehicle for
>believers everywhere to gather and to encourage one another. I
>encourage each of you to participate and help make your own
>local church a better place."
>
>I have a confession to make. I have a great pastor in my local
>church. But I've never told him that, face to face. He's been
>the pastor of our church for at least a year and a half, and
>I've only said "Hi" to him on one or two occasions, very
>briefly, and in passing. I can't say whether or not he's even
>heard of me, but if he hasn't, that's my fault, not his. I
>intend to change that, and I intend to affirm him and let him
>know what a good job he's been doing and how much I appreciate
>him, even though I've never told him before. I will do whatever
>it takes to tell him face to face, but I'm also writing this
>message so that I have a hundred or so people who can hold me
>accountable to this promise - and I hope many of you check me
>out on it.
>
>Like my buddy Larry Davies, Greg Comfort is a man. As he
>preached to us in his very first couple of weeks at our church,
>he wants to let us know that he's just a man - with a
>personality, strengths, and weaknesses, just like the rest of
>us. Greg loves to tell us stories about his hobbies and
>passions, such as surfing and long distance bike riding. He
>also tells us stories about his favorite things and his least
>favorite things. He always does so in a manner that is
>memorable, then he uses the illustrations to teach us various
>scriptural truths.
>
>Now some people like that style and others may not. I'm one who
>has grown to truly appreciate Greg, and now I'm sorry that I
>haven't taken the time to get to know him better personally,
>both inside and outside of the church. By God's grace,
>hopefully it won't be too late to change that!
>
>Greg has been preaching, on and off, a series on the book of 1
>Thessalonians for quite some time. He's now nearing the
>completion of chapter five, and he started preaching on a
>passage that reminded me of a pastor named Roger Pohl who was
>very dear to me as I was growing up.
>
>Roger used to often quote a Benediction which I believe was
>based on the passage of scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23. I
>managed to find something on the Web that's very close to what
>Roger used to recite:
>
>"Go forth into the world in peace;
>Be of good courage, Hold fast that which is good,
>Render to no one evil for evil.
>
>Strengthen the fainthearted,
>support the weak,
>Help the afflicted,
>Honor everyone
>Love and serve the Lord,
>Rejoicing in the power of God's Spirit."
>
>I did some checking around, and I found that benediction is used
>in quite a few places. In fact, one location even called it
>"The Royal Navy Prayer".
>
>I don't care what it's called, I think it captures quite a few
>important ideas, and Greg faithfully shared those ideas with us.
>
>There are at least four things that are common between virtually
>all people. At various times in our past and in our future, we
>are likely to get:
>
>1. Out of step
>2. Out of steam
>3. Out of touch
>4. Out of time
>
>Well, right off the bat, it's very obvious that two of those
>factors have been plaguing me in my lack of a relationship with
>Greg. I've clearly been out of touch and out of time. Thinking
>about it more carefully, I've also been out of step and out of
>steam as well.
>
>Greg often opens himself up and reveals some of the less than
>perfect character traits that he carries. I like to do that,
>too. It makes good illustrations, shows that I'm a real person,
>and that I desperately need Christ.
>
>In Paul's letter, he gently reminds the church at Thessalonica
>that they should consciously warn those that are idle, encourage
>the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Don't
>those relate to dealing directly with being out of step, out of
>steam, out of touch, and out of time? Greg says yes, and I
>agree with him.
>
>Greg, I love you and greatly appreciate you. I hope I get a
>chance to share this with you in person. Even if I can't do it
>right away, I'm going to make that time. I hope you'll have
>time to receive it from me, too.
>
>Dear friends, please take the time to encourage those that you
>love. Find a good church, find a good pastor, and "encourage
>one another, and build each other up", just as the scriptures
>tell us to do. I've been doing it, but not nearly enough and
>not always in the right places. Please forgive me, and let's
>endeavor to persevere, so that God's church may flourish in our
>midst.
>
>Your Brother in Christ,
>Brian
>
>=====
>--
>Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
>Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
>
>
>
>