Quote from Forum Archives on March 6, 1998, 9:17 pm

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

A Newsletter to Encourage Co-Laborers

January 6, 1998

>From:
Bob Tolliver

I recently spend several hours studying the latest Alumni Directory from
my college alma mater. It included the names of some 22,000 former
students and graduates. Being in the Gospel ministry, I tended to read
it from a certain perspective.

One thing that particulary intrigued me was to see how many people were
working in occupations that seemed to be totally unrelated to their
majors and degrees received. I wondered how many of them felt their
schooling had no relevance to their present occupation. I wondered how
many had lost jobs in their field of training and had to settle for what
they could get.

Of particular interest was seeing how many people identified as having
been called to and/or trained for the Gospel ministry who were holding
jobs in what we would call the "secular" market. Some of those most
likely were "bi-vocational" in that they held "secular" jobs in order to
minister in small churches who felt they could not afford to pay an
adequate salary. That fact not withstanding, I believe there is another
much more serious matter before us ---- the reality of so many people
having left "vocational ministry" for unrelated jobs.

WHY SUCH AN EXODUS?

Well, there are obviously many probable reasons. Each person has his own
experience. Some have been fired. Others have had false accusations put
against them. Even others have had moral failures. Many have simply
become burned out or disillusioned over the disparities between Biblical
ministry and what they feel is found in the contemporary church.

THAT'S WHAT THIS NEWSLETTER IS ABOUT.

Our goal is very simple. As far back as 1975 when we moved to a
pastorate in Iowa, God put in our hearts to be a "Barnabas" ---- an
encourager to pastors and other people in ministry. In the past five
years, our ministry has taken on an even greater role in that area. To
paraphrase a great song made popular a few years by the Promise Keepers
movement, we want to stand with you "Face To Face" in transparency and
genuine caring, "Shoulder To Shoulder" in carrying both the blessing and
the burden of ministry, and "Back To Back" ready to protect and defend
fellow ministers. For, indeed, we are both "co-laborers together" and
"co-laborers with Christ".

Just a few days ago I received a mailer from Evangelist Freddie Gage ----
one which perhaps some of you also received. I was taken by the wording.
It reinforced my conviction that often pastors are "America's current
endangered species". Here is what Gage says:

"A pastor fails and drops out. His family suffers. A congregation is in
disarray. The community is shocked. A generation of young people is
lost because their role model crashed and burned. It happens 500 times a
month among Southern Baptist pastors alone. It impacts more than 31,200
family members, thousands of church members and hundreds of thousands in
their communities.

"The saying is true, 'The Christian army is the only army that shoots and
buries its wounded.' It's not that we commit the sin of avoidance, like
the priest and the Levite who avoided the fallen Samaritan in their path.
We pursue them, stigmatize them, and ultimately destroy them."

If that's what is happening with Southern Baptists alone, imagine what is
going on through the greater Body of Christ!

Gage also wrote earlier on that page, "6,000 Southern Baptist ministers
walk away from their ministries each year. 1,800 Southern Baptist
ministers were fired last year."

We can come up with lots of reasons for the conditions we face in the
ministry today. However, I believe it important to look beyond the
symptomatic reason, and get down to some basic Biblical principles.
Instead of deciding that the reason that particular church split is
because the pastor misused funds, we need to ask "Why" did he do that?
What Biblical principle was compromised that led him to be in such a
spiritual condition that he would even consider it?

In coming newsletters, I hope we can look at some issues. You see, the
church today didn't get the way it is overnight. It is because of a
gradual and even undetected veering off course which began as early as
the Fourth Century and was dramatically intensified during the
Reformation that has resulted in what is now by and large a church
generally powerless, without integrity and influence, and greatly
compromised in its message and witness.

HOWEVER, THERE IS GREAT NEWS!

Because Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, ultimately everything is
going to come out right! Praise the Lord! The churches around the world
may be in varying stages of spirituality and effectiveness, but The
Church is at this very moment being purified, healed, restored, and
prepared for the coming of The Groom. In spite of the struggles and
seemingly impossible circumstances, it still is a great time to be alive
and in the Kingdom Work!

Have a great day! Spend some time with your spouse! Thank the Lord for
choosing you!

Bob Tolliver, Evangelist
Executive Director Life Unlimited Ministries
Route 1, Box 87AB, Collins, MO 64738
Phone: 417-275-4854
Fax: 417-275-4855
E-mail: lifeunlimited@juno.com

Copyright January, 1998. All rights reserved.
Permission given to pass this newsletter on, with credits, to anyone who
needs it.

IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE RECEIVING this newsletter, do NOTHING! If we do
NOT hear from you, we will assume you want to continue receiving it.

If you wish to no longer receive it, please let us know via above
contacts. We don't want to push ourselves on you. And, don't feel
embarrassed about telling us to take your name off the list. We
understand the enormous amount of information people in ministry are
getting, and you won't offend us if you don't want our "stuff".

If you want to know more about Life Unlimited Ministries, contact us as
above.

IF YOU KNOW ANOTHER MINISTER FRIEND who would benefit from this
newsletter, please FORWARD IT. You can also send us his e-mail address.

We are in the process of developing a mailing server. When that happens,
we will automatically subscribe everyone still on the list.

We are also in the process of developing a website, and will inform you
when that project is completed ---- probably in April or May because of
our travel schedule.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY ITINERARY:
Jan 09: Independence, MO
Jan 11: Bible Conference, New Heritage Baptist Church,Indianapolis,
IN (11-14).
Jan 15: SBU, Bolivar, MO, Croatia Team Meeting.
Jan 18: State Evangelism Conference, Branson, MO (18-21).
Jan 22: SBU, Bolivar, MO, Croatia Team Meeting
Jan 23: Des Moines, IA (23-24)
Jan 25: Harvest Fellowship, St. Paul, MN
Jan 29: SBU, Bolivar, MO, Croatia Team Meeting
Feb 08: First Baptist Church, LaGrange, MO.
Feb 12: SBU Missions Training Conference (12-13)
Feb 14: SBU Croatia Missions Team Workshop.
Feb 21: Southwest Missouri Bible & Evangelism Concert & Songfest,
Cassville, MO.
Feb 22: Southwest Missouri Bible & Evangelism Conference, Cassville,
MO (22-24).

OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITES:
February 27-March 17: Preaching and construction opportunities in
Croatia.
May 28-June 18: Ministry, preaching, and construction opportunities
in Croatia.
October: Preaching, construction, and teaching opportunities in
Croatia.
If you are interested in participating in any of these trips, please
contact us.

ADDRESS: Route 1, Box 87AB, Collins, MO 64738
Ph: 417-275-4854. Fax: 417-275-4855
E-mail: lifeunlimited@juno.com
--------- End forwarded message ----------

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