EPNews 7/17/08

  • AN EXCELLENT REMINDER AND ENCOURAGEMENT

  • WOMEN IN MINISTRY

  • INVEST A YEAR WITH TRINITY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

  • RE-ENGAGE: CHRIST AS CULTURE'S HOPE

  • "SMALL, STRONG CONGREGATIONS" BOOK BLOG

  • CLEAN WATER FOR THE THIRD WORLD


AN EXCELLENT REMINDER AND ENCOURAGEMENT

by Jeff Jeremiah

On June 7, I participated in the installation service of Tommy Allen at First EPC of Renton, Washington. Elder Doug Zylstra gave the charge to the congregation at that service. I thought it was a wonderful reminder and encouragement to all of us who are a part of Christ's church. It has been edited and is used with Doug's permission.

"And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love" (I Thessalonians 5.12-13).

Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit" (Hebrews 13.17).

Here is a news flash; your pastor is NOT made out of steel! Pastors are simply people who constantly give with very little regard for their own well-being. Somebody has to look out for them or they will give and go until they break. And when they do, we will bear most of the blame if we aren't proactive in supporting them.

When we're willing to open our eyes and look around, we'll find that we're in an epidemic in the American church: an epidemic of beating up and trying to bury our pastors alive, to suffocate and in many case starve our financially and emotionally the very people we should be loving and protecting. So, here are my charges to you:

  1. Pray for your pastor. Being our spiritual leader makes our pastor a lightning rod for spiritual attacks from the enemy. To know we are prayed for is a joy, relief and a blessing. 
  2. Support your pastor. In all your pastor does and especially, financially. Take away the "money" worry so your pastor can concentrate on the task at hand. Don't be stingy. 
  3.  Empower your pastor. If we've given him the responsibility to lead, give him the power because one without the other is foolish. If we are going to hold him accountable for results, we must give him the resources to make things happen.
  4. Connect to your pastor. He's busy but not too busy to take time for you. If you're the kind of person who loves and is committed to him, he'll be happy to spend time with you. 
  5.  Cut off any gossip you hear about your pastor at the knees. Don't' let it go anywhere.
  6. Don't let staff members get away with complaining about him behind his back. Kindly rebuke those that may.
  7. Encourage him to relax, to go to conferences to equip him with the best teaching tools, but most of all, to have time away to rejuvenate.
    (This next one is so important!)
  8. Make sure his family can be his first priority. Don't just assume they are. Make sure, not in a meddling way, but in a loving way. If you create an atmosphere in which neglecting his family is expected, we will all pay the price. 
  9.  Build your pastor up. To his face; let him and other people know that he is a man of God and that you're lucky to have him.
  10. Honor your pastor's service, birthday, anniversary, or whatever it is. He is a person too and can't continually go on without a show of appreciation. 
  11.  Make sure your pastor has a generous book fund so he can buy books and subscribe to magazines. Leaders are readers!
  12. Make sure your pastor has the needed technology: computers, internet, and phones. 
  13. At the first sign of trouble or displeasure, let your pastor know early so he can do something about it. Pastors do not need, nor do they want, "yes-men" or "-women" around them."

I'll stop there as I hope you get the point! Love your pastor! Treat your pastor with respect and honor! He deserves it, and you will place yourself in the place of blessing; for God loves His church and His pastors. God has given you a good, godly pastor, now our responsibility is to take care of him!

WOMEN IN MINISTRY

On July 18-19, 2008, twenty-three women will meet at the Office of the General Assembly to discuss the REAL Training material that is being developed for EPC women leaders. The permanent national WomenInMinistry (WIM) Committee will also be a part of the discussion. The participants are women who care passionately and think deeply about the unique role women play in God's kingdom.

These women will preview various aspects of the training and provide input as to how the training program may be launched most effectively in local churches and presbyteries. Please pray for these women as they travel across the United States that God will be glorified in our brief time together.

Committee members present at this gathering will be Jacky Gatliff, Director, EPC WomenInMinistry; Rill Currie, Administrative Assistant, EPC WIM; Libby Cooper, Chairman, Permanent Committee, (Trinity EPC, Florence, SC); Committee Members: Annette Phillips (Central Presbyterian, St. Louis, MO); Sammie McWhirter (Grace Community, Surprise, AZ); Katie Marks, (Second EPC, Memphis, TN); Kimberly Batcheller (Knox EPC, Ann Arbor, MI).

Presbytery Representatives:

  • Central South:

Therese Fuglaar (First EPC, Houma, LA)

  • Florida:

Ann Doak and Melissa Bell (EPC Plant City, Plant City, FL)

  • Mid-America:

Katharine Ritter (Grace EPC, Lawrence, KS)

  • Mid-Atlantic:

Trish Wallin (Threshold EPC, Matthews, NC)

  • Midwest:

Vicki Oliver (Ward EPC, Northville, MI)
Monika Lamine (Knox Presbyterian, Ann Arbor, MI)
Lesley Graham (Knox Presbyterian, Harrison Township, MI)
Pam Dodge (Ward EPC, Northville, MI)
Kim Sinclair (Grace Chapel, Farmington Hills, MI)
Char Schwedland (Grace Chapel, Farmington Hills, MI)
Carol Maddux (Cornerstone EPC, Brighton, MI)

  • East:

Mary Sue Smith (Faith EPC, Kingstowne, VA)

  • West:

Ruth Baer (Parker Presbyterian, Parker, CO)

  • Southeast:

Jean Smith (Signal Mountain Presbyterian, Signal Mountain, TN)
Abigail Bowen (Brainerd Presbyterian, Chattanooga, TN)

 INVEST A YEAR WITH TRINITY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Trinity Christian Community in New Orleans is looking for a handful of high school graduates who are willing to spend a year working in the inner city to bring about healing and hope for those who are struggling after Katrina. Trinity Christian Community is especially interested in those who either have a heart for urban ministry or who would like to explore missions for more than a week. We have two types of ministry positions available, both for 11 month terms:

1) Rebuilding Intern-This special person will work alongside Thomas Covington, an EPC home missionary, to rebuild homes, following the devastation of Katrina, of those who cannot afford to rebuild on their own (5 spots available).
2) Education Intern-This special person will work in local public schools and after school programs in an unprecedented opportunity position to mentor young elementary students who desperately need someone to love them and give them hope (5 spots available).

Applicants must be a high school graduate, at least 17 years of age and a U.S. citizen (there is no upper age limit). In addition to a small stipend (a living allowance), there is $4,725 for future education or to pay off student loans upon completion of the program. The positions start in late August and early September 2008

This is a perfect position for the person who is a recent college graduate, or who has yet to commit to college and is looking for something to do between high school and college, who is between junior college and a four-year institution, who is coming out of the military, or who is on sabbatical.

For more information, click here.

RE-ENGAGE: CHRIST AS CULTURE'S HOPE

If you missed one of the Assembly Workshop Sessions this year or couldn't make it to the Workshop this year, CD's are available for purchase from the National Conference Recording Service:

  • "Developing Discernment, Deepening Discipleship" - Denis Haack and Steve Garber
  • "Faith Shapes Vocation, Shapes Culture" - Denis Haack and Steve Garber
  • "Developing Ears to Hear: Listening to the Postmodern Generation" - Denis Haack
  • "Good Stories and Good Societies: Stewarding the Church's Story for the Sake of the World" - Steve Garber
  • "Engaging the Soul of Emerging Culture" - Walt Mueller
  • "From Femme to Fatale: Faith and the Feminine in Today's Culture" - Charmaine Yoest
  • "For the Health of the Nation" - Richard Cizik

CD's of Sinclair Ferguson's keynote addresses are also available from the National Conference Recording Service:

  • "The Church and Christ's Burden"
  • "The Church and Christ's Presence"

"SMALL, STRONG CONGREGATIONS" BOOK BLOG

The Z-4:10 Network will begin a Book Blog the first full week of August. The Book Blog will be an online, one chapter a week, discussion of of Kennon Callahan's "Small, Strong Congregations." A small number of books are still available free of charge - first come first served - to those who indicate they want to be part of the discussion. Email Ed McCallum for a copy of the book. Once they're gone, copies are available from Lay Renewal Ministries.

CLEAN WATER FOR THE THIRD WORLD

Kevin McDonald, Associate Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska reports of a wonderful opportunity to help bring clean water to third world countries. Covenant has teamed up with John Hays, a City Engineer in Washington, Iowa, who has developed a simplified and inexpensive way to purify water.

According to Hays, more than 25,000 adults and 5,000 children die of bad water daily around the world. With his great empathy toward children and his Christian faith, he wanted to do something to make a difference.

John has a patent-pending on his equipment and plans to market it world-wide. But in the meantime, he is helping people in Mexico and Chile to have purified water - 100% safe to drink - available in minutes.

Covenant is incorporating Hay's water purification systems in their mission projects in Colombia, Nicaragua, Belize, Mexico and southern Sudan.

For more information about John Hay's method for simplifying the water purification process for those around the world who are in need of clean water, (International Water Management Systems) or visit his website. You may also .