Featured Article: Serve & Lead

Andy Bonikowsky“After that He poureth water in a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. . . . For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:5, 15)

There is a certain concept of leadership that is faulty, or at least, incomplete. It is the idea that leaders are mainly the visible and popular individuals, who are behind the podium, on the platform, speaking into the microphone. Often we see these people interviewed by the media, followed by crowds, and living in opulence. Unconsciously we can adopt the common opinion that they are the image of leadership and generally define what it is.

Now I am not questioning that they are leaders. They usually are, for good or bad. But if we take a closer look at the matter in the Bible we will discover that the real thing goes a lot deeper. Take this passage in which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, undeniably one of the noblest scenes of servanthood in all of Scripture.

The Savior saw a need and moved. His action spoke of initiative, of resourcefulness, and wisdom. It was stepping out to do what needed doing, regardless of whether others followed suit, agreed, or even understood what was going on. That is exactly what a leader does. He (or she) is one who assesses the situation in front of him and moves. With that movement he instantly steps into a role of influence and becomes an example to follow, a leader.

It is significant that the Lord chose to act out this lesson Himself, rather than just refer to an Old Testament example. He took off His outer garments, rolled up his sleeves, so to speak, and started serving. The shock, bewilderment, and embarrassment this created among the Twelve was instantaneous. The Man now washing their feet was the Word, who according to this same Gospel, had created everything! They were scandalized, wondering how they had allowed the situation to come to this.

Quite in sync with his personalty, Peter put up a fuss. But the Lord did not back down. Why not? Was it just that He didn’t want to give in? Was He trying to shame them into service? Clearly those were not His reasons. I believe He was trying to teach us all something extremely important, about the very nature of godliness.

In heaven, the dwelling place of the Most High, that ideal atmosphere where the Almighty lives, we will find serving others to be a part of the beautiful essence of the land. On this earth, where sin has warped human thinking, service is seen to be the career of the under privileged, the lower class, the common man.

Who knows? Maybe in glory the Son of God will at times serve His disciples, as the eternal and perfect example of the way things really are. I don’t think we should be too surprised. Remember, He does not change. One double thought I believe is clear: We are all called to serve and we are all called to lead.

Dear Father, give me a love for service. Help me see it as a privilege and act of obedience of the first order. Thank you for serving me even today as You intercede for me before the Father. I praise you for being so humble, so good, so consistent. Amen.

Prayer & Dates: October 2014

Click the link above to download a PDF of prayer requests and praises as well as the birthdays and anniversaries for October. Note: You will need to login to SecureCloud in order to view this document.  Once you have logged in, click on Files Shared, then Headquarter Happenings, then scroll to the month you would like to view. This step protects people with WWNTBM in restricted access fields.

From the Memo Board: October 2014

Dates to Know

October 13
US Banks will be closed for Columbus Day.

November 11
US Banks will be closed for Veteran’s Day.

November 27-28
The Office will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

December 1
Those who normally receive support on the 29th will receive their November support on this day

 

Christ the Missionary

Christ was a home missionary in the house of Lazarus.
Christ was a foreign missionary when the Greeks came to Him.
Christ was a city missionary when He taught in Samaria.
Christ was a Sunday School missionary when He opened up the Scriptures
and set men to studying the Word of God.
Christ was a children’s missionary when He took them in His arms and blessed them.
Christ was a missionary to the poor when He opened the eyes of the blind beggar.
Christ was a missionary to the rich when He opened the spiritual eyes of Zacchaeus.
Even on the cross, Christ was a missionary to the robber,
and His last command was the missionary commission.
– Author Unknown

From Our President: October 2014

Danny WhetstoneHave you noticed how cluttered our lives are?  Paul offered many challenges to Timothy, and one really stands out to me in light of the stressful lives that we live almost every day.  2 Timothy 2:1-4 says, ”Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”  There are so many things in these verses that speak in certain sounds to me.  However, think on this one thing, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.”

This reminds me somewhat of Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  There is no question that sin is on every side.  We are warned on every hand, and the law of Christ written in our hearts makes us aware of the pitfalls that abound.  However, “the affairs of this life” and the “weight” can be easily dismissed.  Pastors will schedule revivals, Bible conferences, and missions conferences months and years ahead.  Everyone is aware of the church schedule.  Yet, when it is time to participate, it is as though it catches everyone by surprise, although many times it happens the same time every year.  Church leaders are often discouraged because the daily schedule of so many is continually filled to, and many times, beyond capacity.  Unfortunately, this is not only true for the average church member, but it is also true for most of us.  Are we incapable of discerning priorities?  Can we not find His guiding hand in the affairs of life?  Many years ago I read about a preacher in one of E.M. Bounds books on prayer.  The preacher said, “I have so much to do today that I fear if I do not pray at least four hours I will never get it all done.”  Are we actually praying about the priorities of life?

Much has been said of having a five year plan, but I wonder if we even have a daily plan.  It is so easy to drift along with the affairs of life and permit the heavy weights of life to map our lives for us. Life has limits, and time stands still for none of us.  The Lord told His disciples that His meat was to finish the work given Him by the Father. Let’s examine our lives.  Is the load that we are under everyday ordered by the Lord?  Are we making wise choices when faced with multiple options?  Praying that our steps would be ordered by the Lord should be a natural part of our Christian experience.  In all of our ways, we must acknowledge Him if we are to cross the finish line with the task complete to His satisfaction.

I pray that God will give us clarity concerning today, and then everyday He sets before us.  May His blessings be yours continually.

In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone