How Can I Help?

Pastor Ben was working in his study when the newly ordained deacon, Don, knocked at the open door with a question, "Pastor, how can I help the church?  I don't have special gifts."

Pastor Ben paused for a moment and replied, "Each of us is a witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives and we can each send that message to others."

Pastor continued talking, "We may not be able to serve as a missionary in a foreign country or preach or sing in the choir but our lives send little words and deeds of encouragement to another who is struggling with some problem or crisis.  What we become is important to God more than what we think we can do.  I remember when I was younger that a woman in my home church encouraged me to become a minister of the Gospel.  She wrote me while I was in seminary and sought me for conversation when I was home on holiday.  Her life was a living testimony to Christ and inspired me when I was going through a period of doubting.  I learned that encouragement of another doesn't require a talent, only a dedication and commitment to Christ.

Pastor Ben leaned backward in his chair and asked Deacon Don what were his thoughts on helping.

Don thoughtfully responded, "Pastor, I thought you might help me learn how to visit members with needs.  I'm not confident enough to say the right word or do the right thing."

Pastor Ben suggested that Don might wish to accompany one of the experienced deacons in hospital or home visits.  Pastor continued relating a personal experience.  "In an early church where I was pastor the choir director wanted to produce a Resurrection Cantata.  He recruited a church member to sing the part of Christ.  This member had initially declined saying he had no musical talent.  It seems this church member denied he had the talent to sing other than hymns in worship.  The choir director assured the reluctant member that he had the voice and that the choir director, who had a trained tenor voice, would sing with the member during practices.  Practice after practice they sang together.  This director arranged special coaching sessions and extra practice for the doubting singer.  Always the choir director encouraged the novice singer as he struggled.

"At the reception following the evening performance, which was open to the public, a neighborhood woman approached the church member with a question, 'were you the Irish tenor who sang the part of Christ?'"

Pastor Ben said to Deacon Don, "You and I hope that when our concert of life is over, someone will say, "Were you the one who lived for Jesus Christ?"

Rev. Dr. Ernest Bee
from the QUEST, the Newsletter of the
Alfred Station Seventh Day Baptist Church.