My wife and I began serving in full-time ministry in June of 1974. I had just graduated from Bible College, moved to a city where we knew no one, and at the age of twenty-four started an independent Baptist church with no one but our family. Forty-one years of pastoral ministry later, I stood before the congregation that I loved and at the age of sixty-five read my resignation letter.

Discipleship is central to Christianity. In the words of my friend, Dave Hardy, “We are either making disciples, or we are making concessions.”

Do the letters DIY mean something to you? Do It Yourself projects have become so popular. Why pay someone to do something that you can do yourself? In 1997, when my husband became pastor of our church, I decided to wallpaper his office.

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “You must make time to come apart before you fall apart.” It refers to Mark 6:31 where Jesus told his disciples, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

Recently, on a drive through North Carolina, a very rude driver cut me off on the highway for the very important need of gaining one spot in slow traffic. May I be honest? Everything within my flesh wanted to lay on the horn for as long as it took to feel avenged of this horrible, life-altering act by this thoughtless driver.

The military boasts of its ability to build leaders “from the ground up.” But God is interested in building leaders from Heaven down.

Being a pastor is a great privilege. The Bible tells us, “This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1). It is a good thing to desire to serve God as a pastor in His church. (God give us some men—young and older—who would have such a desire!) Yet, being a pastor carries with it great responsibility toward God’s people.

When I survey today’s ministry landscape, I’m encouraged.

Why?

First, I’m hopeful for revival. The fact that our culture is becoming increasingly hostile toward Christianity is disappointing, but it’s nothing Scripture didn’t warn us would happen. I pray for revival of God’s people which will certainly result in renewed evangelism and fruit. In fact, the world’s antagonism toward Christ could be setting the stage for a great last days revival.

Pain changes us. And for the child of God, those words can breathe hope and promise. We who believe Romans 8:28, “Know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

When Terrie and I came to Lancaster in the summer of 1986, our goal was not to build a large church but to reach people for Christ. Over the past thirty-two years, the Lord has done more than we ever could have dreamed, and we praise Him for that. But our goal has not changed. We still want to reach people for Christ and to invest ourselves in Christ’s church.