07/09/2023
🄼🄸🄽🄸🅂🅃🅁🅈 🄼🄸🅂🅂🄸🄻🄴🅂 :
🅆🄰🅃🄲🄷 🄾🅄🅃 🄵🄾🅁 🅃🄷🄴 🄰🄻🄻🄸🄶🄰🅃🄾🅁🅂
HELP A STRUGGLING PREACHER
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
- Gal.6:1,2.
Imagine you are on a battlefield and a fellow soldier is wounded in the heat of battle. Maybe it is his cowardly fault or maybe he made a bad decision; what would you do?
1. Would you belittle him?
2. Maybe tell others how careless he was?
3. Would you ignore his moans & groans?
4. Or shoot him for not following orders?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO ??
Marine motto: Semper Fidelis:
Always Faithful — leave no man behind.
Seal Motto: Failure is not an Option
Strange is it not that many Baptists are not as noble or loyal as lost military men❓
There are pastors and missionaries struggling with family problems, personal issues or sins, perhaps with their marriage or church crisis. They may have no one to trust. They might be desperate and looking for an easy escape? Can a brother lovingly come to their rescue?
If you see a brother pulling away, showing an attitude that is overtly critical, or you hear he has quit the ministry and in financial trouble,
What should you do?
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
- James 5:19,20.
We must convert him‼️ Turn him around.
Show love. Do not press for details. Take him out to eat. Show empathy. Be wise in offering advice. Point him to obedience. Be a good listener. Pray with him. Be meek, and do not gossip or betray his trust.
Granted some of us cannot restore a fallen brother because we lack compassion or that gentle touch. Actually some might do more harm with their brutal lack of tact {Gal.6:1}.
But typically it is a lack of true concern that concludes a wounded brother will never recover. Paul gave up on John Mark too soon, but Barnabas didn’t. Peter gave up on himself, but Jesus didn’t.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
- Luke 22:31,32
Jonah thought he would never preach again, but his calling did not change.
And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
- Jonah 3:1,2.
Years ago there was a Baptist preacher attempting to go to Canada as a missionary.
He struggled for years because he had been divorced and remarried. He was a godly man and good preacher. But many avoided him as a pariah and influenced others to drop his support. Finally his pastor called and broke the news that they would revoke sponsorship because of many complaints. The missionary reached a point of despair. His wife tried to console and point him to the Lord. He sighed and said “I’ll never be accepted or qualified, I’m finished, I’m a failure.” He grinned and assured her he would be okay and said he wanted to be alone to pray. The lonely man went into a wooded area with a loaded pistol and ended his life.
The issue here is not your position on remarried pastors. Rather; no one helped this brother when he felt abandoned. We shoot our wounded. The sending pastor felt horrible and resigned the following Sunday.
As a BAND OF BROTHERS we are only as strong as our weakest brother.
Repentance, restoration, and reassignment will take place if we lovingly and loyally refuse to leave the wounded Uriahs on the field of battle. Let us stop our self righteous attack on struggling preachers. Let us illustrate to a hateful world how we truly love each other by restoring our fallen.
Remember, one day you may stand in need of the very mercy you withheld from others. John Mark became profitable again and Paul finally recognized it. What joy to see our restored brothers and sisters back in the fight.
NS🔱SO × ✨SBS
---
