Just Kamping

Hey everyone!

So this weekend I made a video for our newest elder candidates that explained two quick lessons I’ve learned throughout my time as a pastor.

I’m about as rookie as you can get as a lay-pastor. I’m by no means a “professional” and these lessons are not deep or broad enough to encapsulate the role. However, these two lessons were on my heart and I wanted to share them with you.

“Why?”, you might ask. Well, I believe that these lessons are not just for leaders within a church community, they’re for all Christians. The reason being that they’re straight from scripture. Scripture applies to all believers and some principles may be given specifically but can be applied broadly. I believe these two lessons can be faithfully applied to all believers.

So here they are:

1. A harvest unseen is a harvest worth working for.

In Galatians 6:9-10, Paul writes:

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are of the household of faith”. (ESV)

In our church families, we are all called to serve and minister with our gifts. When we serve in this way, we are not only following Jesus’ example, but also following his commands to love and serve one another. However, it’s easy to become disillusioned in service when it seems as though our work is not producing fruit. I know I’m not the only one who has felt as though I’ve planted plenty of fields, only to miss the growth and never see the harvest.

This is by no means a knock on my present church situation. We have our highs and lows like everyone. I’m just stating what is common in many situations. That is, after our labor and the giving of our gifts, it may seem as though nothing changed and nothing was produced. This can extend outside of “church” ministry contexts and into our families, where many parents may have tried to be faithful in stewarding children only to feel as though their efforts were in vain. Some may experience this at work, wherein being faithful to scripture, their good work may not produce what biblical wisdom states is normative for faithful servants (like financial blessing).

What do we do when we find ourselves in these situations, and/or with feelings of discouragement?

Many things! But first and foremost we hang on to the promises of God. God has not promised that we will see the fruit of our labor now. Rather, he has promised our labor will not be in vain (ref. 1 Cor 15:58). Whether or not our work produces something now, tomorrow, or 50 years from now, God is the one who empowers our labor and he is the one who brings the growth. Remember, we’re not working for ourselves, nor are we working primarily for those we’re serving. We’re working for Christ. He will see to his harvest. And whether or not we see it, it’s still a harvest worth working for.

 2. Strive to be all things to all people (probably not what you think).

In 1 Cor 9:22b-23, Paul writes:

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (ESV)

All of our church families are diverse. Some more than others. If yours isn’t, maybe you’re not looking closely. We all come from different families of origin, different socio-economic backgrounds, different careers, maybe different countries, etc. We are not the same. And yet, in Christ we’re all adopted into one family. As family members, we have the responsibility to love one another. We gather to stir one another up toward love and good deeds. We serve one another with the strength of Christ. We confront sin and pray for healing. We are family.

Paul was an evangelist, church planter, pastor, and much more. His posture toward those inside and outside the family was to meet people where they were. Paul had this attitude: “oh you’re a Jew observing the law, then I’ll conform to that, that I may love you, serve you, and see Jesus formed in you”, “Oh you’re a Gentile and don’t observe the law, I can meet you there, too”. Paul utilized this as his evangelism strategy and also in how he dealt with the churches. You see Paul’s heart in this when he confronted Peter in Galatians 2:14. Peter, like Paul, had been living among the gentiles like a gentile would. But when ethnic jews showed up, Peter changed his behavior and separated himself from the gentiles. While this had gospel implications for Peter (of which I won’t discuss now), we may be in danger of the same things- especially if we refuse to meet people where they are. If someone is different than us, do we avoid them because of discomfort? Do we hold others to a preferential standard of acceptable behavior? Do we refuse to adapt to the preferences/personalities of others, expecting them to conform to us?

Paul became all things to all people that he may save them. In the church he did it so that he might serve them. As a pastor, I’ve learned how easy it is to use a language unfamiliar to the people you’re serving. I’ve also learned you can’t just look down on people in the trenches of life, point out their issues, and throw them a rope (or your favorite bible verse). Most often you have to climb down into their trenches yourself, tie the rope around both of you, and call your prayer warriors to pull you up. That’s what it is to be a shepherd. But let me also say that that’s what it is to be a member of the family of Christ.

Strive to be all things to all people. Don’t change yourself; master getting to know others that you may know them, be for them, and fight through life with them. We do this by mastering the art of asking questions and listening to others’ stories (rather than just wanting them to hear us talk). We also stay present in the lives of others, in their domain, as well as ours. And we fight our impulses to avoid those different than us.

Push into the family of God. Continue the labor. It’s all worth it.

-Kyle

Are these two lessons helpful for you? Have you learned them yourself or have more insight to share? Feel free to comment below and get a conversation going!