MIXED FEELINGS

Yesterday I "celebrated" 15 years as pastor of BBC. I was reflecting on my years here with mixed feelings. Hundreds have been saved through the various ministries over these 15 years but very few of those have translated into current membership for the church. We are a small church.

Why have some not come to our church or not stayed? Some of the people saved didn't live in our area. Some people have gone on to glory, some have sought for churches with more bells and whistles. Some didn't like different church members or even the pastor. It's hard for me to say in some cases.

We rejoice over the missionaries we help to support. We rejoice over the souls saved and lives changed even if they don't join our church. We rejoice in the blessings of God over the years.

We weep over failed opportunities. We weep over those who have forsaken us, having loved this present world. We weep over unintentional offenses that might have caused some weak brethren to stumble.

We continue to stand on the Word of God, the Gospel of Christ and look for the Blessed Hope. We continue to preach the Gospel though we were once told we preach too much Gospel. (Is that even possible? What is that? Too much Gospel?)

Am I a failure? Maybe I am. But that's not for men or me to decide.
Rom. 14:
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or ° die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or ° why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord °, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

Luke 6:42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
-----------------------------------------------------

The church had a fellowship meal after the evening service to commemorate my 15 years as pastor. They gave me a nice gift and the fellowship was sweet. One man decided this was the perfect occasion to tell me he and his family were leaving the church (partly due to me, partly due to other things). Yesterday I "celebrated" 15 years as pastor of BBC.