Pastor Appreciation Month! (Blog Entry.)

For Pastor Appreciation month, here's a little tribute to my pastor. 

Pastor Bob Huber went to glory on July 4 this year, or to put it as he referred to a believer's death: he graduated. And while I can say so much about his impact on me with his teaching, I think more of his impact was felt through things I observed. 

For example…

One particular snowy Wednesday night at North Street Christian Church, many many years ago, one of his grandsons (who shall remain unnamed, I'll call him “Abe”) got into a bit of trouble. I guess if “Preachers' Kids” are notoriously mischievous, “Preachers' Grandkids” must be worse...? We were holding our weekly kids' program and Abe (who must have been around 5-7 years old) was wondering the halls of the church. He asked his teacher for a restroom break, but told any adult who stopped him in the halls that “his class took a field trip walking to the park without him”. (Not likely, it was snowy, dark, and about 12 degrees outside.) So he basically blew off most of the evening by lying to both sides. 

After the classes dismissed and people were slowly filtering out of the church, I was walking by Abe being “disciplined” by Pastor Bob: “You have to stay in your class, you can't be lying to people and wondering around by yourself...” - trying to sound as stern and serious as possible. 

Abe listened, and while Pastor Bob was still talking, Abe put his little hands on Pastor Bob's cheeks and squished them together, essentially giving Pastor Bob “fish lips”, and Abe just very calmly and sweetly said, “Awwww. You are such a cutey-pie.”

I could see Pastor Bob breaking. Then he was stifling his laughter – discipline time was officially ineffective... and over. 

What did this anecdote teach me? Nothing ultra profound or deep, but a reminder of something that will change your life if you let it: you don't always have to take yourself so seriously. 

I'm still learning. Miss you, PB. 

jeff

-not a cutie-pie, in the traditional sense

How to Tell if Your Pastor is Legit

I recently heard a pastor being described with what was one of the strangest things you can say about a pastor. And the same phrase came from several people. I am not bashing the guy. He’s got a thriving ministry and is an excellent speaker. These people describing him were big fans, anyways. I just thought the way he was described was rather... unusual.

He’s not a people person.

He’s not a people person?!

About the third time I heard it, whoever told me elaborated on it a bit. He doesn’t really do the “people” stuff. He is sort of detached from the people. All he really does is speak.

I don’t really know the guy, and I don’t know if any of this is true. But here is what I do know: I never want anyone to describe me that way.

Many pastors in our day seem to care about the polished sermons, popularity, entertaining people, or being revered. But Biblically, there is one thing the pastor should care about more than just about anything: the church, that is, the people. We see this in the heart of Paul throughout our 1 Thessalonians study. Thankful for you, praying for you, love you like a mother, give ourselves for you, love you like a father, couldn’t wait to see you again, you are our crown of boasting, we feel so alive knowing that you are standing strong... (See chapter 1:3-4, 2:7-12, 17, 19, 3:5-10.) You can’t miss the fact that Paul as Pastor loved the Lord, loved the Gospel... and loved the church.

Not just in 1 Thessalonians, either. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:28-29: And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

This comes on the tail end of Paul describing how he has been shipwrecked, imprisoned, and beaten. And he is saying, “That stuff is the least of my worries! My concern is for the church!”

One chapter later in 2 Corinthians 12:15, he says, I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. Notice Paul isn’t complaining about OT (overtime, not Old Testament) or difficult people or not getting his day off. He was glad to pour himself out, to work to exhaustion – for the sake of their souls. That’s the heart of a legit pastor.

Let’s get real. Sermons may flop. Potlucks may be a let down. The Christmas service may not have been to your liking last year. But if you are looking for real criteria to properly evaluate your pastor, here is a great place to start: Does he love his people?

Who Should Have My Ear?

What pastors/teachers are most in-line with what we believe @ Harvest? Who should we be studying/listening to?

James MacDonald! :) 

That's the short answer. Here's a longer one:

We live in a day where information is EVERYWHERE. Think about it - if you have a “smart phone”, you hold in your hands access to more information than you can cover in 10 lifetimes. And even with Bible teaching, you can get email devotionals, podcasts, and web access to just about every thing every Bible teacher speaks. Spurgeon, Piper, Luther, Calvin, Chan, Driscoll, the guy down the street that has church in the coffee shop… All of them have volumes of information available online (many of whom left the earth generations before ever the smart phone. I know: GASP!). And they aren’t all teaching the Bible. So how do you know who is worth listening to?

Listen to any pastor, even me, with discernment. You should have the Bible open, following along, asking one question: “Is that what the Bible says?” Does the preacher’s message line up with the straightforward message of God’s Word? That’s the question. That’s the issue. Is the preacher echoing the message of the passage in its context?

I like to remind people I am just a megaphone. I don’t make up the message, I am just an instrument to broadcast it. By God’s grace, may I only ever strive to broadcast what He has proclaimed in His Word!

p.s. - has a smart-mouthed phone

This is the month when you are supposed to appreciate your Pastor

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith…. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. --Hebrews 13:7, 17.

October is Pastor Appreciation month.

Do you appreciate your Pastor? I do!

What do you mean? You appreciate yourself?!

No, that would be… arrogant? Weird? A bit creepy? BUT... I do appreciate the Pastors that have been pastors to me.

So let me say thank you to two men in particular.

First is Pastor Robert Huber. Some may call him PB or Hubi, but he’s Pastor Bob to me. When I first came to Christ, I was discipled at North Street Christian Church in Butler, PA, where Pastor Bob serves as the Senior Pastor. After graduating from Bible College, I had the privilege of coming on as the Associate Pastor there, back to the very church that was so instrumental in my growth during my early years as a follower of Jesus. I was blessed to serve there for 11 years, and the lessons about being a shepherd that Pastor Bob taught me would fill volumes. The biggest lesson he taught me was grace - loving the very people who spoke and acted negatively against you. I have watched as people would harshly (and falsely) criticize Pastor Bob, and he never lashed back. Never felt it necessary to defend himself… and certainly never lash back. Yet when those same critics fell on hard times, who was the first person on the scene to minister to them…? Yeah, it was Pastor Bob. Thank you for your example of grace.

And I would also like to publicly acknowledge, honor, and appreciate another man who taught me so much about being a Pastor: Dr. James MacDonald. The months of training I had under him in 2010 was one of the most challenging and sweetest seasons of my life. He taught me so much about worship and preaching, and I strive to carry out these lessons in my ministry at Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North.

Many other men have made huge deposits in my life. However, these two men have shown me the example of the kind of pastor I want to be. By God’s grace, my I imitate their faith as I consider the outcome of their way of life.

Pastor Bob, Pastor James… consider yourselves appreciated!

p.s. - Never did get to celebrate Associate Pastor Appreciation Month