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When I was little I use to think he was a giant - literally and spiritually. I can remember looking up at him while waiting to ride the horse at Matt and Karen's house. I stood at his feet with my head tilted as far back as I could get it, arms dangling at my side. I'm pretty sure my mouth was gaping open as I looked up as his lanky stature while he ushered us kids into a line with his extended (and in my mind, extensive) arms. I had never known someone so enormous in my whole life of three years. And, up until I was six, I was privileged to be a baptized member of the RP Church under his pastoral leadership. Granted, I can't recall much from those years, but they were very formative years.
It was during those early years that God, through my parents, siblings, and church, showed me my sin and my need for Jesus. It was a combination of my parents' teachings at home and one of Mr. Y's children's sermon that lead me to realize that I needed and wanted Jesus. Yes, I still remember seating in between my brother Daniel and the fake plant that stood along side the pulpit. And, I remember wondering if Jamey and Luke would ever stop fidgeting in front of me so I could see; but, I mostly remember the poster board with hearts drawn on it and Mr. Y asking what kind of heart we had. It was around that time that I told my mother during "Bible" that I wanted to pray and ask Jesus into my heart. Yes, they were formative years.
When Z and I got married in the fall of 2010 we switched our membership to SRPC, another blessing from the Lord. Many people don't know how much I struggled spiritually and emotionally those first few months of marriage, but I did. God was ever so gracious to place me under biblical, strong, convicting, and encouraging preaching every Sunday morning, even when, sadly, I didn't want to hear the truth. Only by the grace of God, He has used Mr. Y to help me grow, see my sin ever so more closely, and point me more and more to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A few Sundays ago Mr. Y preached a sermon entitled, "Gospel Thanksgiving," from Colossians 1:3-8. It's not up on sermon audio, otherwise I would link to it (and, because I can't re-listen to it myself, anything I put in quotation marks may be a paraphrase...but, I think they're pretty close). He started out by saying that, "We are to be thankful all the time. Recall how often it is encouraged through Scripture. It should be our daily expression. We should be in awe of the Gospel. We should be full of thanks when we see the transformation that takes place because of it. The Christian should look at this world with rose colored glasses because our souls are covered in the blood of Christ." He gave us three reasons to give thanks, the faith of others, the love demonstrated for the church, and the hope stored away for us in Heaven. He went on to say that the eternal Gospel itself is the source of our thanksgiving. And that, God gives us the "constituted means" (pastors, elders) to tell of the word of truth so that the Gospel remains with us. We're to remember, however, that the preacher who preaches the word to us is only the gift. We must look to and give thanks to the Giver. This sermon called many things to mind that I can give thanks to God for, including Mr. Y.
Z and I have slowly gotten more and more involved with the church since we first moved here. And, I think it's amazing how much you don't see if you're standing on the sidelines trying to figure out how the church works. I grew up in a family that loved to minister to others, but I'm continually amazed how much time, energy, money, and emotion can be spent in encouraging, ministering, counseling, evangelizing, visiting, and hosting people. And as we've gotten closer I'm continually amazed at and thankful for the passions and gifts that God has given to Mr. Y.
It's plain to see that Mr. Y doesn't primarily seek out "methods" for ministry in the church. Rather, he is a man devoted to prayer. While I can't look into his personal prayer closet, I can see that he is a prayer warrior because of the affect of his ministry. E.M. Bounds wrote in his book Power Through Prayer, "The character of our praying will determine the character of our ministries. Prayer makes our words strong, gives them power, makes them stick. In every anointed ministry, prayer has always been a serious business...Talking to others for God is a great thing. But talking to God for others is greater still. We will never speak to people for God with real success until we have learned how to speak to God for people." Mr. York's sermons, teachings, hospitality and so on would be powerless and worthless if he wasn't a man of prayer. He has spoken to people for God with success because of the power of prayer.
We've also witnessed Mr. Y in his role as a school administrator, principal, and teacher. We're both amazed at his considerable diplomacy. If there was ever an issue in my life that needed addressed, Mr. Y would be one of the few people I'd pick to be the one to come talk to me about my problem. I appreciate his forthrightness, tact, and gentleness. It's also pretty neat to see his patience with the kids in the school. There seems to be a fine line somewhere between the unacceptable behavior where you need to put a stop to something and simple immaturity where you need to just come alongside the kids to help them grow. Mr. Y figures this line out pretty well, in my own estimation.
The Y family have invested much in us, and it has been such a blessing and encouragement. They have opened up their home to us, given us gifts, made us meals, listened and talked to us, and prayed with and for us. We are so thankful that they have exemplified Christ's love to us and for their faith in God which points us to the Gospel.
A few Sundays ago Mr. Y preached a sermon entitled, "Gospel Thanksgiving," from Colossians 1:3-8. It's not up on sermon audio, otherwise I would link to it (and, because I can't re-listen to it myself, anything I put in quotation marks may be a paraphrase...but, I think they're pretty close). He started out by saying that, "We are to be thankful all the time. Recall how often it is encouraged through Scripture. It should be our daily expression. We should be in awe of the Gospel. We should be full of thanks when we see the transformation that takes place because of it. The Christian should look at this world with rose colored glasses because our souls are covered in the blood of Christ." He gave us three reasons to give thanks, the faith of others, the love demonstrated for the church, and the hope stored away for us in Heaven. He went on to say that the eternal Gospel itself is the source of our thanksgiving. And that, God gives us the "constituted means" (pastors, elders) to tell of the word of truth so that the Gospel remains with us. We're to remember, however, that the preacher who preaches the word to us is only the gift. We must look to and give thanks to the Giver. This sermon called many things to mind that I can give thanks to God for, including Mr. Y.
Z and I have slowly gotten more and more involved with the church since we first moved here. And, I think it's amazing how much you don't see if you're standing on the sidelines trying to figure out how the church works. I grew up in a family that loved to minister to others, but I'm continually amazed how much time, energy, money, and emotion can be spent in encouraging, ministering, counseling, evangelizing, visiting, and hosting people. And as we've gotten closer I'm continually amazed at and thankful for the passions and gifts that God has given to Mr. Y.
It's plain to see that Mr. Y doesn't primarily seek out "methods" for ministry in the church. Rather, he is a man devoted to prayer. While I can't look into his personal prayer closet, I can see that he is a prayer warrior because of the affect of his ministry. E.M. Bounds wrote in his book Power Through Prayer, "The character of our praying will determine the character of our ministries. Prayer makes our words strong, gives them power, makes them stick. In every anointed ministry, prayer has always been a serious business...Talking to others for God is a great thing. But talking to God for others is greater still. We will never speak to people for God with real success until we have learned how to speak to God for people." Mr. York's sermons, teachings, hospitality and so on would be powerless and worthless if he wasn't a man of prayer. He has spoken to people for God with success because of the power of prayer.
We've also witnessed Mr. Y in his role as a school administrator, principal, and teacher. We're both amazed at his considerable diplomacy. If there was ever an issue in my life that needed addressed, Mr. Y would be one of the few people I'd pick to be the one to come talk to me about my problem. I appreciate his forthrightness, tact, and gentleness. It's also pretty neat to see his patience with the kids in the school. There seems to be a fine line somewhere between the unacceptable behavior where you need to put a stop to something and simple immaturity where you need to just come alongside the kids to help them grow. Mr. Y figures this line out pretty well, in my own estimation.
The Y family have invested much in us, and it has been such a blessing and encouragement. They have opened up their home to us, given us gifts, made us meals, listened and talked to us, and prayed with and for us. We are so thankful that they have exemplified Christ's love to us and for their faith in God which points us to the Gospel.
He and his family are planning to move away within the next year. At first, there was a feeling that no one can replace him or that the ministry won't flourish. I remember thinking, "How is this church going to go on without him?!" I'd tend to think that even more when congregants would make verbal lists of everything he does for the church and school. And while, in some regards, no one will ever be able to replace him, I know that the ministry won't die out, because Mr. Y. is not the Giver. He is only a gift that God has given. Jesus Christ is the one who changes peoples' hearts and lives and builds His kingdom for His own glory.
"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
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A lot has changed since I first wrote this. The Y family leaves in just a few weeks. And, God has provided another gifted man to help lead SRPC. We're very thankful for all the ways that God provides us with good and godly men to lead us, and we're very excited to get to know our soon-to-be pastor and his family. Isn't God a good gift-giver?
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