an open letter to men of service

You are powerful.

Yes, powerful.

You are perhaps the most powerful people in the church. You’re powerful, not because the church elects you, not because you have the ear of the pastor and staff, not because you are making the tough choices on vision and direction and not because you can manage in the inner workings of the organization. On the contrary, you are powerful because you are a servant. And when you serve, God fills you with the power of the Holy Spirit. I can’t help but notice your power when I see you looking out for the ones who have nobody else to look out for them. You are powerful when you open your home to younger men and show them how a family works. You are powerful when you mold a pastor through intercession and fervorant prayer. You are powerful when you fill an empty stomach, give a widow a ride to the doctor and share Christ with a child. When you are in the center of your calling and passionately fill your church with mercy, hope, peace and good news. Your laughter heals people. They see joy at work. I’ve heard you say words that restore a pastor’s confidence. You’ve held the hands of the dying and given them grace to be transfigured into their eternal homes.

You- O men of God amaze me!
And I want to implore you- don’t stop. The battle for the souls of men has intensified in these last days. Take the fight to the enemy. Go for broke. Rest in the assurance that we are in the mountain-moving business. (It’s easy to forget it in the day-to-day drudgery of deadlines and details.) God smiles when you fulfill your calling. It is a high calling for real men when we are surrounded by grumpy, uninspired, excuse-filled half-hearted believers who settle for lukewarm milk when the meat and potatoes of servanthood remains untouched. You have a ministry to die for. You are powerful and there is no end to the eternal parade of blessings that flood your church with the realization that you are a servant in His Majesty’s army.

Yes, you are powerful.