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Dr. Karl K. Stegall[/caption]
During these months of March, April, and May, much attention will be given to ministerial appointments that will be made by Bishop Paul L. Leeland and his Cabinet. As they prayerfully go through this process, perhaps, this season o?ers each of us the perfect opportunity to ask ourselves the question, “What am I doing to help overcome the present crisis of having fewer and fewer e?ective young men and women considering God’s call upon their lives to enter the ordained ministry?”
All of us need to clearly understand that the Bishop and Cabinet cannot clone preachers. In making appointments, they are solely dependent upon the faithfulness of our clergy and laity within our churches in the process of “sending” e?ective young men and women into the ministry.
For those within your local church that might be considering the call of God upon their lives to become ordained ministers, I would call to their attention the words of Martin Lloyd Jones while speaking at Westminster Abbey, “I gave up nothing. I received everything. I count it the highest honor that God can bestow upon any person is to call him or her to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.”
In light of this, I have always loved the sign that a denomination in France placed throughout all of their churches, “There are four great days in nearly everyone’s life---birth; con?rmation; marriage; and death. How would you like to be needed on all four of those very special days?”
Karl K. Stegall
Dr. Karl K. Stegall[/caption]
During these months of March, April, and May, much attention will be given to ministerial appointments that will be made by Bishop Paul L. Leeland and his Cabinet. As they prayerfully go through this process, perhaps, this season o?ers each of us the perfect opportunity to ask ourselves the question, “What am I doing to help overcome the present crisis of having fewer and fewer e?ective young men and women considering God’s call upon their lives to enter the ordained ministry?”
All of us need to clearly understand that the Bishop and Cabinet cannot clone preachers. In making appointments, they are solely dependent upon the faithfulness of our clergy and laity within our churches in the process of “sending” e?ective young men and women into the ministry.
For those within your local church that might be considering the call of God upon their lives to become ordained ministers, I would call to their attention the words of Martin Lloyd Jones while speaking at Westminster Abbey, “I gave up nothing. I received everything. I count it the highest honor that God can bestow upon any person is to call him or her to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.”
In light of this, I have always loved the sign that a denomination in France placed throughout all of their churches, “There are four great days in nearly everyone’s life---birth; con?rmation; marriage; and death. How would you like to be needed on all four of those very special days?”
Karl K. Stegall