empathalogical ministry

Okay, tonight it’s an early evening bloggage due to a busy day. Sorry to anyone who starts their day with my blog – today will be rather short for you!

Today has been filled with Baptist Ministers. You could call it a deluge of Baptist Ministers. I had a great lunch meeting with two fellow Baptist Ministers in Colchester, Steve and Graeme, and then a good ‘catch up’ time with my colleague, Lynsey, who is on maternity leave. It was good to be able to share with people who could easily empathise. We understood each other because we have similar experiences as ministers.

I think that this is one aspect of the unity of believers. We understand some of what we are all going through because we have all got a faith in Jesus, have all been forgiven, all are being changed by the same Spirit bearing fruit in us, we all share the same heavenly Father. A privilege of my previous post with the Baptist Union of Great Britain was that I got to meet so many different believers – from this country and from around the world; Christians who were Baptists and Christians from other denominations and none. In every case there was an empathy because of what we had in common. Sometimes I would be worshipping in another country among Christians whose language I could not speak but with whom I had Jesus in common.

But there is a greater, more intuitive empathy that I believe is a gift from God. I am asking him to enhance my spiritual radar so I can be more sensitive to people, sensing when they are in need, sensing if I can help. sensing how I can pray. This comes from the Spirit of God at work in both of us, and resonating within me. I want to be able to do this in order to enhance my pastoral effectiveness. I suspect that as all of us have the same Spirit it is something that can happen to all of us, but he wants us to practice, to take a risk, to step out in faith. It won’t happen if I keep my mouth shut and don’t act on impulse (no, not the perfume!).

Be blessed, be a blessing.

(em)pathetic ministry:

Ol’ Fred had been a faithful Christian and was in the hospital, near death. The family called their preacher to stand with them.

As the preacher stood next to the bed, Ol’ Fred’s condition appeared to deteriorate and he motioned frantically for something to write on.

The pastor lovingly handed him a pen and a piece of paper, and Ol’ Fred used his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then he died.

The preacher thought it best not to look at the note at that time, so he placed it in his jacket pocket.

At the funeral, as he was finishing the message, he realized that he was wearing the same jacket that he was wearing when Ol’ Fred died. He said, “You know, Ol’ Fred handed me a note just before he died. I haven’t looked at it, but knowing Fred, I’m sure there’s a word of inspiration there for us all.”

He opened the note, and read, “You’re standing on my oxygen tube!”