Take
A Long Hard Look...
By
rch originally 03/2014; edited for repost 07/2018
I
have personally known quite a few of these men, several very well, but all in
one way or another left an indelible mark on my life... Recently, an
event in my life made me better understand these men, and God has somehow, made
me stand back a take a longer look at them. Please, indulge me these few
minutes while I share briefly - then take the time to look for yourself.
When
I was just a little guy, 3 or 4 years of age, I was surrounded with Godly
people, my Dad's Father, was instrumental in starting the First Baptist Church
in Bellefonte. A Minister himself, he had a powerful presence in our
home, and those in his circles. His demeanor, his social grace, his
unmistakable endearing words for God, Son and Holy Spirit were drenched in
respect, honor and reverence. My Mother's Father, was a towering man, he
was rugged and strong, yet in the most humble meek way, he had an internal
gentleness and Love for his Savior that was ever present in the room.
These men were giants in my world, they walked uprightly, they modeled Godly,
Righteous and Holy lives. I race to keep stride with them in their
absence, we indeed need more men like this today...
An
older gentleman I met from Altoona, was yet another Godly man that left his
mark on me. When you were in his presence, you knew and felt the very
presence of God's Spirit. He studied Hebrew on his own, he knew his bible
inside out, a wonderful endearing man, I loved him so. He was such a
delight to sit down with and just talk bible and of Spiritual things. He
kept my attention and interest even for a young man, he drew me in.
My
Father-in-Law Pastor James Hays, had such a Heart for God as well, when we had
Spiritual or Theological discussions - as the Spirit filled his Heart, he over
flowed to tears. He had such a wonderful deep seated Love for Christ, he
LOVED to talk and sing about HIM... I truly enjoyed our talks, and
thoroughly enjoyed his perspective and encouraging stories. He would show
such wonderful grace and reverence when sharing his testimony, and how he saw
God work in his Church and the lives of the people that attended. He went
to be with His Lord & King May of 2018, but I will always remember his zeal
and love for Christ and his still showing that Pastor's Heart to his last day.
These
four men had / have a common spirit that I now understand and see in
other men of this Spiritual make up, but there are fewer and fewer to find
today. They had / have an inner peace, an inner confidence and an inner
competence of God's Person, an indwelling of the Holy Spirit that was literally
acknowledged by your human / Spiritual senses. It drew you to them, it
warmed your soul, it lightened your heart, it was simply remarkable and
fulfilling beyond words.
In
this life time, I have known and or sat under the teaching of George Keith,
Leroy Fetterolf, Marvin Apple, Alvin Mink, Richard Diffenderfer, Steven Burns,
Edgar Burns, Ron Berrus, Paul Sweitzer, Roy Hunter, Larry Weaver, Lou Hielman,
Alan Kilian, Alistair Begg, Greg Shipe, James Hays, Shane Wilson and Tim
Farkas. All good, honorable and respectable men in their own right.
Yet they have something bigger that binds them, more than the common grace
among men, unfortunately they are part of an ever shrinking circle of
men. These men, all stand / stood for God, standing tall, strong, boldly,
firm and without reservation. They claim His Power, Sovereignty, and live
the Faith they claim, teach and preach. These men are God Fearing, Bible
Believing, Christ Loving men that share the burdens of their Hearts with you
and I several times a week.
Of
these 18 men mentioned, I know / knew several of them as close friends, one of
them was as close to me as my Dad and closer than my Brothers. Their walk
was every bit the Word they taught, and more, there is / was a gentle Spirit
and Love in these men, that it compelled me to seek God's face for
myself. These men have shown a caring that went beyond human dignity, a
genuineness that can only be seen in the eyes of few men in this world
today. These men, stand on the shoulders of men like my Grand Fathers
Hall & Tormey and those pastors that have gone on before them. In a
very, very real way, these men give / gave their lives to Christ pouring their
Hearts into the Ministry - Loving People while enduring Spiritual, Mental,
Physical and Emotional suffering in leading obstinate selfish people like me
towards the finish line. Drawing the Body of Christ together in union
with His Holy Spirit.
These
men, stand / stood before their congregations every week, pouring their Hearts
into a message that in it's very essence is simple - so very simple -
"Look, Understand, Confess, Repent, Believe and Walk"... Yet we
make it so stubbornly hard, because we can't get out of our own way, to allow
His Message to fall on our Hearts. Oh how these poor men must have
labored and shed tens of thousands of tears over us. Yes Friend - Take a
long hard look at your Dear Pastor, look into his eyes and see the deep Joy of
Christ along with the burden of Ministry. He needs your support, He needs
your Love, He needs your Prayers, He deserves your Respect, and dear friend He
craves your Devotion and Submission to Christ and HIS Work in your local Church
Body.
As
a personal note, one of those 18 men lead me to Christ. One of those 18 men
tutored me in Youth Group. One of those 18 men became my Spiritual Mentor
and life-long Dear, Dear Friend. One of those 18 men became my friend and
I promised Loyalty to him and then failed him in a major Spiritual
battle. Finally, one of those 18 men, God used, to rescue my
"walk" in the midst of that deep Spiritual battle, he too became my
friend modeling Christ's Love & Patience to me, which is a fascinating
story in itself. Most of those 18 men were 10 or more years older than
me. In my life, I had developed a deep respect and honor for the older
Saints and Pastor's. A good friend of mine, that is an Elder in a Church
in Altoona, teases me about that filter I use when looking at God's men.
Yet, God used a Pastor, younger than I, to walk me thru the deepest darkest
valley of my life. On this side of God's Miraculous Work in
"brokenness", when I take a good, hard, long look at this younger
Godly Pastor - tears well up, and I tell Jesus, I want to be like him when I
Spiritually grow up Dear Lord. For his counsel and compassion show wisdom
beyond his years. Yes, I have been fortunate to know several wonderful
Godly, Righteous Pastors in this life time. Oh what a Blessing they are.
Grand
Dad Hall, was a old time Methodist Preacher before I was born - he and a couple
other men started the First Baptist Church in Bellefonte. He Loved and
cared for his Pastor's, and sacrificed for some of them even though they didn't
know it. My Grand Fathers both, looked after their Pastor's, so I guess
the Love and Caring in my Heart for God's Preacher's comes honestly.
Several of the men mentioned I have grown to Love deeply, all of them have my
respect for the position they hold as Christ's Under Shepherd's, and a passion
for the Burden of Ministry that they Loving take in stride.
These
men - oh, these men, they ALL point / pointed to Christ - never taking or
wanting recognition, they Love their Lord, and constantly and continuously
direct your attention, your gaze and your Hearts towards Christ. When a
Pastor is doing it RIGHT, you will always see Jesus in the man and in the eyes
of that man. They Love Us in Christ, and want us to be One with Him, and
hear His voice in their messages. So dear friends, Love them in our Lord,
and bathe them in Prayer before the Father. Help them where you can, and
plug into the ministry of your Church, use the gifts God gave you upon your
receiving Christ.
Yes,
these men carry the Torch for Christ, Honoring God the Father in their lives,
in their testimonies and in their Ministries. PLEASE - Take a Long Hard
Look at your Pastor - then, lovingly and willingly roll up your shirt
sleeves, offer him a smile and ask him "where can I help you
Brother"?......
I
Pray that those that have sat under these men I have listed here have been as
Richly Blessed as I have been.
In
the order of my introduction to their Ministries:
Pastor
George Keith
Pastor
Leroy Fetterolf ***
Pastor
Marvin Apple
Pastor
Alvin Mink ***
Pastor
Richard Diffenderfer
Pastor
Steven Burns
Pastor
Edgar Burns ***
Pastor
Ron Berrus
Pastor
Paul Sweitzer ***
Pastor
Roy Hunter
Pastor
Larry Weaver
Pastor
Lou Hielman
Pastor
Alan Kilian
Pastor
Alistair Begg
Pastor
Greg Shipe
Pastor
James Hays***
Pastor
Shane Wilson
Pastor
Tim Farkas
***
As I am aware of their whereabouts – these Pastors are with Jesus today in
Heaven - with Him their knowledge now complete - no longer in the
"Pastor's Study"...
I
Stand United In Christ with these men, on the shoulders of God's Blessed Saints
before us..
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