NON-NEGOTIABLES IN MINISTRY

“What are three non-negotiable principles upon which I base my pastoral ministry?”

1. Humility
2. Listening
3. Grace

The scripture says Jesus knew who he was, where he came from and where he was going.  This is the foundation of humility.  We cannot serve humbly if we feel the need to constantly defend and explain ourselves.  Knowing that we are children of the Father and having a sense of our own history and destiny gives us the freedom to be who we truly are.  Humility keeps us from getting overly self-absorbed.

The ministry of listening must be rooted in humility.  If we are willing to listen to those above us and those below us, God will always have something to say through them.  We must meet the challenge of listening without rushing to our agenda for that moment.  If we feel that those in authority above us are unsuitable, we stop listening.  If we feel that someone is below us, we are tempted to stop listening or hear what we want to find fault.

Isaiah said the Messiah would not break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick.  That would be grace.  If I do not practice grace in my ministry to others, I lose sight of what it means to be a pastor.  Jesus takes a ‘bruised reed’ and binds it up.  He adds support to sustain the life in that person.  The one who has lost their fire is not snuffed out, but nurtured back to flame.

It is my prayer that New Song Church will embrace these qualities in greater measure.  This three-fold braid makes for a strong rope.  Humility, listening and grace – that ought to pull a big load.

BABY BOOMERS ARE TURNING 65

John Armstrong has some good thoughts about the Baby Boomer Generation turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 Americans per day.

http://johnharmstrong.typepad.com/john_h_armstrong_/2011/01/the-longevity-revolution-the-boomer-shift-is-coming.html

ISLAM AND CHRISTIAN CHARITY

John H. Armstrong raises some interesting questions about Christian hospitality to Muslims in our places of worship.  You can read his article at http://johnharmstrong.typepad.com/john_h_armstrong_/2011/01/islam-and-christian-charity-how-far-should-we-go.html

MY NAME IS JESUS AND I'M AN ALCOHOLIC

(By Harry Nigh)
www.friendsofdismas.ca

It's become a tradition at Dismas Fellowship to put on a skit at our Christmas celebration. The Christmas story always comes across in a loving though somewhat "twisted" way as some have called it. We like to have as many people involved as possible and to act like kids again.

If your memories of Christmas include your father pulling down the Christmas tree in a drunken rage, this may be the first time you've ever acted in a Christmas pageant and who cares if you're entering middle age.

This year Marie suggested we give the Dismas twist to the Huron Christmas Carol. Some of the guys at Keele got busy making angels wings and a portable moon. We bought plastic bows and arrows at the Dollar Store for the "wandering hunters (who) heard the hymn". We scrounged some fur coats for rabbit skin and then we looked for people to play the holy family.

We asked Dawn if she would be Mary and Keith to be Joseph and then we asked Joe if he would be the "radiant boy" Baby Jesus. We wanted Keith a.k.a. Joseph to carry him into the room and place him on Mary's lap with the angels and the hunters looking on.

I admit that in the picture he may look more like a corpse than a bouncing and messianic baby boy, but his entrance in Keith's sturdy arms was the hilarious high point of the play.

It was a comment though, that Joe made when we first asked him to be Baby Jesus that has stuck with me this Christmas. Without missing a beat he quipped, "My name is Jesus, and I'm an alcoholic."

Joe is full of quips but this off the cuff comment had bite. I sensed that he had struck the essential reality of Christmas.

This Christmas Day as we do every Christmas we will read from the Gospel of John "and the Word became flesh and lived among us".

We give this truth a fancy name - incarnation, "embodied in flesh", but when Joe puts it in the classic words of AA, "My name is Jesus and I'm an alcoholic", he startles me with a new picture of God's acceptance of our humanity.

Not even dying between two convicts lies outside the circle of his love.

Not even our half-baked skits can diminish its power.

SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE

My friends John & Colleen Kosti are part of the church I pastor.  They also run a community agency across the road called 'Spirit Of Excellence'.  This video is the best demonstration of the heart they have for what they do.

Colleen is leaving in a few days to visit friends in India where they will investigate opening a Spirit Of Excellence Center.

Great to see so many familiar faces in this video.

BOB GAL @ MARKETPLACE CHAPEL

Bob Gal is chaplain at Marketplace Chapel, inside Edmonton Mall.  You can see his website at http://www.marketplacechapel.com/

West Edmonton Mall is the largest shopping mall in North America and 5th largest in the world.  It has over 28.2 million visitors annually and even has its own police precinct.

RACE TRACK CHAPLAIN - KEN CARTER

I’m Ken Carter. I have been happily married to my wife Karen coming up to 45 years. (she should get a medal for that) We have 2 boys and 1 girl long with 4 grand children and 1 greatgranddaughter. We presently live in Grand Valley ON.

I have been in the horse business for most of my life. As a teenager, I galloped thoroughbreds before school, worked alongside my father with show horses while growing up. I have trained and driven harness horses. Then I became a blacksmith at Mohawk Raceway in 1967. I had been a blacksmith for 30 years prior to entering the ministry. I came to the Lord in the early 80’s. So I have been at the track both as a believer and as a non-believer.

I have been a chaplain at Mohawk Raceway in Toronto Ontario, Canada since September of 2005. Previous to that I pastored a church in Grand Valley ON. for 10 years until Les Riggs came to Canada to begin the chaplaincy program. . I always felt there was a need for a chaplain at the track. I felt I knew the needs and problems that people in the backstretch go through. During my time as a blacksmith, once I became a believer many opportunities for ministry opened in my blacksmith shop. So when the opportunity came I considered it.

I knew that if this was my own idea it would probably fail so after much prayer and putting out a number of fleeces to make sure this was of God I accepted the opportunity.

This has been a tremendous challenge in many ways but the blessings far outweigh the difficulties. To see God transform a broken life or even just put a smile on someone’s face makes it all worthwhile.

Chaplain Ken Carter

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 331, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0

Phone

Office: (905) 854-6146
Cell: (519) 942-6641

Email

info@rtchaplaincyofcanada.com