When Preachers Get Together

I just had a lunch meeting with 25 ministers from central Arkansas. First, I must say that the bacon cheeseburger was more like a meatloaf on a bun. Wow! Each was served with a knife stuck through the top. Most places just use a toothpick but a toothpick would have been an insult to this burger. So, thanks to the chef at Markham Street Baptist Church for a wonderful meal. Oh, and we had a BIG cookie and chocolate shake for dessert. What's that? You think you hear God calling you into ministry?

I sat at a table with pastors and staff from several other churches. Some were a little bigger than the church where I pastor. Some were much bigger. A pleasant aspect of this fellowship of ministers is that everyone feels like they belong in the group. Nobody (that shows up) looks down on guys from other churches. If there is a spirit of competition it's hard to see it here. There's something about a huge burger than levels the ground where we all stand.

Actually, it's not the burger - as excellent as it was. The Spirit of God has created a lovely spirit of fellowship and unity here. Everyone is valued. Everyone is respected. We have a common goal of reaching central Arkansas for Jesus. Even here in the Bible Belt, we have a gospel-deficiency. We all serve in churches where the Christians are on a journey of spiritual maturity. And these churches are in the midst of communities that have become less and less Christian.

Jesus once looked out over a Samaritan village and said the harvest was plentiful. Another time Jesus said to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the fields. We live in an area where the harvest is plentiful and the workers must join together in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit if we hope to make much of an impact. That seems to be the desire of the men who gathered for burgers today.