Saturday, July 14, 2007

Seasoned Believers Showed Up

In the last couple of days I have heard from several of my Seasoned friends from years past. People who have served the Lord faithfully in quite different areas of life and are still looking for ways to use their wisdom, love and gifts.

Carol and Roy "Scooter" Franks have been friends and colleagues in ministry for decades. In fact, Carol was one of the first people that greeted me when I was introduced to the Children's Ministry teams in 1973 and we have worked together, prayed together and planned together ever since. Carol is a gifted artist and interior designer and she radically improved the inner space for kids at CHPC.

Scooter had a strong visitation from the Lord one late night and was powerfully called to plant a new church. They labored with fellow believers for months and years until the Evangelical Community was formed in Cincinnati.

They moved to New Mexico after Scooter retired and immediately got involved in a large church by using their gifts of teaching, pastoral care and caring for the buildings and grounds. It wasn't long before the Lord called Scooter to unleash his Pastoral Care gifts and he was "called" by the Pastors to carry out that function in the second new church they had helped plant.

So many congregations see Seasoned Saints as being dependent and unable to contribute to the overall gift mix of a church ministry. Nothing Could be farther from the truth. This couple shows us why "Unleashing Seasoned Servants to love and enjoy the Lord" is critical to expanding the Kingdom.

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