I have all that I need. – David (Psalm 23: 1 NLT)
This article is about shepherds. In particular, it is about modern-day shepherds of churches. We call them “pastors” (Latin, pastor = “shepherd”). In particular, this article invites you to read and then listen and watch a worship service online in which God is honored through Scripture reading, prayer, and singing. All of these are followed by a message of encouragement from a much beloved pastor who has served for many years in our church and community.
As you read, you may notice this article is more brief than usual. Our brevity is partly a response to family and friends who have commented, “Your blog articles are really long.” But we also want you to read less and listen more. You may even be drawn to worship God and His Son, Jesus who declared, “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10: 11).
God’s Ministering Shepherds
The Old Testament reveals that David was a shepherd (1 Samuel 17: 34-37). He had spent many lonely days and nights with his father’s flock. But David also recognized that the LORD, Jehovah, “the eternally existent One,” was his own Shepherd. We learn just how much David needed and loved His Eternal Shepherd when we read the beautiful lyrics of Psalm 23. David composed and sung these words along the hillside pastures and still waters near Bethlehem. Over 1,000 years later, God’s Son Jesus, the “Good Shepherd,” would be born there in Bethlehem with shepherds watching their flocks nearby.
No one who claims faith in Christ and then grows in grace and in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23) can claim to have done it on their own. Just as Oikonomia is not “my blog” because it is the result of the inspiration of God and the inspiration and ideas of others, so coming to faith in God is the work of God’s Spirit (Titus 3: 3-6) working through the witness and nurturing of pastor shepherds and laypersons inspired by the pastoral leadership of the local church.
The month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month which reminds us to show our love and appreciation to our pastors and staff. We are personally thankful for our pastors and staff at West Hill Baptist Church here in Wooster, Ohio. This article aims in particular to honor Pastor Eric Fairhurst and his wife Becky who have faithfully served in our church during a span of 42 years.
This past Sunday, our service and the fellowship meal afterwards honored Pastor Eric for his many years of shepherding ministry. The worship service is available to you online from the links below, beginning with the reading of Scripture and opening prayer by Ms. Tracey Price. If you “stay tuned” thereafter, you can participate in the worship in song led by Pastor Andrew Rogers prior to leading to Pastor Eric’s message. You can also go straight to his message using another link provided below.
Pastor Eric’s message, “Written on Our Hearts,” is based on the words of another shepherding pastor, Paul the Apostle. Using Pastor Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, Pastor Eric explained how, in 2 Corinthians 2: 14 to 3: 6, Paul the Apostle opened his heart to the Corinthian church. Many of the Corinthian Christians had not shown respect either for him or the Lord Jesus who had given His life for them. Paul’s strongest and most loving pastoral appeal to the Corinthians, found in 2 Corinthians 3: 2, is the basis for the title of Pastor Eric’s message: You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.
Pastor Eric conveyed beautifully and reverently the message of God’s great love for us. Eric also expressed his love for us as our pastor. I personally thank you, Pastor Eric, for your ministry of nearly ten years to Abby and I. God has used you, His shepherd, to write the message of God’s love and grace on our hearts through your selfless testimony, your friendship, teaching and preaching of God’s Word. Thank you!
West Hill Service Online
Scripture Reading and Prayer – Click HERE
Message: “Written on Our Hearts” Click HERE
Excerpts from “Written on Our Hearts” – Personal Testimony and Parting Words:
The ministry is this beautiful thing. It is like a rose but there are some thorns along with that process; and sometimes I am the thorn. I had to learn some lessons, and God needed to knock some rough edges off of me. This morning in my prayer time, I was giving thanks to God…for all of these people, many of whom are sitting here this morning whom God has used to encourage [Becky and I], to support us, to admonish us at times, to help hold us accountable, to pray for us; we have been supported beautifully in so many ways, and we are grateful, we are truly, truly grateful. So grateful to be here with you, so I want to express my heartfelt love…to all of you, my general family at West Hill...for the last forty-two years.
I pray that in Christ you will remember us well for trying to sincerely be a minister of the Gospel to you. And finally I want you to know, family here at West Hill Baptist Church, you are written again on our hearts… you have in many ways legitimized my calling as a minister in Jesus Christ. This has been the trellis that God has used upon which I have been given the freedom to grow and to be nurtured. Thank you for your investment in Becky’s and my life…in our children’s lives... You’ve shaped us into better ministers of the New Covenant in the Lord Jesus Christ. We love you.
Thank You for Reading
The benefit of Oikonomia lies not so much in what we write but in the links we provide to what others have written, or articles we provide in our Mailchimp e-mails to our subscribers. Also, when readers take time to “Comment” (see link below), your insights and questions add value to our articles.
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This installment of Oikonomia: Science, Faith, and Culture is number 300 in the series which began in 2008. We have learned much during this period of time from you the readers who add to Oikonomia through your online comments, e-mail messages, and comments in person when we cross paths. Thank you!
Our thanks also to my wife, Alvadell (“Abby”), for many meaningful conversations and for her patience in allowing me the time to write. Most of all, we thank our loving God and Creator, Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that whatever good has come from the writing is due to His leading and inspiration in so many ways, particularly through His Word, the Bible, and through what others have written and spoken to us. That is why I’ve begun to use the pronoun “we” instead of “I.” Oikonomia is a “stewardship” of many voices, past and present. To God be the glory!
