As you are reading this article I will be in Bolivia on a mission trip. My wife and I are going with a small team to teach pastors and their wives. It is a trip I have been anticipating for almost a year. Over the last few months I have been taking an immersion course in Spanish. I don’t have the confidence to teach in Spanish. I will have an interpreter for that. But I hope to be able to have a basic conversation with the pastors and their families.
The purpose of this trip is to teach in a couple of pastor’s conferences. They will be held in two different locations, and we hope to have 10-12 pastors at each. Some of them will bring their wives. In most cases, in places like this, the pastors have not had the same educational opportunities I have been afforded. It is my hope that I will be able to share with them something that will make their ministries better.
As I look back over the years, I remember in so many cases that I was, “the young pastor.” So many godly men have poured into my life. Some were pastors. Some were professors. Some were associational missionaries who served in the same geographical area that I did. And in each case I have been blessed to learn from them, receiving wisdom and knowledge as I listen.
But when I look in the mirror today I must acknowledge that I am no longer, “the young pastor.” After 44 years in ministry I suppose that should be obvious. God has taught me a lot in that time. Just as Paul instructed Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, it is my desire to pass along what little I know to others who will then be able to teach others as well.
If you are a believer, you have something to offer others. When you are younger you need to listen and learn. But as you grow older, look for someone in whom you can pour out your life. Passing the faith to the next generation is our mandate. I pray that you will be faithful to do your part.
