San Diego & Ministry Update

Brenda, Nellie & Soldier on Sunset Cliffs

We've been in San Diego for about 3 weeks now & starting to feel settled. Our rental home is about a mile from the ocean, so Brenda & I have been enjoying runs along Sunset Cliffs. The big dog in the picture isn't ours - that's Soldier, Rick & Mary Beth Dunn's dog. We stayed at their home for the 1st four days here, until we could move into our house.

We found some good deals on wetsuits on Craigslist, and later today, Nate, Emily & I are headed for La Jolla Shores to give surfing a try!

On Sunday afternoon I attended the orientation for the Pastoral Support Team, and I was impressed! The PST's go through intensive training over an 18 month period, where they learn to do all kinds of pastoral care ministry, including hospital visitation, biblical counseling, weddings, and funerals. They make a 10 hr./week volunteer commitment to serve in that capacity, 2 of which is in training, and 8 in serving. When Pastor Mickey Stonier started the program 2 years ago, there was a 6-month backlog of requests for pastoral visits, hospital visits, counseling, etc. Now that PST's are in place, people are receiving the shepherding care the same week the requests come in.

It reminds me of the situation that Moses found himself in as he led the people through the wilderness. His father-in-law Jethro came for a visit, and observed Moses work of shepherding the people of Israel (the word "Pastor" has the same meaning as "Shepherd"). Verse 13 says that he "judged" the people. From the context, people were bringing their problems or conflicts to Moses, and he would help them solve their issues by applying God's wisdom to each situation. In today's language we would call that pastoral counseling.

The work he was doing was good, but he was doing all the work himself, from sun up to sun down, and Jethro told him that he would wear himself out and needed to change his strategy. (Exodus 18:13-27). Jethro's counsel was to:

1. Pray for the people - "represent the people before God and bring their cases to God." (v19) 
2. Teach them God's Word - "warn them about the statutes and laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do." (v20) 
3. Delegate the work of shepherding the people to godly & reliable men - "look for able men... who fear God, who are trustworthy... and let them judge the people." (v21-22) 

The leadership at the Rock Church are following a similar path. Recognizing that the task of shepherding God's people in San Diego is too great for the pastoral staff, they're investing in men & women who fear God and are trustworthy. These men and women are serving in an important role of shepherding the church, and in doing so, they free the pastors up to devote themselves to a ministry of prayer and the Word (see Acts 6:4).

Not only is this an Old Testament biblical model, it's a New Testament thing too! In Ephesians 4, we read that God gave Pastors & teachers to the church to "equip the saints (every Christian) for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ..." (v12).

Are you an equipper? Who are you training for the work of the ministry?
Are you a saint? Who is equipping you, and where is God calling you to serve for the building up of the body?

Be strong & courageous!
Dave