There are now three soldiers that I will be counseling on a weekly basis through the end of the deployment. It is my honor and privilege to do so.
By God's grace, I am growing in many of the pastor/elder duties to which I've been called in the church: The regular visitation of groups of soldiers, the counseling of individuals, creating activities and Bible Studies to further communal bonds, offering crisis care. (I'm thankful for the opportunities I had to accompany elders on visits at Grace--I use some of those same skills now, by God's grace.)
The beauty of Presbyterianism (as opposed to the chaplaincy) is that this work is shared amongst the elders. It is the form of governance that heeds Moses' cry for co-laborers in his work from amongst the people. Here, I have no diaconate to tend to the material needs of the people in order to protect the session, which then helps tend to the spiritual/shepherding needs of the people in order to protect the pastor and the preaching/sacraments. This is not a complaint about my current role (which I love), but a renewed appreciation for the blessings of ministering in Christ's church.
Tomorrow, I start my series through Philippians. Next Friday, I start my "No BS BS (Bible Study)."
I am learning and growing by the day, by God's grace. And I hope the same for you too, friends. I will close with this precious encouragement offered by a civilian worker here on post that arrived in my email today:
Good morning, Brother,
I wanted to let you know that I am praying for you today
as you get ready to preach tomorrow. I
am praying that the Lord fills you with His Spirit so that you speak His
words. That He uses you to reach the
heart of each of your hearers and excites, overwhelms, invigorates, encourages,
and convicts them with the gospel. And
that you are encouraged and strengthened as well. "that according to the riches of his
glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your
inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your [heart] through faith—that you,
being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the
saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the
love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the
fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)
Thank you for investing your gifts in serving God and all
of us!
