Rusty

Today at Downtown one of the Shepherds of that congregation, Rusty Meadows, came forward requesting we pray for his struggle of not trusting God enough. WOW....talk about a foot-washing!
I grew up in an era when it was communicated that Shepherds were expected to be PERFECT, and nothing but PERFECTION was accepted.
If they weren't perfect, then what business did they have being an Elder? That was heresy and legalism.....and the scary thing is that it wasn't challenged. I was at the congregation I attended before going to Downtown for over 20 years, and not once in those 20 years do I remember a leader of that congregation asking for prayers for a struggle they were having.
That doesn't mean they weren't confiding in other leaders or somebody else with these struggles.....but think what it would have meant to the other members and the young people to know that one of their leaders was human too! What did it communicate to the young people when no leaders EVER had any struggles? So I know what you are wanting to ask..."Did YOU challenge that mind-set?" Not really, and I confess that with much regret. I did share those feelings with the high school classes that I taught. I don't know if they shared them with their parents or not. They are typical teenagers, so I am guessing they didn't.

I pray that we learn to seek men with hearts like Rusty for roles of leadership in our congregations. Why? Because Rusty's heart is calling him to have the heart of Jesus and the Father.
Jesus said to Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, for my POWER is made PERFECT in WEAKNESS". (emphasis mine) Paul's response to that was this "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my WEAKNESS, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in WEAKNESSES, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. Fot when I am WEAK, then I am STRONG". I Cor. 12: 9& 10 (emphasis mine again). Thank-you Rusty for washing our feet today.

I will not be blogging much this week or next week because of travel. I just didn't want you to think I was quitting. As long as it is bugging Keith, then I am going to be blogging! :)

Please keep me and my family in your prayers as we travel. Thank you for that blessing!