Greetings,
According to the New Testament, elders are responsible for leadership and oversight of the local church. The character qualities of an elder is something that the Lord has made pretty clear in Scripture so we can be sure that the leadership of the church is in the hands of people with the Lord’s best interests in mind.
“Elders lead the church [1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 5:1–2], teach and preach the Word [1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9], protect the church from false teachers [Acts 20:17, 28–31], exhort and admonish the saints in sound doctrine [1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:13–17; Titus 1:9], visit the sick and pray [James 5:14; Acts 6:4], and judge doctrinal issues [Acts 15:6]. In biblical terminology, elders shepherd, oversee, lead, and care for the local church” -Alexander Strauch in his book Biblical Eldership
At Way of Life, elders are shepherds; they protect and minister to the congregation in ways that are often unseen or unnoticed. I am so grateful for our fellowship’s reverence for the position of elder. We have put together a comprehensive selection process that values the calling of an elder. Way of Life deeply values the proclamation of the Word of God, honest worship, and the unified edification of His people; and since we value these so highly, it is foundational that we place people in the position of elder that will uphold the principles valued in this fellowship.
I have the privilege of announcing the appointment of Tim Edelblute as an elder at Way of Life beginning in January. The elders have spent the last several months praying about bringing Tim and Leslie onto the leadership of Way of Life and we wholeheartedly believe that the Lord is behind this. I am excited for the future of this fellowship as the Lord continues to bless us with tremendous leadership and godly people who are not satisfied with just warming a seat on Sunday mornings.
I feel like an old fashioned pastor in a wedding saying this, but.... if you have any concerns with Tim as an elder, please speak now or forever hold your peace. You may be thinking… we have never had this option before, and you are right. We have really deepened our commitment to follow the Scriptures with bringing on elders. In the coming years we will be following a process of developing and bringing on new leaders, and I hope that each of you feels comfortable in coming to me when you see any concerns. I encourage you all to get to know our elders and their wives. They are some really great people!
Love ya,
Chris
Greetings,
I have been listening to Pastor Craig lecture on the doctrine of salvation the past couple of days at a Youth With A Mission school. I love how the Lord brought us together. I feel humbled and honored to be doing ministry together with a guy as wise and as smart as Craig. We have a tremendous amount of wisdom in our fellowship. So many of you have a deep and rich understanding of God. You take risks and follow the Lord even when it doesn’t make sense. You give to each other so freely and there is a growing love between the people in our fellowship that is going to inevitably cause people around us to long to have what we have in fellowship. It is so humbling to be your pastor and to learn from each of you as we grow together.
I really hope that you know how much you are appreciated and how blessed we are to have you as a part of our fellowship. If you begin to notice that you are not participating in fellowship, please know that is exactly where Satan wants you to be. Each of us has a part to play in the unity and the development of Way of Life. So I want to encourage you to take time to really get to know each other. I think you’ll be blessed. I know that I have been as I have gotten to know many of you really well.
God is doing and will continue to do mighty things through us as long as we maintain a humble and teachable spirit and as long as we remain united under His leadership. Thank you for being such a vital part of ministering to this South Salem community.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing," (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Love ya,
Chris
Greetings,
It's the evening before Thanksgiving in a remote town, and the butcher is just locking up when a man begins pounding on the front door. 'Please let me in,' says the man desperately. 'I forgot to buy a turkey, and my wife will kill me if I don't come home with one.' 'Okay,' says the butcher. 'Let me see what I have left.' He goes into the freezer and discovers that there's one last scrawny turkey left. He brings it out to show the man. 'That's one is too skinny. What else you got?' says the man. The butcher takes the bird back into the freezer and waits a few moments and brings the same turkey back out to the man. 'Oh, no,' says the man, 'That one doesn't look any better. You better give me both of them!'
I am so glad that when we ask the Lord for anything, He doesn’t have short supply or try to deceive us into thinking that His gift is better than it really is.
Matthew 7:7-12 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
This Thanksgiving, take time to reminisce with family and friends around a table full of meat, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce (who thought of that one?), and other treats and family favorites. But before you dive into the feast, remember the Lord together. Lead out in prayer if no one else does. Remember that the thanks we are giving is directed to the Lord for the bountiful blessings of answered prayers, grace for endurance through suffering, loss or pain, or the perseverance of another tough year. Whatever your prayer, remember the Lord in your celebrations and be thankful for His personal faithfulness and compassionate love.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love ya,
Chris