|
wings
Risk-taking love
for all God's children
I shall never forget him. I was sitting in my office at Palen United Methodist Church in Savannah, Ga., when I heard the roar of a motorcycle. I listened until the roar subsided into a sort of steady popping - and then there was silence. Before I could get to the door, I heard a knock. I opened the door and there was this grungy looking guy with a smile on his face. He held out his hand and said, "Hello, I'm Bobby Gale. Do you remember me?"
This was the first of many sessions I was to have with Bobby. I was his supervising pastor. (We call those "mentors" today.)
I knew I was the seventh in a long line of supervising pastors who had been asked to work with Bobby. Our district committee on ordained ministry had consistently turned him away. He was a high school dropout and spoke poor English. He was brazen. He had a wife and four kids and had quit his job to become a fulltime worker for Jesus. Now, here he was, standing in the door of a newly ordained elder, wanting more than anything to serve - not just the church - but the United Methodist Church.
I didn't want this assignment because I was convinced that this committee, which I trusted, was right to reject Bobby. But over the next few months, I got to know Bobby. I came to know him as an extremely committed Christian, a devoted United Methodist, and a brave witness for Jesus.
Bobby got his GED. After failing the remedial courses he needed to get into a local college, he enrolled again and received an A in every course. When I was finally ready to recommend Bobby, the district committee voted to certify Bobby as a candidate for ordained ministry, but only after a long debate.
Well, Bobby received his bachelor's degree and then went to Candler School of Theology, graduating with a master's degree in divinity. He was ordained an elder in the South Georgia Conference. Bobby was appointed to a three-point charge in a rural area, and the churches began to grow under his leadership. The churches got involved in mission, gave birth to several persons who went into ordained ministry, paid their apportionments in full for 13 years, grew numerically (especially in male members), and grew spiritually. I could tell you even more, but there's not enough space here to do it.
Bobby had everything going against him - and according to what our physical eyes could see - he should not have been certified. But a district committee on ordained ministry was moved by the Holy Spirit to take a risk - and the risk paid off.
There are many Bobby Gales right outside the doors of our churches, just waiting for us to let the Holy Spirit move us to take the risk of reaching out. How can we do that? I'm glad you asked!
We can put up basketball goals so neighborhood kids will have a place to play basketball. We can invite those kids inside for a snack on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. We can start Celebrate Recovery ministries for people battling all kinds of addictions. We can volunteer for the Appalachian Service Project. We can raise money to send school supplies to Alaska. We can raise funds to dig wells in Sudan. We can become advocates to stop teen pregnancy and prevent domestic violence. We can speak of the "good news" to lonely people at our workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. But we can only do this if we begin practicing risk-taking love. How about you? Are you up to the task?
top
|
|
Bishop James Swanson
Resident Bishop
Cover Stories:
New insurance plan cancelled
and
Greeneville church burns
INSIDE
Joyful!
NCD
Clergy gathering
National & World News
Back to The Call Home Page
|
|
Holston RSS Feed - News and Podcasts 
