Ever since i recieved the sad news of the candiate's denial in accepting to come here to plant a reformed church(PCA) here among the hispanics in new york city backed by Tim Keller and Redeemer(They have been wise,gracious,compassionate etc in recognizing not only the God given needs,GOD GIVEN GIFTS of the hispanic population and their GOD GIVEN CALL and Purpose to praise,serve,love and worship the True God of the Bible here ,heaven and the future kingdom( rev 5:9-10)but have backed their talk with actions by attemting several attempts to plant a church among nyc hispanics. BUt they have failed and this latest one was for me the most depressing(it has left me in that state ever since myself)because i truly felt God had called me and my family to use the gifts He has given us to nurture,train,love,cherish that baby church by the experiences He used to mold,shape,give birth to and sharpen our particular gifts us to who we are now... to get that sad news was like a nuclear bomb blowing inside my heart and mind and soul....and i wondered why would a hispanic candiate perhaps deny a calling to plant a church here among hispanics in nyc? here are some:
1. truly God revealed to their hearts that they were not the men He would call to this particular work( And not use this excuse as a pieus,holy,christainize,religous garb cope out if they were used for the next reasons.
2.for safety reasons lets face it nyc is not as safe as a church in a rich part of the city or a rich part of the surburbs or in the country.
3. lets face it it would be a poor church and a lot of pastors join the ministry as a career and not as a God given calling it it biblically truly is and their motto is lets keep up with the joneses....
4. lets face it a hispanic pulpit will not be prestigous,socially appealing or bring fame or status to them.
Christ the foundation of the church and His apostles would give a hearty amen to reason number 1 but for reasons 2-4 tears and anger would be their response. for a pastor is not a career choice but a calling from God supported by the witness of the Holy spirit,His church and God given ministerial gifts that
the candiate has shown in their life along with their christain testimony.
My final words is just pray that God will send a man(not neccesarily hispanic)who loves the hispanic people enough to be their shepherd in the midst of poor and sadly violent neighborhoods shaken and shaped by crime,drugs,hoplessness,illiteracy and a government system that most of the time is like a caste system,indifferent,uncaring and unsympathic towards us(till its election time.....
I'm sorry to hear this. There are many men that feel called and would jump at a chance to work even in nyc...but like the keeping up with the joneses mentality, so are the seminaries. What happened to the time that they simply trained men and sent them out without causing huge debt (and thus the search for "rich" congregations)? It is frustrating.
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I'm also sorry to hear that. Dr. Keller has done alot of good work in nyc. I heard him several times at 10th Pres. in Philadelphia in the 80's. Hopefully God will raise up a person to minister and plant a church in your area. Until then "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be asheamed, and who correctly handles the word of truth," 2 Tim 2:15. Study the word, read as much good reformed stuff as you can and be as involved in your church as you can and keep praying.
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