Acts 17

On Tuesday we held our first Pastor's Conference.  There were around 110 pastors in attendance.  Bill and I both preached.  Bill preached on the Four Deadly Questions which I think for many pastors was a  new way of thinking through evangelism and listening to others.  I spent my time (which TRUTHFULLY) was very short.  I primarily focused on Acts 17 where Paul is in Athens.  As he walks around the city he sees they are very religious people.  So religious in fact that he even sees an alter to "The Unknown God."  Then he takes the opportunity to explain who the "Unknown God" is.

I told the pastors that that is what I feel like when I am in India.  I am overwhelmed with how "religious" it is, but how few know the "Unknown God."  I reminded the pastors that they have an opportunity everyday to make known the "Unknown God."

Pastor Andrew trying to interpret a bad joke.

I also reminded them that there are many "foreigners" that come preaching many things, but that they needed to be "noble-minded Bereans" and search the scriptures to see if what is said is true.  I reminded them they are to be discerning.  This came up to me because we were excitedly told about an American Pastor that is coming to Hyderabad soon.  Unfortunately this man is known to be a fake and a fraud that preys upon the unsuspecting.  Without overtly naming the pastor, I more generically encouraged them to be careful.

Finally I told the pastors they need to make sure they are caring for their families.  There is such need in India, that several of the pastors give everything they get away.  Moses used to be one of them.  (More in a moment.)  I reminded them that the man that does not provide for his family is worse than a Pagan.

Charlie's wife Sarah (spelling? I am not sure I am sorry) noted on her first visit to Hyderabad that perhaps Moses was not providing for Glory and the girls as well as he could.  She noted his heart and compassion for his flock and his family, but also felt that the flock was getting more.  So she and Charlie began to encourage him to pay attention to his "first ministry."  Since then I encourage him to do the same and he is now doing so.

Moses was not at all trying to be disrespectful to his family or God, he was just trying to serve... but sometimes we all need to be shown something we do not know.  That was something that he did not know.  It is OK to provide for your family!!  Now he knows.

We received a lot of good feedback from the conference.  And the most humbling and funny I suppose was:

These foreigners have the Word of God.

Pleased to know we have the Word of God.

Evidently the foreigners are known for coming in, saying a few words and throwing money over the wall.  They are not knowing for sharing God's Word.  What Bill had to say was very well received and we received nice feedback for it.  In particular they enjoy his sermon on salt.  They also enjoyed his illustration at the end:

Bill put down two containers.  One had salt in it, the other had nothing.  Bill asked each pastor to come and take a pinch of salt from the one, and put it in the other.  He asked that they pray over the salt that God would bless their ministry.  He then said that each pinch represented the salt we were supposed to be on earth, but once we put it in the other container we were mixing our salt together as a covenant to serve the Lord and one another in our ministries.  This was very, very well received.

Pastor Andrew and Pastor Bill having fun!