Stor glede ved pastorinnsettelse - lovte troskap mot Guds ord

 I går hadde jeg den store gleden og det store privilegiet å få innsette den nye pastoren for Den internasjonale baptistmenigheten i Sandvika, utenfor Oslo. Sammen med pastorer og eldste fra USA, Ungarn, Romania og Storbritannia la jeg mine hender på David Simons og og overga ham til Gud og til den nye tjenesten.

Som et ledd i pastorinnsettelsen ble den nye pastoren, før han ble bedt for, spurt om helt sentrale ting i vår tro: om hans syn på Gud, frelsen, menigheten og om Bibelens inspirasjon og autoritet. David Simon svarte så høyt for hele forsamlingen og lovte troskap mot Gud og Guds ord. Slik burde det være i forbindelse med alle pastorinnsettelser.

Jeg har hatt et vennskapsforhold til Den internasjonale baptistmenigheten i Sandvika i mange år, og til familien Simons. David Simons etterfølger sin far Joseph, om nå flytter tilbake til hjemlandet Ungarn sammen med familien.

Jeg fikk anledning til å overbringe følgende hilsen til den nye pastoren, og hans kone: Bianca:

Dear David!

The very first time I saw you, I had a strong feeling that I was standing in front of the future pastor of IBC. We had not spoken together, but I think that in the first conversations we had I asked you if you had thought about whether you had a calling to become a pastor? The feeling grew stronger as we talked. Today I believe it was God who revealed this to me, so that I could start praying for you.

Today you stand here as an answer to prayers, to mother's and father's prayers, to the congregation's and mine.

Can I get you some good advice on the way forward?

1. Do as God becomes man!

Don't be afraid to show that you are weak and need God. By showing that you are vulnerable, you help the members of the congregation and those who listen to your teaching to be honest with their own lived lives.

2. Be humble

Remember that God opposes the proud, it is the humble who receive grace.

3. Give them Jesus!

The most important thing you can give another person is to give them Jesus, only Jesus. Don't think you're going to show them everything you've learned, be simple, like Jesus.

4. Listen to the Holy Spirit

Do not try to control the Holy Spirit. You are doomed to fail! Let the Spirit loose, and drink deeply of the Spirit yourself, then you will always have fresh water and pass on. Give the Holy Spirit permission to change the program of a service, the theme of your sermon, and the agenda for the day. Prepare for surprises when dealing with the living God. Anyone dealing with God must be prepared for the unexpected.

If I can give you a word from Scripture, it must be this from Joh 3:5: "The wind blows where it wants. You hear it rushing, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes. This is how it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

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May God bless your life and ministry to the honor of the Lamb of God.

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