The New Adventure
The Canadian Provisional Presbytery
The excitement of new things has always been a delight to me. Christmas and birthdays were always full of wonder because of the gifts. In younger years, I loved receiving them and enjoying the thrill of the unknown. Now, as an older man, I find even greater joy in giving gifts and watching the delight and excitement of others.
That same joy has always shown up in other parts of life as well. Hiking a new trail, hunting new territory, or fishing a new lake or stream all carry that same sense of adventure. I have long loved the feeling of starting something new. Over the years I have owned my own business, helped start football programs, hockey programs, and church plants. There is something invigorating about standing at the beginning of a new work and seeing what the Lord might do with it.
That is why this week is especially exciting. Here in Cochrane, we are hosting the inaugural meeting of a new provisional Presbytery in Canada, and I am grateful to be part of it. Pastors are coming from all over the country. We have five seated member churches, five more candidate or missionary churches, and a good number of supporters and interested observers joining us as well.
Tonight we will gather for a social before the work begins in earnest tomorrow. We plan to share a drink, smoke a cigar, sing a few songs, and enjoy some appetizers together before the meetings begin. In a dark and God-denying country such as ours, it is a real encouragement to see the Lord bringing together like-minded churches from across Canada.
Please pray for us as we seek to encourage one another in the mission of God, to strengthen one another in the truth, and to labour together for the light of the gospel and the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom here in Canada.
Soli Deo Gloria
Although I think this might be an honourable thing, the problem is that too many pastors and ministers set these things up. It should not be done by pastors and ministers. It should be done by their elders. Pastors need to continue pastoring and preaching. That is their calling. They’re calling is not to set up Presbytery
and organizations. It actually makes me think that pastors really do not know how to serve, but they sure love to make those around them Serve. It is building an institution that is not theirs to build . One last comment if a church does not have enough people to set up these Presbyters outside of their pastors without the aid of their pastors then I would almost suggest the Pastor‘s job has not been done.