Bittersweet Farm

When I was about five years old my parents helped to pioneer a church plant in West Michigan. At first we met in temporary quarters and had Sunday School classes in the home of one of the members, but one summer the men of the church gathered to build a church building. Working together night after night – into the autumn of the year – they built a modest but attractive colonial building of red brick. My friends and I played in the nearby woods, pelted each other with dirt clods, and tried the keep the construction site tidy. When the men finished they were as proud of their little church as it is legitimate for Christians to be. They trained flood-lights on the steeple so people traveling on the Interstate would see it.

One Saturday night I was with Dad at the church. He was finishing the bulletin. Walking through the fresh, new, building he said, “Do you see this carpet? It was given by a family in the church whose son died in Vietnam.”

Only my dad knew where the money for the carpet had come from. I was not to tell anyone. (Since that was over forty years ago and I have not revealed the family name I have taken the liberty to tell the story now). This farm family had taken insurance money from their son’s death and used it to buy the carpet for the church. Every Sunday I sat in church and I thought of that strapping young man working the farm upon which our house sat. He was 18 and I was five. It seemed to me there was almost nothing he couldn’t do. But he went to fight in Vietnam and no one ever saw him alive again. He died there.

When you pass a church at night on the highway, you have no idea the sacrifices that have been made to make that church possible.

Many years ago in my garret study in our old farmhouse in Ohio, I read Ablaze with His Glory, by Del Fehsenfeld. Del was the founder of Life Action Ministries, in Michigan. Del was a friend of mine. He had died a young man, on fire for God. When I closed the book I fell to my knees and asked the Lord to make me a man of God, not just a man they call pastor. Here are some ideas gleaned from Del with some additional thoughts of my own.

– Do not expect everyone to accept your message. John 6:66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

– Do not expect popularity or ease. (Matthew 10)

– Do not withhold anything profitable out of fear or desire for approval. Acts 20:20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house

– Do not get involved in manipulation or dishonesty. 1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. 2 Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

– Do not serve for personal gain. 1 Corinthians 9:6-15

– Do not make it your goal to build a big church, but to grow a holy church. Ephesians 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

– Do not serve yourself but others. 2 Corinthians 12:14-15 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. [15] And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

– Do not serve to please men, but God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4-6 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. [5] Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? [6] And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.

– Do not seek approval from men, but God. 1 Timothy 1:11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Jude 1:16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

– Do not promote your kingdom, promote his kingdom.

– Do not advance your name and fame, advance His name and fame.

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