Olivet Nazarene University Digital Commons @ Olivet Preacher's Magazine Church of the Nazarene 3-1-1993 Preacher's Magazine Volume 68 Number 03 Randal E. Denny (Editor) Olivet Nazarene University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_pm Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Denny, Randal E. (Editor), "Preacher's Magazine Volume 68 Number 03" (1993). Preacher's Magazine. 630. https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_pm/630 This Journal Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Church of the Nazarene at Digital Commons @ Olivet. It has been accepted for inclusion in Preacher's Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Olivet. For more information, please contact [email protected]. faith to Cive 6y, a seCffit to Cive with, a zvorf^ fit to Cive for, some6ody to Cove and 6e Coved 6y — these make tife. — Joseph “fort 9{ezvton □ EDITORIAL The Most Neglected Ministry in the Church by Randal E. Denny Spokane, Wash. hat is the most neglected celebrated his birthdays and anniver­ tors and two neighboring youth pas­ ministry in the church? saries with gifts of appreciation. His tors have found encouragement and Ministering to ministers. close friends became our close emotional healing and a lot of love WOut of deep gratitude, Paul spoke of friends. Pastor Hagemeier was one of from my congregational family. Some “Onesiphorus, because he often re­ my best supporters. I love him! eventually moved on to successful freshed me and was not ashamed of We need to minister to the unas­ ministries, and others have joined the my chains. On the contrary, when he signed pastor. The unassigned pastor ministry of my church. Reach out to was in Rome, he searched hard for feels like “neither fish nor fowl”—he your wounded pastoral friends. me until he found me” (2 Tim. 1:16- often feels ill at ease among pastors A ministerial friend got a fatal case 17). and certainly does not feel like a lay­ of “staff infection.” We were able to During a very disappointing time man. One pastoral family visited our reach across the miles by telephone during my early ministry, two pas­ church, having been voted out of a to join hands in prayer and encour­ toral friends took me to lunch, Mau­ church in a distant city. Fellows from agement. The Lord has brought him rice Palmquist and Neil Wiseman. our church got a truck and moved through the desert time and given They taught me that day that we need the family to our community. They him a beautiful place in which to each other in the ministry. Too often are among our most faithful families, serve as pastor once again. And I we get so busy that we neglect build­ having contributed much to the min­ know he would be there for me also. ing networks among our peers. Un­ istry of our congregation. The unas­ A retired pastor of long-standing fortunately, when a pastor is hurting, signed pastoral families in my church friendship wrote a letter about a pas­ we either don’t know it, or we avoid are some of my closest friends and tor who had left his church under getting involved. Either way the deep best supporters. some kind of pressure. He had been a loneliness feels like neglect and rejec­ We need to minister to the retired fellow pastor and friend long ago. tion. pastors. Never have they been threats Again, by telephone, we shared and Many years ago I resigned my to me or my churches. But I have met prayed. He told me, “You are the only church with no place to go. When I many who feel pushed aside, unsure person who has called me.” attended the District Assembly, I was of where they should fit in. Many Wounded pastors need someone to shocked that I had suddenly become have found meaningful service on help them through the devastating invisible among my colleagues. No church staffs and have given far more experiences. I believe, also, that longer did I fit in. I felt very much than they have received. Seek them wounded pastors need time for emo­ alone. However, I learned to appreci­ out for your church family. tional and spiritual healing to take ate the much-needed ministry of One­ We need to minister to the wound­ place before they take their next as­ siphorus—and have tried to join his ed pastor. Remember again, “One­ signment. That healing can be assist­ | derical order. siphorus . searched hard for me un­ ed by careful, loving, sensitive friends | We need to minister to the former til he found me,” Paul rejoices. Often who can join with the hurting col­ pastor. He has invested a part of his a wounded pastor pulls away from league in seeking the touch of the life in the place you now serve. He pastors and people—but I urge you Healer of broken hearts. Would you knows the rules o f the game: stay to pursue him or her. That pastor is join me in the Order of Onesiphorus? away and don’t interfere. However, worth salvaging to the church. Be­ What can we do? as a successor, I have tried to express friend him. Three neighboring pas­ First, we must take time to gen­ love and appreciation and open the uinely care. door for former pastors to come Second, we must listen without a freely any time. Following Wayne censorious spirit. Hagemeier became a special joy. For Third, we must keep utter confi­ l4'/2 years he served as pastor. He dentiality. stepped aside to retire. I knew what Fourth, we must let them return to he didn’t know: after being out for a service at their own pace. Do not few months, he would feel isolated. push them into ministry, but give So I invited him to stay in our congre­ (Continued on page 52) gation and be part of our family. We MARCH/APRIL/MAY 1 EDITORIAL 1Preacher'sMAGAZINE The Most Neglected Ministry in the Church 1 Volume 68 Number 3 Randal E. Denny March/April/May 1993 Editor Randal E. Denny WORSHIP Assistant Editor True Worship Is Work As Well as Pleasure 4 Cindy Osso Ronald Fry Consulting Editors Bill M. Sullivan £ Director of the Division Worship and Ministry of Church Growth Earl R. Wood Church of the Nozarene Wilbur W. Brannon Worship: Where Do You Go for Lessons? i : Director of Pastoral Ministries Kenneth Fach Church of the Nazarene Wayne E. Caldwell Worship and Pastoral Care u General Editor The Wesleyan Church Daniel R. Gales Contributing Editors A Theology of Worship u General Superintendents Church of the Nazarene Wesley G. Campbell Eugene L. Stowe Jerald D. Johnson The Challenges of Multicultural Worship : John A. Knight 2 Raymond W. Hurn Carlton F. Harvey William J. Prince Donald D. Owens Superintendents COMMUNICATOR’S SERMON CONTEST The Wesleyan Church O. D. Emery Earle L. Wilson A Specific Prayer for You 2< Lee Haines Fred G. Prince Harry C. Wilson Superintendents Evangelical Friends Church The God Who Changes His Mind 3< Stanley Perisho George Lyons Maurice Roberts John P. Williams, Jr. Howard E. Harmon Called unto Holiness 3' General Superintendent Ronald David Bloomfield Churches of Christ in Christian Union Dan Tipton PREACHING General Conference Secretary Brethren in Christ Church R. Donald Shafer Seven Blunders of the World 3 Bob Haslam Cover Photo: Barbara J, Feigles All unidentified Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 b y th e International Bible Society, a n d PASTOR’S PROFESSIONAL GROWTH are used by permission o f Zondervan Bible Publishers. Quotations from the following versions are used by permission: The Pastor as a Leader 3 International Children's Bible. New Century Version Ross W. Hayslip (NCV), copyrig ht © 1986, 1988 b y W ord Publishing. Dal­ las. Used b y permission. The New American Standard Bible (NASB), © The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, EVANGELISM 1972,1973, 1975. 1977. The New English Bible (NEB), © The Delegates o f the Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cam­ Increase Your Outreach Through Writing 4 bridg e University Press, 1961,1970. The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), copyrig ht Muriel Larson © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the Na­ tional Council of the Churces of Christ, published by Thomas Nelson. Inc., Nashville. The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), c o p yrig h te d 1946, 1952,® 1971,1973. King James Version (KJV). The Preacher's Magazine is published quarterly by Bea­ c o n Hill Press o f Kansas C ity, 2923 Troost A ve.. Kansas City, MO 64109. Editorial offices at 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, M O 64131. Address all correspondence co n ­ cerning subscriptions to your denominational publishing house. Subscription price: $7.50 per year. Copyright 1993 b y B eacon Hill Press o f Kansas City. Litho in U.S.A. 2 THE PREACHER’S MAGAZINE CHURCH GROWTH Revitalizing the Rural Church 41 Jim Oliphant PASTORAL CARE Preacher's Living with Dying: Helping Parents Whose Exchange Child Has Died 42 Victor M. Parachin WANTED: Good used books, commentaries, CHURCH ADMINISTRATION holiness books, theology, Christian doctrine. Especially books from a ho­ Signposts of the Spirit 44 liness library, etc. Betsy Schwarzentraub CONTACT: Owen F. Underwood PALM SUNDAY London First Church of the Nazarene 176 Wellington St.