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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MARCH 28, 1986
•It was great 1
I loved the way he explained it so clearly using
Bible references. It is hard to believe the whole world is wrong!"
Ohio
Sincerely, in Jesus name,
FROM CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
ADMINISTERING GOD'S GOVERNMENT; FESTIVAL TRANSFER APPLICATIONS
Surely in God's ministry one of the most critical responsibilities we have
is that of administering God's government.
God is a loving, patient and compassionate God who is eager to share His
life with us through all eternity.
And though He has all power He does
not use it capriciously or carelessly, even when provoked. That is what
Be means when Be says, ·I change not; therefore
ye
sons of Jacob are not
consumed• (Malachi 3:6). And again, "I have no pleasure in the death of
the wicked• (Ezekiel 33:11).
Because Be is perfect in character, Christ is qualified to rule the
�niverse, and Be will be assisted by the saints, redeemed from among men.
Christ rules in Bis CHURCH today, through His laws, Bis Spirit and Bis
ministry. He uses the government of His Church to carry out the process
of building character in Christians while protecting them from the
elements of this world. Remember Jesus' words in prayer to His Father: "I
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of. the world, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the evil• (John 17:15)• .
Much of the job of the ministry in preaching and in personal counsel is to
help our brethren distinguish between the righteousness of C--od and the
evil of this world by expounding to them God's law and showing them how to
apply spiritual principles to daily living! Added to this, of course, is
the need to encourage, inspire and exhort people to actively fulfill God's
will and •grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ• (II Peter 3:18).
To put it bluntly, it is a job none of us can, humanly, do. Only with the
•1ove of God•••shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5)
can we begin to have the personal character and attitude of sacrifice
required to make full proof of our ministry.
I know that you ministers work long and hard to serve God's people and to
wade through the myriad problems that arise in your local congregations.
Remember that sometimes, especially if a minister doesn't stay close to
God or his family, the burden of these responsibilities could begin to
affect his approach to people.
He can become irritable and defensive,
which can lead to impatience and harsh responses to people's personal
needs. He may even begin to imagine that certain of his flock have become