This past Sunday, I preached in a church in Ohio — the state in which I pastored for 14 years before becoming a seminary professor. To my surprise, attending that day was a 92-year old man who came from his own church to see me. This man was perhaps the most influential man in my life in my second pastorate. He loved his young pastor, and I always knew he had my back. He grounded me in Sunday School philosophy, introduced me to Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center, taught me to deal with conflict, and loved me through a tough time when I went through a broken engagement. Now more than 40 years later, he still wept a bit when he saw Pam and me this past weekend. I will always be grateful for this brother.
Lay leaders, please love your pastors today. You never know how much they will appreciate that love for the rest of their lives. And, pastors, love the people you lead. They need you, but you need them, too. There’s nothing quite like shepherds and sheep who love each other.
