Sermon: Fellowship Program

You take your Bibles this evening. We're going to turn open to the book of second Timothy. If you use in a Pew Bible there, it's on page 995.

second Timothy and second Timothy Chapter 2 and we're going to look at verses 1 through 2, but especially verse 2 there. She remember what we are doing is we're walking through kind of the vision for you or see and here in the evenings. We're looking at what it is that we're trying to focus on these next three to five years. We're doing all kinds of Ministries. We're continuing to Proclaim Christ continuing to grow in Christ as we spoke about this

morning continuing at by God's grace to advance the mission of Christ as we go forward in this evenings. What we're looking to do is kind of boil down. Okay, all those three things are true. They've been true of your see historically they're going to be true of your see by God's grace as we go forward. But over these next three to five years. Where is it that we're seeking to invest more of our resources and time and energy and we

looked first last week at church planting in this week. We're going to look at our fellowship program and then next week. We will look at University Ministries. So this evening we're going to look at second Timothy chapter 2 verse 2, but we need to go back to verse ones. Let me pray before we open God's word together. Her father, we do pray that you would teach us this evening from your holy word. That you would hide your Eternal truths in

our hearts. And that we would be delighted this evening to think about you using us as a church. For the good of the greater Church. Even to the ends of the Earth as we've discussed already this evening. Oh, what a privilege. and what a responsibility and we hear it tonight and may it resonate with us we pray. in Christ name amen Second Timothy Chapter 2 verses 1 through 2. This is the holy and Aaron sufficient word of God.

You then my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses in Trust. the Faithful Men Who will be able to teach others also? The grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever. And speak to God. amen

So thinking about the fellowship program this evening. We'll get there in a second, but We're seeking to do is just be good stewards of what God has given to us and it could be that we don't have this program Beyond these next three or so years. That's okay if that's God's will but seems like right now it it's what he's put on her plate. And so we want to look at that together this evening. I'm going to walk you through that a little bit. But let's let's look at the passage first

Paul begins our passage with encouraging Timothy. He says to be strengthened by the grace that is found in Christ Jesus in many ways. That's just an echo of what we looked at this morning. He's just saying to Timothy grow in Christ. Grow in the grace of Christ. He's encouraging him to keep on keeping on but the sentence continues in verse 2. There's another charge that immediately follows that he says what you have heard from me

in the presence of many witnesses and Trust of Faithful Men. Who will be able to teach others also. Now let's think about what what's going on here and what occurred even before this pole the great Apostle to the Gentiles was not always always the great Apostle to the Gentiles. You will remember that. He was the great persecutor of the Christian Church. You'll remember that. He was a zealous Pharisee and in Acts chapter 7 we meet him for the first time

as he is standing by as Steven is being martyred and he's being stoned to death and we're told that Paul stood there. His name was Soul at the time and soul stood there approving of the fact that Stephen was being stoned to death. And then we go over to act eight and there Luke the disciple of Paul writes this he says soul. That is Paul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

But then we go into acts 9. glorious wonderful acts 9 where soul is on his way to Damascus on the road to Damascus and he is on his way to go and round up more Christians and imprison them. Maybe even put them to death. and the Lord Jesus Christ Thunders from the Heaven's and cold and in a moment is struck and he's converted. And he goes from Soul the persecutor of the church to pull the Christian. In a moment. And the Lord Jesus calls him

in that moment to go out and to preach the gospel. What he has been converted by he is now to go out and he is depreach and Paul will immediately start proclaiming Christ in the synagogue at Damascus when he gets there. He says this about himself in Galatians, 1:15 and following he says, but when he who had set me apart before I was born and who called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his son to me in order that I might preach

him among the Gentiles. And then he says this I did not immediately consult with anyone. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. And he says then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to visit cephas. That is Peter. And remained with him 15 days. As Paul will say in verse 12 of that first chapter of Galatians. He did not receive the Gospel from any man nor he says was I taught it

but received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ Paul's implying that he never consulted with any of the other Apostles about the gospel. He was taught it by the Lord Jesus Christ just as all the other apostles were.

He went into Arabia. And it was only three years later that he met with Peter and then James a brother of Jesus. He's clear that Jesus taught him the gospel. I tend to agree and think most Scholars are right that they say what he did in those three years is he was being taught by Jesus as he studied the scriptures. And so Paul has the same Walking With Jesus three years just like all the other Apostles had three years of Walking With Jesus before

they were sent down to minister the gospel. He's equipped just like them.

He then was sent out to proclaim the gospel to others. Now there would be a day when James and when Peter and when John and when the Apostle Paul himself will die and so they were commissioned by God to impart this truth to the generation that would follow them. They entrusted the gospel the Faithful Men. So you have born abyss and you have Apollos and you have Titus and you have polycarb as a disciple of John and you have Timothy.

Paul will take underneath his wing and Who he will disciple Faithful Men? Now we know that Timothy received the gospel as Paul will say at the beginning of second Timothy here. He will say you received this good deposit. He received it from his mother and his grandmother from Eunice and Lois. They were the ones that gave Timothy the truth of the Gospel what they began Paul then disciple and he takes Timothy underneath his

wing he will say immediately after speaking of Eunice and Lois in the beginning of this book. He will say I remind you to Fan into the flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. They began the work Paul continues to work and now he charges Timothy this Entrust of Faithful Men what you heard from me? Timothy is a pastor. He's been called to preach. Now the word goes out to everyone but Paul's concern

here is that Timothy would entrust this word to men to Faithful Men notice notice that Faithful Men will come back to that but men who will teach others also.

Entrust this message to men gifted with the spirit wrought gift of teaching. That's my charge to you. Timothy.

And before we go on I want to just recognize that this is how God has always chosen to work. This has been true from the beginning and this will be true to the end until Christ returns. I often think this is one of the great signs that the gates shall not Prevail against the church is that God always raises up the next generation of leaders of preachers and teachers that will minister to God's people and will lead them and he always raises up

faithful leaders for his people in the Next Generation because death steals leaders. And sin steals some other leaders. And so he raises up new leaders. Moses the great deliverer of God's people from Egypt the man of such incredible signs and wonders and will be a great deliverer dies. And God raises up Joshua. You have Elijah that's great profit who can even raise a Widow's son from death and who can stand against a myriad of prophets

false prophets and the Lord takes them home. And God raises up Elijah.

God continually works this way. It amazes me, but he chooses to use people to change people. The issue is whether the church actually invests and rightly informs the next generation of leaders. There will be leaders in the next generation of the church. That's going to happen. God raises them up. The only question is whether they are going to be faithful leader. Whether they are going to be able leader. And that is not a given.

And that is posed concern in our text. What you have heard from me? I've passed it on to you Timothy what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses. There are all kinds of people that heard the Apostle Paul, but he's concerned here with leadership in the church specifically teachers pastors and Trust the Faithful Men Who will be able to teach others also. Those two things Mark these men these men are to

be Pious faithful. And they are to be men who are equipped able. Entrust this truth to faithful and able men. those two things and a generation of the church is led by faithful Naval men. It will be fruitful. And a generation of the church is led by Unfaithful or unable men. It becomes a wasteland. Ezekiel 34 details one of those times when the church was a wasteland all because of the leaders the Lord says this to Ezekiel prophesy

against the Shepherds of Israel. He says should not the shepherd's feed the sheep. You eat the fat you clothe yours with the wool you Slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The week you have not strengthened the sick. You have not healed the injured. You have not bound up the strayed. You have not brought back the lost. You have not sought and with force and harshness you have ruled them so they were scattered because there was

no Shepherd and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered where there are poor Shepherds of the sheep. And that is what pastor means Shepherd where there are poor Shepherds of the sheep the Sheep scatter and great great harm is done.

so pose concern he's concerned about Timothy. And trusting this truth to Faithful Men. Because it means either the thriving of the church or the destitution of the church. This is why so much of the New Testament scriptures are filled with instructions for leaders in the church.

See the same in Jesus. Some of us have trouble understanding. Why is it that Jesus is so Tender and he is so patient with the tax collectors and with the prostitute. And yet he's so harsh. with the Pharisee Why is that?

Because they styled themselves the Shepherds of God's people. And Jesus looked out at the people of God and he was mourning. Because he said all these people the nation of Israel are like sheep without a Shepherd these Pharisees were just looking out for themselves and they were heaping burdens upon the people.

There's a severe cascading effect that occurs when poor leadership. Sits the top of the church whether that is ruling Elders whether that is teaching Elders pastors. It's like the picture of a Mudslide as they teach or model or disciple their corruption and their sinfulness flows out like those first pebbles in a Mudslide and then you just have this Cascade of a Mudslide that takes over the entire Mountainside. But the reverse is also true.

When there are faithful leaders in the church. and when they are modeling and discipling and teaching

It's used by the Lord for a Bountiful Harvest.

See this over and over again. whole church becomes affected

And the negative when that happens sometimes a whole denomination sometimes a whole branch of Christ Church. Sometimes a whole nation can become a wasteland. But the reverse is also true. We've seen that historically.

And it just takes a few faithful leaders to change a landscape. In a church and a denomination and a country an entire region of the globe.

I haven't talked about David Livingston going to Malawi just the impact that one faithful man preaching the word had in that country. poor generation cascading effect

so Paul wants Timothy to entrust this truth the Faithful Men and able men. Faithful Men Who love God? Who love his word who love his people? Not men who are looking to increase their own star that men who are looking to be praised. Not men who are looking to be celebrated. Not men seeking direct their own kingdom, but men who see themselves as Servants of Christ and want to pour themselves out for the sake of his kingdom.

for his people Faithful Men that's why the requirement for the office of Elder in the church is almost all matters of character. every single qualification except that one able to teach all the rest is character.

But not just faithful. They also need to be able men. Abel is Paul was saying second Timothy rightly dividing the word of Truth men who are equipped to teach they understand Doctrine. They understand theology. They understand hermeneutics. They understand effective communication. They understand leadership men who connects to cheat the word who can articulate the word who can apply the word and a helpful way to God's people men

who know how to be clear and concise and helpful to God's people And that is not born. It just isn't. It takes formation.

So Moses invested in Joshua and shaped a nation. Elijah invested in Elijah and proved essential for the next generation of the people of God. Pause invested in Timothy in the torch was carried forward and now he's telling Timothy you are to invest in the Next Generation.

It is imposed mind one of the most important things that Timothy. and the church in Ephesus should concern itself with trust this truth to Faithful Men that will go out.

It's not an exaggeration. Say the church Rises and falls with its leadership. I can. I remember. Was first coming into the PC. I was doing a pastoral internship and I sat down with. my mentor on the founding fathers of the nomination post settle and Reverend settle was sitting across from him. He was a chairman of the steering committee that formed the PCA and so he knew everybody in the PCA and all the ins and outs of and so I remember

sitting across from breakfast at him one day before I had finished my internship or even started my internship and in as there's always been there's always tensions always. Struggles in the church and the denomination and I was watching all that and listening to people and saying all the PCA is not going to survive. It's going to divide. And it's going to wander and it's eating itself. And I remember sending across from Reverend subtle, and I said

to him. Reverend Sato I said I'm struggling. Do you think it's worth going into the PCA? You think it's going to survive? and remain faithful and he said to me he mentioned he said Jason as long as there are men such as and he mentioned one man's name. in our denomination

he said that the church will be fine. And I walked away from that breakfast and I thought that was the dumbest thing. I'd ever heard. I thought that is so foolish. You're putting your trust in men. But all of these years later, I look back. And he's exactly right.

people follow people We follow leaders. That's what we do. God uses people to change people.

So truly leaders can have the greatest effect for good or for ill. Within churches within the dominations within entire theological movements.

He uses these people.

When a generation of leadership lacks such men, the church is devastated we can trace that biblically we can trace that historically we can also trace the exact opposite when a generation of leadership has such men the church prospers. John Witherspoon when he was president Princeton, I loved this because I often thought it and then I found someone as much smarter than me that actually said it and he used to say this over and over to students that when the

church prospers it was noticeable that her leaders flourish and clusters each helping one another. Just clusters of leaders.

That are faithful and able men.

We believe as a leadership in this church. If you don't know it you have faithful and able men as your elders in this church. Best Elders I know not blow and smoke best Elders. I know. faithful Naval men and as we're thinking about this Vision going forward over these next three to five years. What is it that we hone in on? As we were talking about this we said look. This seems to be something that the Lord has put Upon Our plate.

The seems to be something that he is directing us for how can we help the church? How can we help the church outside of our own? And it just seems like what he's been doing is he's been leading different men to us that we can equip these men to help the church outside of ourselves. And we should be investing in that training the Next Generation. Why? First this is historically been. a concern for you, or see for those of you that have been here long enough, you'll remember this is one of

the key reasons that we left the RCA and entered into the PCA. Because we had men that we were training up for the pastorate good faithful Godly gifted men. But we couldn't place them anywhere. There was nowhere to send them. But we saw that as part of our mission and part of our charge and part of what we should be as a church. So we went in the PCA at least in part for that reason. Second we want to be a good Steward of what the Lord

has given to us. Again. The Lord could take all of this away tomorrow. This church could disappear tomorrow. And that's the Lord's will so be it. But right now what we have we want to use for his glory. We have the resources. We have a firm foundation of ministry. We have many different Ministry areas here where people can get plugged in and just labor in different Realms with Internationals with undergraduate students with youth with

300 children that work their way through our West Wing down there with all of you with seniors Saints and with newborns and with women that care about the truth of the scriptures and raising their children. And men that want to live Godly lives before God with Elders that truly Shepherd the flock of Christ truly labor that way. true presbyterianism as Evan was saying we have all these resources. So seems that it's good stewardship. We

have too much to Simply use it for ourselves. Third because of this we have opportunities like few other churches in our area. We have been talking about it as there are these concentric circles you are see we have responsibility for you or see here for the people that are in our congregation. And so, how's your time about this morning? We're seeking to grow in Christ together. It's also true though that we have a responsibility outside

of your sea for our backyard. Our primary Mission field is the campus of Michigan State University. We have that and we have our entire Lansing Community that we're responsible for but beyond that we have some responsibilities. for a state for a region beyond that our denomination nationally and beyond that to the ends of the Earth as we seek to send out missionary. And as we seek to by God's grace plant an entire denomination and Malawi.

And as we look at that, we think that God has put us in a place where it seems like with these resources and being good stewards of that that we should do things in these concentric circles going out. one of the best ways that we can do that is to train up Men, give them experience invest in their persons and then willingly send them out. And train up men and women. To go out and do college Ministry and to go out and to be missionaries to the ends of the Earth to lead

in youth Ministries and the council.

We've seen this happen over the past years. It seems like again with the Lord's put on our plate. Dave Hinckley shot me a picture this afternoon. from our middle schoolers were on Retreat this weekend. And they were on retreat with some of the other churches in our Presbytery the Great Lakes Presbyterian and Dave sent me a picture. He said you should be encouraged by the. And it was a picture of seven adults that were on this Retreat representing

five different churches all of them key Volunteers in the youth Ministries at their five churches and all of them. from URC

trying to map we've sent them out. Now they're impacting children and other places.

went to keep sending out we want to be a populating church. Where people come here they come to Faith here or the grow in their faith here and then they spread out to other churches and provide leadership and service there. Lord is always. It seems used you or see this way. And it seems like right now don't know why but it seems like right now he's using it in this particular way with specially training up pastors. We want to be by his grace a conduit for bringing more

and more men into the pastorate. When the ways we feel like we can serve our region is that there is a great struggle. For us denominationally to get men to come to Michigan. It's a southern denomination. And so just to get them to come above the Mason-Dixon Line let alone to come to the Upper Midwest as a challenge. But what's been happening is as we've been raising up men here from our own midst and then as we've been

bringing men in for the fellowship. That they've stayed where they've come back. And so it's been a conduit for accomplishing our other purposes of doing church plans. of seeking to do University Ministries And it's having an impact regionally. I wish you. Would all come sometime to a Presbytery meeting when we have it here in January and see how many former you are seer. populate different churches in our Presbyterian now and

are here I love it at General Assembly. We do a gathering of all those that have come through you or see and been trained and now are pastoring or serving as elders and other churches in our denomination and we buy them dinner. We may have to stop that because it's getting to expensive. It's it's just encouraging. Lord's using this church and that regard to populate the landscape with faithful churches for this generation and next but they need pastors.

had in wrestling enough at Presbytery this weekend. I had two pastors come to me knowing You know our fellowship program saying Jason, do you guys have a guy for this or do you have a guy for that? I just got an email my way here tonight A ruling Elder in our Presbytery one of our former interns here at you or see had preached at his church two years ago. He said we were so impressed with him. We're looking to do a church plant and I see that he's getting ready to

graduate. What do you think about him coming and doing a church plant for us? Just a conduit to get these men back. To serve in these concentric circles going out. And so we're investing in their faithfulness and ability. But that takes the entire church.

And this is what you do, so well. Evan couldn't even wait he wanted to answer that before. He answered my question just the way you've loved these malawian brothers. and you do that with all these interns and we'll talk about here. Different levels of this program you do that so well. And this is their testimony when they go away and when they come back. It's not about. Just their time with the staff at the church or just their

time with the Elders of the church. They talk about over and over and over your impact upon them. You having them in your homes and them seeing what a Godly family looks like you're willingness to sit under their preaching and listen to them as they lead a Bible study your patience your encouragement of them that oh you're indeed gifted. Your prayers for them.

We invest in their faithfulness and we invest in their ability. And we allow them to grow in the exercise of their abilities here.

my favorite

it was a Scottish Presbyterian Pastor by the name of William still back in the 1940s and 50s that had a great impact his church did upon the Church of Scotland. Where they had all kinds of men that came through there that they trained for the pastor and that congregation just took up that Banner. and wanted to be involved in that work and so they would every Sunday night. They would have a prayer meeting. For all of these men that they sent out and they had a they would

have a map with all the pins of all of these different pastors that they had sent out all around the land of Scotland. And it ended up being hundreds. and changed the landscape of that denomination for two generations. and it was a church that was seeking to help equip these men and pray for these men and continue to pray for these men as they went out.

We invest in people because people last programs don't one of the greatest ways that we can impact the world for Christ is to populate with people who impact people. He blesses them we bless the greater Church But also blesses us, doesn't it?

Our church and our Ministries are impacted by them. Our lives are shaped by them. Who wouldn't say that they're richer today? Having heard context preach in this Pope. wouldn't say that they're richer today from ministering and seeing the lives of being encouraged by young men that have come through the Ben prizers and the Joe Lukens and the Josh dimlers and the Nate grossimas and the David grewendykes and the Neal Quinn's and the Ryan Potter's

Who wouldn't say that? It encourages us it challenges us. That bolsters are faith that benefits us as a church.

Again, we're seeking to become not to become something. We aren't we're simply seeking to be stewards of what the Lord has given to us. And so we're investing in this fellowship program. As we go forward at least for these next three to five years. Let me just quickly walk you through it how we're doing this. So that it makes sense. We have our internship program. We have what? We are calling our residency program and then we have our fellows so the fellowship

programs kind the overarching brother. We have our interns. We have a residence we have our fellows. Interns, we are a University Church. And so it makes sense to us that we are grabbing college students who are zealous for the faith and seeking to train them up. The have them come on as interns who are raising their support and serving men and women in campus ministry internships men and women that are doing counseling internships men

and women that feel cold to the mission field. We don't want to keep sending out missionaries without training. We want to bring them on board them a little bit and get them some training. So bring on men and women that can do an internship for a year with us or two years with us and be trained before they're sent out. So our internship program, were they raise their support? And then pastoral interns grabbing some of these

men before they go to Seminary. They raise their support. They spend a year with us, and then they go to Seminary. The second program being the residents. This was not something we envisioned. It's just something that came to us. Because of the Malawi Reformation Network and we have promise and Sandra mamata and because they are in seminary. And so they're doing a kind of residency where they're getting unfolded in the Ministries here while

they're in seminary. And for the Malawi Reformation Network guys, all of that is supported by the Malawi Reformation Network that's provided provides their funds. And so that doesn't touch our budget here at URC. But then Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary came to us and they said listen, we like what you're doing with your internship program with your fellowship program. We want to see you keep your guys in Michigan too. This

is what we'd like to do. You're doing all of these different things with your guys. What if we started giving you Seminary credit for that? And the guys come here for some classes, but they stay with you in the internship fellowship program and they're doing it together and they get some credits for the things that you are taking them through. And so we have first guy Jacob Hawkins that will do that this upcoming year. He will be a resident here.

Where he's in seminary full time at Puritan, but part of that's just going to be done here. As we're leading them through different practical Ministry thing. And then we have our fellows. the fellows and the fellowship program are like Matthew shung and Evan Cruz who are with us Leo that was with us before and now is that Puritan working on his PhD or conflicts that was here before and we're supporting them with some of our resources

here and they're raising some support and these are for men that are post Seminary so Pastor for interns that's pre-siminary premissions pre-going out to do college Ministry themselves or counseling themselves pre Those that are residents or those that are in seminary and then we have our fellows program those that are post Seminary and they spend a year or two years with us. And we're just kind of hoping refine them helping them get used to

presbyterianism. If it's new to them to get their hands in a few more things before then they are sent out by God's grace and we're hoping some of these will be Church planters that we send out. And we're beginning to see that happen. We want to raise up Abel and Faithful Men. To give me five more minutes Abel men. In that rightly divide the word of Truth knowing Christ and the things of Christ growing in knowledge applying that knowledge wisdom on how

and when when to be silent when to speak when to be bold when to be Winsome how to help the herding and the troubled and the proud and the faithful real ability takes real effort real experience real training. So we're helping them to be able men. But we're also seeking to help them to be faithful men. And I just want to close with two extended quotes on this line. From two of my heroes Dr. Samuel Miller Dr. Samuel Miller the second Professor pure

at Princeton Theological Seminary said this about Faithful Men. Without piety. He cannot be enable Minister. He cannot be a Workman. That needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth and giving it giving to each his portion and due season second Timothy 2:15. How can a man who knows only the theory of religion? Undertake to be a practical guide in spiritual things. How can he adapt his instructions to all the varieties of Christian experience? How

can he direct the awaken the inquiring the tempted and the doubting? How can he feed the sheep and the Lambs of Christ? How can he sympathize with mourners in Zion? How can he Comfort others with those consolations? We're with he himself has never been comforted of God. He cannot possibly perform as he ought any of these duties and yet they are the most precious and interesting parts of the ministerial work. However, gigantic is intellectual Powers, however,

deep and various and accurate his learning. He is not able in relation to any of these points to teach others seeing he is not taught himself. If he makes the attempt, it will be like the blind leading the blind and of this unerring wisdom has told us the consequences Matthew 11:15. We want to see men that are faithful. pious It takes all of us investing in. so much to give You're such faithful people

Dr. Archibald Alexander the first professor at Princeton said this quoted him this morning. He was preaching this. This is one of his last sermons and he said that he knew his own Ministry was quote fast coming to a close and he said this. One of the greatest consolations is to see younger ministers raised up by the great head of the church. To fill the places of us who must soon leave the stage. The need is for ministers of the highest qualifications.

And of all qualifications none is so indispensable as a deep. Unfeigned spiritual piety a heart imbued habitually with the spirit of Christ and disposed account all things but laws for his sake.

To raise up such men. Such a small and easy investment that pays such incredible dividend.

Everyone is important in the church. What happens is these men because they're proclaiming the word weaken and week out. Because they're leading. They can have a Monumental effect for good or for ill.

And you and I just by investing a little bit in some of these men them rubbing shoulders with you Godly good people that are seeking to live your lives for Christ. Showing them what it looks like. And allowing them to test some of their gifts on you and you encouraging them and exhorting them and challenging them. It's one of the great ways that we can serve the greater Church.

It takes a whole church to do this. the whole church let's pray.

Father we are thankful. Thankful that there have been faithful men and women that have passed on. The good deposit to us. down through the generation Thankful that you continue to call men to the office of Elder both really Elder and teaching Elder to guide your church Through The Years. We're thankful for the Faithful Men that preach Your Truth. We're thankful for oh, the blessing has been to see so many. Come through you or see.

And begin to populate churches throughout the area and even across the country and throughout the world. Thank for the men even now that are in seminary. We thank you for all of these youth volunteers both men and women and women that are on the mission field and men that are on the mission field. And all of these student workers that have gone out. No, father we pray that you will continue to desire to use us in this way.

We want to labor hard as long as you would have us as a church, and we want to labor well. As long as you would have us as a church. We have much to learn we have much to grow in. We also believe we have much to give by your grace. So what may we do such to your glory and prayers? in Christ's name amen