Ordained Servant: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church

As I pulled into the driveway this afternoon, I met Don, our mailman, delivering your letter. I thanked him for his services. Don does not know the Lord. I sometimes ask him with a smile, “have you read God’s letter yet?” He keeps saying, “maybe someday.” Our sad world forgets that our days are numbered, and “someday” may be too late. I keep praying for Don, nonetheless. Speaking of numbered days, I do want to let you know something, James. My good doctor gave me the news that the tests came back, and it looks like cancer. I did not want to hide this from you, nor do I want you to worry about it. I am going to see a specialist, and in the meantime I am perfectly content to know that our times are in God’s hands (Ps. 31:15).

Thank you for the update on your meeting with that church member. I am glad you found that a casual, friendly conversation over a bite to eat after work between two Christian brothers can be profitable. You mentioned that you sometimes find it difficult during these talks to turn the focus to spiritual matters. That is a good topic for discussion. And this brings up a whole subject which we have not explicitly talked about yet, namely, the ruling elder among the flock. Allow me, therefore, to share a few thoughts on this subject, and hopefully I can try to answer your question in the process.

It is one of your responsibilities as a ruling elder to get to know the state of your flock (Prov. 27:23). You, along with the session, are to “take heed” to them (Acts 20:28, NKJV). That word, “take heed,” was sometimes used of bringing a ship to land. The idea is to draw close and to bring near. That is what we are to do with our dear people as elders: bring them near; draw them in. I did not appreciate this sufficiently in my early years as an elder. I think the most important chapter in the Bible on this is John 10. Allow me to share a few observations about our work drawn from this chapter.

First, and most basically, our people need to hear our voice. Jesus said of the true shepherd, “The sheep hear his voice (John 10:3).” This may be as simple as an email, a card, or a greeting after church. Even better is a phone call to check in, particularly if there are any matters of concern that your people have shared. Use your words to build your people up. Be a Barnabas, a son of encouragement. Encourage them with many words (Acts 20:2).

Let me only add a brief caution here, which I do not think you will need. Be careful in conversation of talking too much. I knew a dear elder once who was a great talker. But he would go on and on such that his unsuspecting victims, caught in his web of words, soon wished he would just eat them and be done with it.

Second, it is important to see and visit your people outside of the context of Sunday worship services, both formally and informally. I love the words of John 10:14: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” It is hard to get to know the sheep, and for them to know you, in a few minutes after worship. I wouldn’t be too prescriptive here about how this is done. Consistency is the key. Sessions and individual ruling elders must work this out.

Third, and this is really implied in knowing the sheep: practice asking questions. And this circles us back to the thing you asked me about in your letter. How do you turn the conversation to spiritual matters? Do what Jesus did. He asked questions. One I like is to ask something like, “So that I can be praying best for you, what would you say is the hardest thing in your Christian life right now?”

Another question I like is, “Tell me, do you find yourself to be growing spiritually at this point in your Christian life, and to what do you attribute this to?” Healthy Christians are growing Christians (2 Pet. 3:18). Gardiner Spring put it this way, “It is a distinguishing trait in the character of every good man that he grows in grace.”[1] So, ask about their growth. Ask what is most helping their growth right now. Is it a sermon series, a Bible study, their own time in the Word? Is it a spiritual book, or maybe a godly friend? Ask. Then listen.

James, if you prayerfully and humbly focus on doing these things, you will be both a blessing to your pastor and a blessing to the flock.

Your soul’s well-wisher,

An Older Elder