June 14
1 Kings 12:20-13:34 | PS 132:1-18 | Prov 17:6 | Acts 9:26-34
Of course our true Shepherd is Jesus Christ, but each church congregation also has an undershepherd who leads his flock. Ours at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge is Pastor Lloyd Pulley. He left college because he felt called by the Holy Spirit and moved to California, where he joined the Jesus Movement at that time, and served under a pastor at one of the Calvary Chapels there. He would street evangelize in the heart of Los Angeles. Though things were comfortable for him there, he felt led to go to the East to reach the lost there. He did dry wall to support himself as he began to lead a home Bible study, which continued to grow into the church as we now know it. That is so much closer to how it was done in the book of Acts. Now, many who desire to become pastors go to Seminary. Many are raised in the church and seek to safely climb the ranks. Becoming a pastor and leading a flock is dirty work. It requires getting into the trenches and developing a heart for the lost, not just a head full of knowledge. It requires one to be placed into uncomfortable situations, for that is reality. I look at a world that is literally crumbling under the weight of sin, lost without any knowledge of the Savior. The opportunities are endless. But these people will not be reached through organized events and the confines of church walls. This is the time for those that are called, not just those who desire to be pastors, to be speaking openly, being vulnerable on beaches, at parks, at malls, to anybody and everybody. This might be uncomfortable, but this is how the early church did it.
There is a 3 year gap between Acts 9:25-26. If you read Galatians 1:15-18, Paul went to Mount Sinai in Arabia and had the Lord readjust his knowledge of the Scriptures. When he arrived in Jerusalem, Paul was not trying to make a name for himself, he simply couldn't keep quiet knowing the truth, as we read in 9:28-29, "So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him." These were not organized outreaches set up by the church of Jerusalem. A few chapters earlier, we met Stephen, who was chosen as deacon, to tend to the daily needs of the congregation. This would not have led to his eventual martyrdom, but we read of Stephen, led by the Holy Spirit in Acts 6:8, "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen was on the streets engaging and debating, not in a formalized setting, but simply led by the Holy Spirit.
Being a pastor is a calling. But not all pastors are called. A pastor must have a heart for the lost. This is one of the things that draws me to my pastor, Lloyd Pulley. You can't miss it. For any who desire this calling, this should not be a ten step program in which you go through the necessary school work and programs. The question is: "Does your heart grieve for the lost?" If so, are you playing it safe? Most of the lost will not be reached if you don't step outside the confines of your church building's walls. You may get embarrassed. You may get marginalized and lied about. You might even get hurt. Pastor Lloyd ran to Eastern Europe when the Berlin wall crumbled, to Manhattan when the towers collapsed, etc. He saw a need and could not hold back. How about you? We can't look at this world and complain to one another about how godless it is, and yet remain quiet, except for within the safe confines of like-minded individuals. Our commission has not changed (Matthew 28:18-20). It is time for our quietness to stop.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: