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AUSTIN?Speaking from authority gained through experience, key Southern Baptist preachers and leaders addressed the unique ministry challenges pastors face during the Pastors’ Conference of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, held Nov. 12-13 at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin.
The pastors heard from former SBC president Tom Elliff that their highest calling is being with Jesus. During the two-day conference that preceded the SBTC annual meeting, the group elected new officers. Serving first terms are President Don Wills, pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Worth; First Vice President Billy Norris, pastor of First Baptist Church of Fate; and Secretary-Treasurer Lyn Holly, pastor of Boyd Baptist Church of Bonham.
The Pastor’s High Calling Using Martha and Mary as examples, Elliff, International Mission Board vice president for spiritual nurture, told the conference during the opening session that a pastor’s highest calling is simply being with Jesus. If a pastor’s activity grows greater than his personal fellowship with Christ, Elliff predicted an eventual train wreck would occur. “Sometimes people around you notice before you. A dry well sounds deep to itself,” Elliff said, noting that the religious leaders in Acts 4:13 perceived that Peter and John, though unlearned, had been with Jesus.
“What is the greatest joy of heaven going to be? Uninterrupted witness and fellowship with Christ,” Elliff remarked. “The highest calling is being with Jesus.” Elliff said there is danger in teaching people to love the principles of Christianity without loving the person of Christ. From a comparison of the two sisters described in Luke 10:38-42, Elliff explained how Martha, while doing worthy activities, failed to respect the highest calling of fellowship with Jesus?the one thing that would not be taken away from her. In Mary’s life is a definition of the relationship that pastors, and all Christians, must have for effective service, Elliff said.
From the passage, Elliff observed about Mary: her posture, seated before him, revealed her reverence for Jesus; her proximity revealed her availability as she sat as close to Jesus as discretely possible; and her preference revealed a desire not just to hear, but also to listen to Jesus.
Elliff told of his grandfather, whom he was assisting in his wood shop one day, asking young Elliff to fetch a tool. While he looked for it, his grandfather used his screwdriver instead because it was handy. “‘Listen, I didn’t use this screwdriver because it was the best tool for the job,'” Elliff said, quoting his grandfather’s words. “‘I used it because it was close to my hand.’ And then he said, ‘I want to tell you something, Tommy. There are a lot of men out there you’re going to meet; they are perfect to do something ? God has great things in store for them. They are so equipped. But they’ll never be used, and you’re going to wonder why. Just remember this, son. It’s the handy tool that gets used the most.'”
“If the highest calling is defined by Mary, it’s differentiated by Martha,” Elliff said. “Here we see some things that look a lot like being with Jesus. They’re not bad things, but you can do them and not be with Jesus,” he said, noting of Martha: her praise, by which she welcomed him with her words, failed to affirm him from her heart; her productivity that only amounted to “doing stuff” for God; and her plea for help instead of spending time in fellowship with Jesus. “Nobody was better at doing stuff than Martha.”
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