I love Old Western Movies and have
always been fascinated by the young men who were part of the Pony Express. The
courage and boldness (and maybe a little craziness) it took to ride their steeds
across dangerous country to deliver messages for what often amounted to very
little pay.
Now, you’re probably asking
yourself, “what in the world does a Pastor’s Ministry and the Pony express have
to do with each other?” And “Where in
the world did you come up with this?” Give
me just a moment to explain how I view a pastor’s ministry in God’s Church.
Many years back when I was speaking
with a Pastor Search Committee, a dear sweet woman who had served alongside her
husband for many years planting churches up in Maryland was serving on the
Search Committee. She asked me the
following very pointed question, “Do you see our church as a stepping stone for
your ministry?”
I wasn’t necessarily caught off
guard by the question, because I understood and had seen before what concerned
her heart regarding “Ministers” seeking a church. There are some men seeking to serve God’s
church, with the best of intentions I’m sure, who have lost sight of their
purpose in serving the Church.
I quickly answered Mrs. Lucas’
question, “Churches are not stepping stones for pastors, but pastors are
stepping stones for God’s Church.”
As I have continued to ponder my
view of ministry over the years and have seen the best and the worst in both
“ministers” and “churches,” I believe the Pony Express is one of the best
examples to use to explain a Pastor’s role within God’s Church.
The Pony Express was made up of a
very unique group of young men. Many
were mere boys, some starting out just in their early teenage years. The Pony Express job descriptions often read;
“WANTED. YOUNG, SKINNY, WIRY FELLOWS. NOT OVER 18. MUST BE
EXPERT RIDERS. WILLING TO RISK DEATH DAILY. ORPHANS PREFERRED"
-California newspaper help wanted ad, 1860
These were a different breed of adventurers. Many were living a life of hardship with
little to no prospect of a future, roaming from one job to the next, and
working for room and board. The Pony Express
promised an opportunity for a change in their life if they survived. Most of the areas they worked in were filled
with bandits, scoundrels, and angry natives who were not fond of strangers
passing through their land.
The idea of the Pony Express is very
simple. You have: the Author of the Message, the Message, the
Horse, the Rider, and the Recipient of the Message. The Author wanted to get a message to someone
(Recipient of the Message). The Author
would hire the Pony Express Company to convey said message(s). The message(s) where given to the Rider by
the Pony Express company branch at one location to be delivered at a set Pony
Express branch at another location. Often
times, these branches were far from railroad stations and the Pony Express
would be able to deliver the message faster.
The Rider was obligated in most cases to remain
with his assigned message(s) until he delivered it to the Pony Express branch
at the destination. This prevented loss
or confusion as to where the Message was to be sent and who was responsible if
something went wrong. The Rider was
given a Horse, and along the often lengthy route there were way stations where
the Rider could eat, rest briefly and saddle a fresh horse before continuing
his journey. Through inhospitable and
dangerous lands these courageous few drove their horses and themselves to
exhaustion to fulfill their duty and obligations. Never ceasing until their
message reached its destination.
Please allow me to give you my understanding of a
Pastor’s Ministry using the Pony Express as my example.
God is the Author of the Message.
John 3:16 16 "For God so loved
the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life.
The Message is the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 1 Now I make known to you,
brethren, the gospel which I
preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2
by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first
importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He
was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
And to receive that
Message, to have an eternal relationship with our Creator and Savior, to be saved a person
must;
Romans 10:9-11 9 ….confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness,
and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11
For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE
DISAPPOINTED."
The Church is the Rider carrying the
Message of God.
Matthew 28:19-20 19 "Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end
of the age."
The Pastor is the Horse.
Ephesians 4:11-12 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the
building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain
to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to
a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ.
The World is the intended Recipient of the Message.
Mark 1:15 "The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the
gospel."
Hebrews 9:27 27 And inasmuch as it is
appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
1 Peter 3:18 18 For Christ also died
for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to
God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
As the Pastor, my role
is to carry God’s Church (His People) and God’s Message (His Gospel) as far as
I possibly can. When I can no longer
carry the load, when I have given all I have to my God and to His Church it is
time for the Church to saddle a fresh Horse.
Better men have served before us and better men
will follow after us. Let us build upon
the firm foundation of God’s Word that has been laid and strengthen the people
of God to stand strong and serve with conviction and commitment.
1 Peter 2:4-6 4 And coming to Him as to
a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in
the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up
as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A
CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,
AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
Pastor, you are the noble Steed, your day will come
and your day will end. God’s Message and
God’s Church will go on. Serve them well
with all the heart and love you can muster for the sake of the lost and lonely
waiting for the hope we carry and for the Name of our Lord Jesus.
Blessings, Pastor Eric
