World Evangelism News and Helps

As I sit here pondering how wonderful my Lord has been to me over the years, I don’t know why I sometimes doubt His guidance and plan for my life.  I then have Scriptures such as Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33 come to mind.  I have to remember that I am to do my part.  I am commanded to trust Him with ALL of my heart and not to trust in my own reasoning or understanding.  I am to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first and He will reward me with the things that I need.  So many times I want to hold on or be in control of just a small part of my heart and life. 

Recently I have had a tremendous change in my life that has literally turned MY PLANS upside down!  For the past twenty years my husband and I have served with Macedonia World Baptist Missions in the country of Peru in South America.  Our four children grew up there and two of the four, along with their families, are serving there now.  Our youngest son is on deputation and will be heading back with his wife sometime in 2007.  We have one daughter living in east Georgia that works alongside her husband in the printing ministry out of their church.  During the many years that we were in Peru, we developed friendships with so many of the people that the Lord so mercifully saved.  Marriages were mended and families were brought back together.  We watched them grow in His love and grace.  What a thrill!  In other words my life, my heart and my all were in Peru. 

In October of this past year, it became very obvious that the Lord was leading us to leave Peru and start a church with a training center for missionaries in Alpharetta, Georgia.  My heart broke just to think of leaving the country, the people and the life that I had known for the past 18 years.  I began to doubt the Lord’s wisdom in this matter and look for any excuse to be able to stay in Peru.  Funny thing, 20 years earlier I was looking for excuses to stay in the states, when He was calling us to go to Peru.  It just goes to show that no matter where we are, if we are in the center of God’s will, He will give us a peace and happiness that humanly we can not understand but which is so sweet (Philippians 4:7). 

We are now here in the “good ole US of A,” working, praying hard and waiting to see what our God is going to do.  My husband says, “At 51 years old I should be going through mid life crisis, wanting a red sports car, a girl friend and unbuttoning my shirt down to my belly button.  Instead I am starting a church!”  And as his wife I surely am glad that he has chosen the latter of the above mentioned list.  I am scared to death yet at the same time excited to see what my God has for me this time around.  I know that He only wants the very best for me.  He has blessed me with innumerable blessings so undeserved.  I pray that I will never forget all that the Lord has done for me and that I will always put into practice my life’s verse: I Samuel 12:24, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. “

The Ocampo Family Story

by
Austin Gardner

The baby was lying on the bed. The lady was going over her body with an egg and as she did so she repeated the Lord’s prayer and the twenty third psalm. Ausberta then took her scissors and opened them in the form of a cross. She had finished rolling the egg over every inch of the babies body and now she began with the scissors. As she did all of this she prayed and repeated different Scripture verses. She asked the Virgin to heal the baby because someone had put the evil eye on this child. When she finished using both the egg and the scissors then her small daughter Roxana began to step over the body of the baby in the form of a cross. Hopefully when Ausberta finishes every step of this process the child will be alright.

If your child has had the “evil eye” put on him you can always take him to Ausberta de Ocampo. She will “pass an egg over him”. This means that she would take an ordinary chicken egg and pass it or roll it over every inch of your infant child’s body. The only ones usually susceptible to the “evil eye” are children under the age of two. As Ausberta “passes the egg” over the child’s body she will repeat the Lord’ prayer out loud, praying to God that He remove the curse from your child. She also would take her scissors, open them in the form of a cross, and pass them over your child’s body also in the form of a large cross going from the head to the feet and then from one arm to the other. All that Ausberta did, she did in the name of God. This was never meant to be something pagan. She “loved” God the best way she knew how and was just trying to help others. When she finishes the ceremony she breaks the egg in a glass to see what has happened. The “evil” will have passed from the body of the person to the egg and Ausberta will be able to see just what happened and how bad it was. The white of the egg will bear special marks that she can read to see what other treatment might be needed. Her son, Victor, says that he has seen a fresh egg become hard boiled once it has been passed over the body of someone.

Others that have “the power” also “pass a guinea pig over you”. Often times the guinea pig will die from the disease that the person has. “Passing the guinea pig” over people is quite common. Folks go to the “curandero” (medicine man or woman) whenever they have any type of problem. Age is not important. After the guinea pig dies, they open him up and take out his heart to see what you have and whatever other treatment may be needed. Ausberta can make you a small bracelet or necklace with red and black balls to prevent someone from putting the “evil eye” on your child. You just put it on your child and he or she will be protected from the “evil eye”. She knows how to help you! She will also have her youngest daughter (Roxana) step over your child’s body in the form of a cross. The “evil eye” is a very serious problem. If a person “evil eyes” another it can cause them to vomit, get sick, have a fever, and even die. The Ocampo family, Miguel, Ausberta, and their children, Victor, Liz, and Roxana, had followed in the tradition of good witchcraft of their country. Really the Catholic church lends itself to whatever the folks believe in the country they are in.

Ausberta learned all this as a little girl in Piura (a city in northern Peru with a population of more than 1,000,000 people that has no real gospel preaching ministry). Piura is known as the center of demon activity or spiritism in Peru. Each year bus loads of business executives from Lima travel to Piura to consult with the “brujos” or witches. The black magic of Piura descended from the black slaves that were brought over from Africa. Pray that God will send a preacher to this region.

When Miguel had built their house in Hunter, Arequipa, he had invited the “curandero” (medicine man) to come and bless his house. The man had buried some pieces of specially blessed materials in the stairs that go to the second floor. He buries the fetus from the first pregnancy of any animal except a pig. The preferred animal is a llama. They sell the fetuses in certain Indian markets. He also buries different crackers, cookies, candies, and other offerings. This usually includes three coca leaves for every member of the family. All of the family will get together with the medicine man to have a service at midnight. They want to make sure that the spirits hear and see all that they are doing. All of the lights are turned off in the house. The medicine man then leads them from room to room in the dark carrying incense and holy water. He prays sometimes in Quechua and many times in tongues. They drink wine and pour some on the ground. They chew coca leaves and have the “curandero” bless the house with “holy water. He then speaks in Quechua and tongues to the “four winds”. Their house has been blessed now and will be safe.

Peru is steeped in witchcraft and demonism. The people still sacrifice baby llamas and bury them to “pay the earth”. Misti, a great perfectly cone shaped volcano that rises to 20,000 feet above sea level just outside Arequipa is also worshiped. People believe in trolls and something like a leprechaun. People everywhere know how to put a hex on someone else. On TV you can see adds that will tell you of a “curandero” that can help you have children, get well, do harm to your enemies, take an evil spell off of you, help you be successful in business etc. On the streets there are “brujos” (witches) that set up shop on “market days” and will do magic tricks, play with poisonous snakes, tell fortunes, etc. On market days as we pass out tracts we have even seen them blindfold the witch and then still be able to tell the crowd who the people were and what they were doing even though their eyes were covered. Sometimes the people they told about were from our church and they were not part of the “show”. It is a sad situation. It is very hard to believe all of this, but they have no other answer. It is either the catholic church or their spiritism or maybe a little bit of both.

Folks actually believe that a “human skull” placed in your home can protect your house and your goods. Especially the old folks still believe this. They will get a skull by robbing a grave, or buying it from someone who has. They then put it in the house. They light candles before it and pray to it. Supposedly, it will take care of the house when they are away. It turns lights on and off, makes noise, plays music etc. to make people think that they are home.

God is great and powerful. There is no other God. He has the real power. In 1988 a missionary arrived in Hunter where the Ocampo family lives. He preached the Word of God. He told them that Jesus Christ was the only answer. Victor, the only son, was invited to the church on a Friday night. Victor was very well built, bearded young man. He looked ten years older than he was. The Friday night service was a very informal question and answer time. The missionary gave everyone a Coke and then said they could ask any question that they wanted as long as they allowed him to answer from the Word of God. Questions flew left and right each Friday night. “If you are a “Baptist priest” why are you married?” “Do you believe that Mary is our mediator to get a message through to God?” Victor went to church to see what was happening and to get himself a free coke. With each question the pastor would take the opportunity to show them just how the Word of God had the answer. They would read the Bible. They were often surprised that the “Catholic church didn’t seem to know that”. At least all of their lives they had never heard things like that. He really enjoyed the questions and answers.

Soon Victor accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. His family began to notice the difference. He was always asking the missionary to teach him more about the Bible. He began to go to the missionary’s house to study the Bible. One day the missionary explained salvation, heaven, and hell. He showed the young men how every person that would get to heaven would have to know Jesus Christ personally to be saved. If they did not accept Jesus they could not be saved and go to heaven. It was Victor who asked: “How long have you known this? Are you saying that if my grandmother died without a chance to hear the gospel that she is in Hell suffering for ever?” The missionary hung his head and said, “Victor, that is what the Bible teaches.” Tears began to fill Victor’s eyes. He said, “How can you folks know this and not do something so that the entire world can know?” “It isn’t fair that you and your country have had the gospel all these years and just recently are coming to tell us.”

His parents came to the regular church services and enjoyed them. They came because Victor, Liz, and Roxana were going to be given a gift from the missionary that they could give to their mother and dad on Mother’s and Father’s day.

Miguel was a hard case. He listened to sermon after sermon. He evaluated every word. He would often times shake his head “no” during the message. He would always talk to Victor and the girls at home asking them, “Why?” It didn’t make sense and he was not simply going to believe and go along with this. By now Victor was thinking of giving his life to God as a preacher of the gospel. On the night that Miguel finally raised his hand saying that he wanted to be saved, it was Victor, his son, who had the privilege of leading him to Christ.

As time went on the Ocampo family became more and more faithful. One night returning from a church meeting in Majes with all the young people in the car. (Majes is a town some two hours from Arequipa where the missionary had helped to start another church.) Liz had a question. She told the following story in order to ask her question.

Her cousin had died at the age of 9 or so. When the cousin died Liz had spoken to her in the casket and had promised to never forget her and to always visit her. Liz asked her to remember her and to visit her also. Liz did not know that she had just made a pact with the devil. She often came to Liz’s house in the night and spoke to her. If she forgot to go to the cemetery and visit her grave her cousin would get mad. They were also seeing the “mano negra” in their room. The “mano negra” is the black hand or the hand of evil or Satan that can even cause death. Often times in the night they would hear “people” in the house. They would go up and down the stairs and would work on the roof where Miguel had his welding shop. The family was scared. They didn’t know what to do. They no longer wanted the cousin to come for a visit. What were they to do?

The “mano negra” had been in other houses in Hunter. It had actually left marks on the body of others. Many of the folks in Hunter were scared. Now the “mano negra” was coming to the Ocampo house. It was always Liz who had the worst problem with these things. But then it was Liz who had made a promise to her cousin, after her death, that she would visit her every year on her birthday and also on the day of the dead. The deal was, that Liz would go to the graveyard and visit her cousin and her cousin would also not forget her. Liz innocently wanted her cousin to visit her. She did not understand what she was doing. They had been very, very close since birth. She couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing her special cousin again.

November 2 is the day of the dead. In Catholic countries especially, the folks celebrate this day. They will go to the cemetery and visit the grave of their loved one. Sometimes they will actually take a plate of food and his favorite drink to him. They will talk to him and pray for him.

When Liz’s uncle died one morning, that evening he came to say “good bye” to Liz. This happened before they had heard that he had died earlier that morning. She was always having experiences like that. But she wasn’t the only one. Her half sister, Carmen, would oftentimes see the “little people” in the house. Carmen is Miguel’s daughter from his first marriage. His first wife died while Carmen was just a baby. Ausberta lived in fear when she was alone in the house. She didn’t know who might be in the house with her.

Ausberta being a Catholic had a house full of idols. It is custom to put idols in every part of the house. The people do not put them up to decorate the house but to actually worship them. They pray to them. They depend on them to protect the house etc. They are a very important part of Peruvian life.

The question from Liz was “What can we do to stop these noises and appearances?” The missionary at first thought that maybe they were playing witall he was the “dumb gringo”, the American who didn’t understand these things. This was his first time to deal with Satanic things at this level. After taking the time to convince him that they were telling the truth and that they really did have this problem, they insisted that he answer by asking, “What should we do?”

The missionary said: “You need to go home and clean up your house. You need to get rid of all your idols, images, and sin objects (things like pornography, and aything was used in witchcraft). You need to burn all of these things. You then need to have a service in your house and say to God, “This is your house, Lord Jesus. We are now saved. We have put our faith in you and our lives are under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan, we rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us. Get out of our house. You are not welcome here. We and all of our things belong to Jesus. God take our prayer of dedication and bless our home. Bind Satan from here.” They were to then read some Scripture (verses that explain the power of God and how Satan is a defeated foe), sing songs about the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and pray as a family. The missionary told them that the father, Miguel, should be the person who decided to do this since he was the spiritual authority of the home. The missionary told them that he would be glad to go and help them have this special dedication service if they would like to have him.

When the girls told their dad, Miguel, what the missionary had said and also that the missionary would be willing to come and help, Miguel said: “This is my house. I know how to pray and read the scriptures. I will do it myself.” After having the service Liz went to the grave yard and walked up to the grave of her cousin and said, “Cousin, I now belong to Jesus. I never want to see you again. I am never coming to visit you again. I rebuke you, Satan, in the name of Jesus. Do not bother me again.” Since that day they have heard no more noises, nor seen the “mano negra”, nor the cousin. Satan is real, but God is greater. They now have the victory in Jesus Christ!

God has blessed their dedication. Miguel and Ausberta have three children. Victor is the pastor of the Quillabamba Baptist Church. Liz married Miguel Murillo and Miguel is the pastor of Mount Hebron Baptist Church. Miguel and Liz now have a little daughter named Liz Andrea. Roxana married Octavio Paredes who is pastor of the Alto Alianza Baptist Church. Roxana teaches second and third grade in the Christian school at the Hunter Baptist Church. They are planning to go to Africa as missionaries. The Ocampo family is one of the finest families in the Hunter Baptist Church where they serve faithfully. Miguel has really developed one of the best testimonies in the church. Since he has to see it in the Bible to believe it, he has really had to study. He takes notes on every message and discusses them in his house with his son and sons-in-laws who are pastors. He understands what he believes and why. The folks respect him and look to him to see what he thinks. God has really made a difference in this family.

Many are lost in darkness and bound in the chains of Satanism. They just need a preacher. If you talk to Miguel, he will tell you what a difference Christ has made in his life. The Ocampo family are leaders in the work of God in Arequipa. They now sleep tranquilly through the night. Satan long ago recognized that they had the victory in Jesus Christ. OH God, what a Savior!

Can you hear the heart cry of Victor? Can you feel his pain when he hears that his loved ones are in Hell because we did not go, did not pray, did not send missionaries? What will you do to get the gospel around the world? Is it fair or just that we have the gospel and do not share it? Should our folks get the chance to hear many times how to be saved before they even have one chance?

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of [one] Sceva, a Jew, [and] chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and vercame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all [men]: and they counted the price of them, and found [it] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Acts 19:13-20

The Arturo and Lola Portocarrero story

by
W. Austin Gardner

Preacher, could you go pray with a family. Arturo is a policeman. His little girl, Stefanie, is very sick. She suffered brain damage at birth and has never been right. Her little body was as stiff as a board. She was three years old and still couldn’t talk or walk. Carmelo Alvarez is a carpenter that attends the Hunter Baptist Church. He had been hired to build a door for the Portocarrero family. As he worked in their house he began to converse with them about the door of salvation. He told them what a difference that the Lord Jesus had made in his life. As he witnessed to them they mentioned that their daughter was very sick.

Arturo and Lola were spending all their time and money looking for a way to help their daughter. They had seen all the doctors. There was no help for little Stefanie. They asked Carmelo if God could help. Carmelo called his pastor asking him to come and pray for the child and to witness to the parents.

The missionary came and explained to the parents that he had no special powers but that they could pray that God would give wisdom to the doctors and if it were His will then He could heal little Stefanie. The missionary gave them the plan of salvation. Together they prayed and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to save them. They came to the church and the entire church prayed for Stefanie and the family.

Stefanie died. Now they were in a turmoil. Funerals and burials can be a real problem in all the bureaucracy of a third world country. Carlos the assistant pastor of the Hunter church went to help them. He went from government agency to government agency getting all the paper work done. He helped them buy the casket and make all the arrangements. Arturo and Lola were very thankful.

The neighbors, however, were very concerned. What would be done for the soul of little Stefanie! If the Catholic church didn’t pray for her and bury her she would go to hell. Arturo explained what he had learned about salvation to his neighbors but they weren’t convinced. They insisted that he call the priest.

Arturo went to see the priest. The priest said that everything was alright that they baby had died as a child and innocently and that it would be a waste of time to pray for him. Arturo was under a lot of pressure from neighbors, friends and family so he insisted that the priest come and pray. The priest said if he went to pray that Arturo would have to pay him 85 soles or about the salary for three weeks. The funeral mass would cost even more.

Carlos once again explained to him that you can’t pray for folks that have already died. He explained that Stefanie was now in Heaven and the important thing was that Arturo and Lola be sure of their salvation and that they be sure and share the gospel with family and friends by means of the funeral.

A funeral in Peru can be a very sad time for more than the obvious reasons. One the Catholic church will charge them for the funeral mass. They have a price list and the family can see just how much they can and are willing to pay for. A spoken mass with no music is so much, a mass with music is more, a singing mass is even more and so on. Also the neighbors all come to the house of the deceased to get free food and drink. The family and friends sit up all night and drink and chew coca leaves. Needless to say a funeral is very expensive and also tiring since the family is serving all the neighbors and visitors.

Hunter Baptist Church has taught them how Christians do a funeral. They have seen the love shared between Christians. They have seen the hope on the faces of the family because they know that their loved went to Heaven and that one day we will be together again. They no longer feel the desperation of thinking that their family is in purgatory and that they must pay the priest year after year to get their loved one out of that place of suffering. Even death is different when you know the Lord Jesus.

The gospel was preached plain and clear at the funeral. The family and friends became very interested in the way the family was being treated by their new friends from the church. They asked if the missionary could come to the house and explain the gospel to them. He began Bible studies in the home of Arturo and Lola and several family members made professions of faith.

Arturo and Lola are faithful to the Lord now. Their child Stefanie is in Heaven and they still give testimony to how thankful they are that God took Stefanie so that they could get to know the Lord and his saving grace. Lola is pregnant now. God has blessed again. She works on the Christian school staff and helps in the church nursery. Arturo is still a policeman and teaches in the school for the children of Policemen. As he teaches he carries his Bible. He witnesses to his fellow workers and the children. He is now attending the evening Bible college. He thinks that maybe God is calling him to preach.

Through the death of their daughter, Stefanie, Arturo and Lola were able to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their testimony is that it was worth it all if through the death of their daughter that could get saved and have new abundant life in Jesus.

The death of someone even more important brought the possibility of salvation to all of us. Jesus left heaven, came to earth and died on a cross so that through his death we could have eternal life. He died so that we might live. His death gives you the opportunity to be saved but you must decide if you will trust him or not. He has done his part the rest is up to you. Will you put your faith and trust in him today.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6

The following is a very old post on my very first web page but since many of you have never seen it I thought that I would post it here.  I would love to hear your comments

Macedonia World Baptist Missions on the field preaching the word of God and planting churches are often confronted with difficult circumstances.  This happened to the missionaries in Arequipa, Peru on May 7, 1997. 
  
 Pastor and Missionary Austin Gardner after having been hit by the aggressors leaving a wound that needed 12 stitches in three different places.

We were on the Bible College land with about 15 of our Bible College students when over 150 Peruvian Invaders began to attack us. Several of our guys were injured. We had been warned for days that something was going to happen but our lawyer told us not to worry because he was sure that it was just threats. After we had retreated and they had taken our land they began destroying everything that we had built over the last few weeks. Then I decided to go for help. They had blocked the road with large rocks and so I went up and politely ask them to allow me to remove the rocks and go to the Police station. With that they began hitting me with large sticks and I did not even know how I escaped but the Bible College students and pastors charged in and drug me out causing many of them to be injured as well. About nine of us were sent to the emergency room once the police came and helped us to get off of the land. 
 

The picture below will show you what our land looks like. We own the desert land on top of the mountain and the valley is farm land actually a long ways off.  Here we want to build a Bible College that will train hundreds of young men and women for the gospel ministry.  Please pray with us that God will make that a reality.

This is the reason we are building a Bible College.  There are many young people willing to do something with their lives.  They desire to study and prepare themselves.  We need a place to serve them.  These are the young folks and pastors that were with us on the land building what we needed before the attack.

The Beto Rivera Story

by 
W. Austin Gardner

Carlos Marquina had been one of the first to accept Christ and really want to serve him. He had begun studying the Bible in the missionary’s home. He had learned a lot and had come along way. He had learned how to win someone to Christ. By now he had passed out literally tens of thousands of tracts.

One day as he went door to door passing out tracts and witnessing close to the Hunter church, he “happened upon” the home of Beto and Isabel Rivera. Carlos began to talk to Beto. He showed quite a bit of interest. Carlos gave him a tract and began to explain to him how he could be saved. Beto interrupted him and ask “Do you folks study the Bible in your church?” Carlos explained that “that” was exactly what a service was in our church. Beto explained that he was very interested in the Bible. He had gotten a copy of the Bible and was trying to study it. In the afternoons after work he would go up on the roof of his house and try to study the Bible. He did not understand what he read. He had been asking God to help him understand. He had asked God to send him a person that could help him to understand.

Carlos just “happened by”. Beto was very interested. He wanted to know when there would be a Bible study in the church. He came to the “youth meeting” even though he was an adult. He was very interested. He started coming to the services. Carlos was able to lead him to the Lord and help him begin to really serve God.

Beto and Isabel were having very serious marriage problems. They didn’t know where to turn to get help. But the gospel message not only gave them salvation but also helped them solve their family problems.

Soon he and his wife destroyed all of the idols and images that were in there house. The entire family began to attend. He learned to tithe, witness to others, quit drinking. God has really blessed his family. Today he gives testimony to how God took him from sin and has blessed in every way, financially, emotionally, in the family, with children etc.

How many other Beto Riveras are there just waiting for someone to come and tell them about Jesus. They are praying and asking God to send someone. They are hungry. They want to know. Who will tell them. Who will go for God to them. This thing of missions is not just some program of the church. There are lives in the balance. They need God. They want to know. They are suffering. It isn’t because they do not want to be saved. It isn’t because they aren’t important to God. The problem is that the harvest is great but the laborers are few. We are commanded to pray to the lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers to his harvest. Will you pray? Will you give? Will you go?

Try and see the faces behind the numbers and the stories. Feel their hurt and pain. Sense their joy and happiness once they are given the chance to know God and His word. They aren’t so different. They are just like you. They love their wives. They love their families. They want God’s blessing. They just weren’t born where the gospel was so easily accessible. Missionaries have seen all over the world how people are so happy they came. People are hurting. People need the Lord.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian [band], [A] devout [man], and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for [one] Simon, whose surname is Peter: Acts 10:1-5

…Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?…. Acts 8:30-31

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent?….Romans 10:13-15

“Some people ask, why do I wear a tie? Because I have respect for this responsibility. I wear a suit because this is a more elevated experience for people. I’m trying to convey what people convey at a wedding: this is more serious than any normal activity.

This is the most serious occasion anyone will attend in their life: the preaching of the Word of God. I don’t want to join with our culture in sinking into the casual. We have a generation that’s never been to anything formal. And if my dress goes down, the people at the bottom go down, and then we gym shorts!…

Because all I’m trying to do is explain the meaning of the Word of God. And you want to use any avenue to do so short of affirming the culture. I don’t need to borrow or certainly not to accredit the culture by being overly familiar with it. Becoming all things to all men means looking into the situation and seeing where they are in their religious thinking, to find a starting point to move them into Scripture.”

by John MacArthur

24. Care for your pastor economically, emotionally and physically.

25. Have a genuine testimony in your work. The strongest message that your pastor preaches is the message of your life, work, and home, etc.

26. Greet other pastors that come to visit your church to preach.

27. Allow your pastor to spend time with his family and do not be critical when he does.

28. Take good care of your personal life speaking of your devotional time.

29. Never speak to your pastor in anger.

16. Win souls. Witness of your faith to others. 

17. Have a forgiving spirit.  When you do not forgive others your bitterness and anger hinder the work of God. 

18. Learn to over come your problems.  It is hard to encourage others in the Lord if we haven’t learned to encourage ourselves in the Lord. 

19. Choose the right time to speak with the pastor about difficult things.  It is better to not bring hard things before the service or even right after.  Get an appointment to speak to him when he has sufficient time. 

20. Remember the special times in the personal life of the pastor.  His anniversary, his birthday, etc.  Your church will be blessed for having taken care of your pastor in this manner because God is going to bless and provide according to how you take care of His man. 

21. Celebrate his anniversary as pastor of the church. 

22. Tell your pastor often that you love him. 

23. Don’t listen to those who are critical of your pastor.

11. Be faithful to the services and meetings of your church. This will also be a blessing to you and your faithfulness will encourage others to be faithful also.

12. Invite others to the services and bring them with you.  Very few things will encourage your pastor like bringing someone new to the services.  When you bring a guest be sure and introduce the guest to the pastor and other friends in the church.

13. Tithe–be a giver.  Get your family together and tell them that we are at least going to tithe or give the minimum of 10% to our church to honor our God.

14. Give faithfully and sacrificially.  If the church is going to build, buy something, help a missionary or take a love offering your pastor should know that you will be doing your part.

15. Give to missions and pray faithfully for the missionaries your church supports as well as others of course.

6. Speak kindly to him when you see him.  You never know how many battles he has had to deal with that day.  It might be that God will use you to be a blessing in his life today just with the tone of voice that you use.

7. Take your children to meet the pastor and so that he can speak to them.  Teach them to love their pastor.

8. At least listen intently to his advice.  Your pastor is a man that walks with God and may just have the words that you need to hear.

9. Provide your pastor a personal library.  The church should help him buy books every month if possible.  Put this in the church budget because the books are his tools of the trade.

10. Say “amen” in the services.  You will encourage your pastor when you get involved in the service.  Your encouragement will help him to preach even better.