A MYSTERIOUS BLESSING

A very mysterious thing continues to happen at Brighton Assembly of God,  the church my wife Rhonda and I pastor. Approximately every 12 months, a particular individual shows up at the church.  Nobody knows who this person is…nobody ever sees their arrival or departure… he or she never appears during office hours or at a time when someone  may recognize them.  This secretive person never waits to see a pastor or phones ahead of time to say they are visiting the church campus. They just show up and leave an envelope. As quickly as they arrive, they depart equally as fast.  This has happened three times over the past three years. The most recent visit was this morning amidst a big snow storm in the Detroit area.

This morning our church receptionist attached a note on the secretive envelope stating… “Pastor this was on my desk when I came in this morning.”  The 8.5 x 11 envelope just said, “Brighton Assembly of God.”  Inside the envelope were the simliar contents to the previous two “drops.” The envelope was filled with cash…$20′s, $50′s & 100′s.  The total amount of cash in the envelope this morning was very comparable to the previous episodes… $4800.  Why this individual chooses to give this way and how long this giving pattern will continue  is completely unknown to me.  I am blown away each time our church is blessed in this manner. I would really like to meet this unknown person and thank them for the gifts they present to the church.  

As I have reflected on the giving patterns of this secretive person and other extraordinary gifts our church has received over the years I do find a definite correlation that I cannot ignore as it relates to Brighton Assembly and its giving pattern.  The correlation is this… over the last several years when our church has made a sacrificial gift to another ministry beyond the scope of BAG, such as City of Refuge in Jamaica, Power Company Kids Club in Pontiac, Michigan or Convoy of Hope‘s Haiti relief we as a church almost immediately have been blessed financially.  Blessed far beyond our initial investment. It is absolutely amazing to see how this pasttern continues. For example, last night we had an incredible service with missionary Steve Puffpaff from the City of Refuge Children’s Home.  We received an offering for this amazing ministry. God’s people were generous, many giving very sacrificially. Then this morning’s envelope!!!

Coincidence? I don’t think so! Just the Lord providing for His church in a reciprocal manner… even if He uses mystery givers!

Mentors, Peers & Protégés

For my first ever blog entry I have been considering the people that have impacted and are impacting my life as well as those that I, prayerfully, have impacted.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:2, ‘And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.’ His words reminded of what someone once said about the three types of relationships in life: mentors, peers and protégés.

There have been incredible mentors in my life, starting with (pastors) such as my dad and my grandfather.  I have been blessed to have men of God who are college presidents speak into my life, men like Robert Spence (Evangel University), Don Argue, Gordon Anderson and Don Meyer. A more recent mentor is Jim Cymbala, pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle. College profs come to mind as well: Stanley Horton and James Allen…men who taught me to rightly divide the Word of God.

Brad with Dr. Stanley Horton

As for peers, certainly a primary one is my wife Rhonda, who sharpens me every day and is gift from the Lord. I am grateful for fellow pastors—peers who I am blessed to have in my life—such as Nate Elarton, John Lindell, Tom March, Jeff Bonzelaar, Tim Dilena, Jamie Kjos, Steve Miller and Paul Grabill. They are iron who sharpen my iron and hopefully vice versa!

I think of protégés that the Lord has entrusted to my life for particular seasons, such as Curt and Christy Demoff who served on staff at Brighton A/G before we launched them to Clarkston where they pastor a great church, Bridgewood Church. Darin and Wendy Loruss served faithfully as our nursery directors for years, then came on staff as children’s pastors for 7 years and then were launched to revitalize Mason A/G.

In all these relationships, Solomon’s words in Proverbs 11:25 apply: ‘…he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.’ My life has been refreshed by mentors, peers and protégés and I pray that I will refresh others for all the coming days the Lord grants.

Welcome!

Welcome!  I have started blogging!  I hope that the things written will bring encouragement in building the Kingdom of God!