237 Days
237 Days
A lot can happen in eight months. Moving from the most southern region to one of the most northern areas of the United States is to me akin to Abraham’s call by God out from Ur of the Chaldees to a land he knew not. We left our mothers and our fathers, friends and family, familiarity and fashions, in faith, trusting in the God of the Bible’s call to Gettysburg, South Dakota.
We arrived on February 7th, around 5:00 pm, which happened to be about two hours after the parsonage remodeling was finished. Within two days, we experienced a 50-year low, with temperatures at -38 degrees with a wind chill of -56. A great consolation was knowing this was considered cold even by local standards. But to be honest, our greatest consolation is our undeterred conviction that God has placed us here. When Raven and I talk about “how we’re doing” in our new home, we don’t begin with our feelings. We have a sense of certainty, an inner witness, and a strong sense of calling and mission. This is our conviction and focus from which we talk about our experiences. So, amidst our real and present ministerial, personal, and relational challenges, we feel immovable. And despite regular discouragements, God’s grace is greater and it continually encourages us.
A pastor’s primary responsibility is to preach the Word, whether that’s in the pulpit, at the Manor, in a small group, or in personal conversation with you and with those in the Gettysburg community. A pastor is to speak, not to draw attention to himself, but rather to draw people to God’s way of thinking. When he does draw attention to himself, it should be done in the manner of the apostles — public sinners who continually relied on God's grace and mercy.
Pastors are public figures. They are resident theologians whose job is to seek, speak, and show understanding of what God is doing in the world through Christ and His church. They are to guide others in seeking, speaking, and understanding the same things. Pastors, like prophets, are truth-tellers, communicating God’s point of view, especially as it relates to Christ. He is responsible for protecting the church from theological errors and feeding the church on the truth of sound doctrine, as under-shepherds of Christ. Pastors are to care, nurture, and love the people bought by the shed blood of Christ.
Pastors are disciplers, devoting themselves to studying, interpreting, and understanding God’s Word so that others can grasp the person, events, and works of the Bible as they are summed up in Christ. Pastors are to live by example as a model for others, extending grace when others come short, and receiving grace when they come short. Pastors are to charge the congregation to live transformed lives, on mission for Christ, beginning in their church, families, and broader community. They are to cast God’s vision, which is that the church is the place for equipping and the world is the place of engagement.
Pastors are family men. They must first seek the spiritual well-being of their first flock —the little ones at home. Many times, pastors will have to say no to things so they can say yes to his family. Pastors must guard their evenings. They must sacrificially love their wives, just as Christ loved the church. Pastors are to raise their children with the expectation that those children will follow Christ, because of the years of schooling and discipleship invested in their lives, while also committing them in faith to the care and love of God.
I am regularly reminded that I fall short as a pastor, as a man, and as a husband. However, my role was never to be perfect, but instead to cling to, point to, and lead people to the One who is perfect. You and I best model the gospel to our families, our children, and our world, not by perfection but by our repentance, forgiveness, and dependence on the Holy Triune God. As a church, may we all strive to be these three things always: repentant of our sins, forgiving of others, and dependent on God. All of this flows from trusting in the sufficiency of Christ.
I want you to know that I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen and experienced firsthand at Grace Bible Church. I see a hunger and love for the Word of God, faithful church attendance, a commitment by men and women to serve on Sundays and throughout the week, significant community outreach events, a welcoming environment on Sundays, at AWANA, and more.
Pastor Ron said this is the healthiest church he has ever seen. He likened GBC to what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4.11-12, “...but we urge you, brothers, to excel still more.” Here are a few ways I believe God would like to see us excel still more:
1. Revitalize our youth ministry by engaging in our local elementary, middle, and high schools, and even schools beyond.
2. More individuals taking responsibility for their God-given spheres of influence and owning those spaces as their mission field.
3. Enhancing the appearance of our interior and exterior building.
4. Expanding our online presence and appearance through social media.
5. To grow in the fundamental doctrines of the faith.
6. Increased desire to disciple and be discipled.
7. Greater trust in the power of congregational prayer.
Our mission at GBC is to know Christ and make Him known. This is what you are about. It is what I am about, too. As we think and pray about how it would please God to use GBC, let us commit to putting our time, talent, and treasure where our mission is – Knowing Christ and Making Him Known.
In His service,
Pastor Logan
We arrived on February 7th, around 5:00 pm, which happened to be about two hours after the parsonage remodeling was finished. Within two days, we experienced a 50-year low, with temperatures at -38 degrees with a wind chill of -56. A great consolation was knowing this was considered cold even by local standards. But to be honest, our greatest consolation is our undeterred conviction that God has placed us here. When Raven and I talk about “how we’re doing” in our new home, we don’t begin with our feelings. We have a sense of certainty, an inner witness, and a strong sense of calling and mission. This is our conviction and focus from which we talk about our experiences. So, amidst our real and present ministerial, personal, and relational challenges, we feel immovable. And despite regular discouragements, God’s grace is greater and it continually encourages us.
A pastor’s primary responsibility is to preach the Word, whether that’s in the pulpit, at the Manor, in a small group, or in personal conversation with you and with those in the Gettysburg community. A pastor is to speak, not to draw attention to himself, but rather to draw people to God’s way of thinking. When he does draw attention to himself, it should be done in the manner of the apostles — public sinners who continually relied on God's grace and mercy.
Pastors are public figures. They are resident theologians whose job is to seek, speak, and show understanding of what God is doing in the world through Christ and His church. They are to guide others in seeking, speaking, and understanding the same things. Pastors, like prophets, are truth-tellers, communicating God’s point of view, especially as it relates to Christ. He is responsible for protecting the church from theological errors and feeding the church on the truth of sound doctrine, as under-shepherds of Christ. Pastors are to care, nurture, and love the people bought by the shed blood of Christ.
Pastors are disciplers, devoting themselves to studying, interpreting, and understanding God’s Word so that others can grasp the person, events, and works of the Bible as they are summed up in Christ. Pastors are to live by example as a model for others, extending grace when others come short, and receiving grace when they come short. Pastors are to charge the congregation to live transformed lives, on mission for Christ, beginning in their church, families, and broader community. They are to cast God’s vision, which is that the church is the place for equipping and the world is the place of engagement.
Pastors are family men. They must first seek the spiritual well-being of their first flock —the little ones at home. Many times, pastors will have to say no to things so they can say yes to his family. Pastors must guard their evenings. They must sacrificially love their wives, just as Christ loved the church. Pastors are to raise their children with the expectation that those children will follow Christ, because of the years of schooling and discipleship invested in their lives, while also committing them in faith to the care and love of God.
I am regularly reminded that I fall short as a pastor, as a man, and as a husband. However, my role was never to be perfect, but instead to cling to, point to, and lead people to the One who is perfect. You and I best model the gospel to our families, our children, and our world, not by perfection but by our repentance, forgiveness, and dependence on the Holy Triune God. As a church, may we all strive to be these three things always: repentant of our sins, forgiving of others, and dependent on God. All of this flows from trusting in the sufficiency of Christ.
I want you to know that I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen and experienced firsthand at Grace Bible Church. I see a hunger and love for the Word of God, faithful church attendance, a commitment by men and women to serve on Sundays and throughout the week, significant community outreach events, a welcoming environment on Sundays, at AWANA, and more.
Pastor Ron said this is the healthiest church he has ever seen. He likened GBC to what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4.11-12, “...but we urge you, brothers, to excel still more.” Here are a few ways I believe God would like to see us excel still more:
1. Revitalize our youth ministry by engaging in our local elementary, middle, and high schools, and even schools beyond.
2. More individuals taking responsibility for their God-given spheres of influence and owning those spaces as their mission field.
3. Enhancing the appearance of our interior and exterior building.
4. Expanding our online presence and appearance through social media.
5. To grow in the fundamental doctrines of the faith.
6. Increased desire to disciple and be discipled.
7. Greater trust in the power of congregational prayer.
Our mission at GBC is to know Christ and make Him known. This is what you are about. It is what I am about, too. As we think and pray about how it would please God to use GBC, let us commit to putting our time, talent, and treasure where our mission is – Knowing Christ and Making Him Known.
In His service,
Pastor Logan
Recent
Archive
2025
September
October
No Comments