Complete Our Work There

Reading: Titus 1; Psalm 136

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to bring faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.  4 This letter is written to Titus, my true child in the faith that we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.  5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. (Titus 1:1, 4-5 NLT)

Paul was nearing the end of his life and ministry. He was thinking more about training than traveling, more about developing than doing. He writes letters of transfer of the task to his sons in the faith, Timothy and Titus. Paul’s words to Titus speak volumes to me this morning – “…so you could complete our work there…”

Jean and I started the Bible Training Centre in Kingston, Jamaica in 1986 and left it in the hands of others in 1990.  It’s still serving the Church today. We started East London Bible Training Centre in East London in 1992, but when we left the UK eight years later, we left it in the hands of others. First John and Carol Glenham then Mike and Yvonne Tobin continued the ministry of ELBTC, completing the work there.

During one of our subsequent visits to London, I met with the leadership team of Leytonstone Elim Church, our church home during the eight years we lived in London, to discuss and develop a strategy for Mervyn Tilley to begin the process of handing over the lead pastor role to his successor. Since returning to the US, we’ve been involved in several lead pastor generational transitions.

I’ve been thinking about the generational hand-over of the task of reaching the lost and discipling believers. Unless we’re leaving the task unfinished, perhaps our concept of the task is too small. Unless we have someone to whom we can hand over the uncompleted part of the task, we aren’t reproducing in the next generation what God has birthed in us. Just a thought.

Prayer:

Father, Please help me keep my vision big enough and bright enough that there will always be part of it that is unfinished. And keep me living in close relationship with the next generation of leaders so that there will be someone to whom I can hand over – pass on – the things you have taught me. Amen!

May I include a closing note here that some assignments are seasonal and when they’re done, they’re done! Some people do complete their God-assignment and simply rest!