Since beginning my work at Central Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa the last Sunday of May 2014 the congregation has had three “Meet the Ministers” fellowships.  One was a Homemade Ice Cream Social after assembly one Sunday evening. The other two have been smaller groups either at someone’s home or at the building.  There is one more scheduled for this coming Saturday and  I am looking forward to this time of fellowship.  I have met a lot of new friends in the last 12 weeks and soon the students that are a part of Tide 4 Christ will be joining us for the school year and there will be even more Christian family members to meet.

I do not know where all of you choose to assemble on Sunday’s I do not know if you even do.  If you do regularly assemble with Christians, let me introduce you to the minister (preacher) where you attend.  I may not know his name, but after 25

In my study at Central

years of full time ministry, I know something about him.

1. He loves God.  I know he does or he would not stand before groups of people and declare the salvation that God planned in Christ.
2. He believes in God’s grace. Paul says, that our salvation is only by grace through faith.
3. He loves people. That includes you.  He may occasionally come across a little harsh, but that is because he loves you, knows God loves you, and wants to see you in heaven with God.
4. He is human.  He will make mistakes. He will unintentionally hurt someone’s feelings.  He will say the wrong thing. He will do something he should not have and not do something he should have. He will forget something important to you.
5. He needs grace.  He needs God’s grace. Like you the minister where you worship is a sinner standing in need of the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
6. He is a man of prayer.  He prays for the leaders of the congregation. He prays for the teachers, the parents, the children, the sick, the well, the young, the old, and even for the deacons.
7. He desires your prayers. He is simultaneously humbled and honored when he knows you are praying for him and for his efforts.
8. He likes to have fun. He might enjoy bowling, fishing, hunting, making music, playing ping-pong (or corn hole), telling jokes, hearing good jokes, or sitting and talking with you while enjoying a glass of sweet tea or coffee.

If you have not met the minister where you worship, take time to get to know him. If you are a minister, take time to get to know others in the congregation and get to know them.

– Scott