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Correspondence with Col. Hector Tarrazona (Ret.) of UCM |
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Hector wrote: September 11, 2003 Dear Tom,
Tom Matic wrote: September 10, 2003 Hi Hec, Praise the Lord! Looks like the group is getting excited with a new project again, the visit of Rey Ortlund of the HAVEN OF REST broadcast ministry. If, as Noel del Mundo said, this can serve to propel an EXPANDED MEN'S MINISTRY at UCM, it would just be wonderful! In my understanding of the early church, the MEN were the ones taking the lead in most if not ALL of church ministries and activities. You will notice this if "you read between the lines" in some passages of Paul's letters. In his first letter to Timothy, ch. 2 verse 8, Paul writes: "In every church service, I want the men to pray, men who are dedicated to God and can lift up their hands in prayer without anger or argument." In most of our churches today, it doesn't matter who takes the lead in any church ministry, either ignoring or forgetting that what Paul had written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So we see our men being so effective in their "secular" endeavors, but hiding their gifts and talents in a bushel when it comes to church life. For most men, the prevailing attitude is, "Let me concentrate in my work, earning a living for my family. Let my wife be active in the church (if she wants to)." So what happens is, the work of the entire body of Christ is left to one little muscle (although a leading and important muscle), the Pastor, while the rest of the body is weak, lame or paralyzed. The result: instead of being praised and commended for all the good they are doing in society, adorning their preaching of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, (as described by the historian Adolph von Harnack in "The Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First 300 Years"), the Christian churches today are more and more being ignored as irrelevant by the outside world. If there are economic, social, political, cultural, even ethical, moral, even spiritual problems of great magnitude, it's not to the body of Christ that people turn but to government or some NGO (Non-Govermental Organization). In fact, it has gotten so BAD that even OUR attitudes as Christians have been shaped by this thinking. When asked what the function of the church is, more often than not, we think only in terms of the worship service. As for all the other works and ministries, we automatically associate them with the NGO's, the government, the civic organizations like Rotary or Lions, or with what they call "the parachurch organizations" (e.g., Campus Crusade for Christ, Samaritana, etc.). If only the leadership, administrative and organizational abilities and experience of our MEN are harnessed and mobilized for the LOVE MINISTRIES AND WORKS of the church, what glory and praise the Name of Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father would reap! Is this thinking out of line with scripture? To answer this question, I've attached a collection of New Testament passages encouraging Christians to engage in all sorts of works and ministries, as a NATURAL, EXPECTED, ENCOURAGED, and even COMMANDED, result of our living faith and salvation in Christ. An example is Colosians 1:9-10: "... we dont cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being FRUITFUL IN EVERY GOOD WORK, ..." Am I saying that the WOMEN should all step back from the many leadership roles they now have in the churches? Definitely not! The lead that women are now taking in many ministries of the church is similar to the role of the Deborah in the Old Testament who became a judge of Israel, because no man was bold enough to step forward. I'm just saying that the MEN should realize their God-given privilege of LEADING in ministries in the churches. Let them STEP FORWARD and offer their abilities, competencies, gifts and talents in the service of the Bride of Christ. I'm echoing the call of the hymn: "RISE UP O MEN OF GOD, The church for you doth wait; Her strengh unequal to her task, rise up and make her great." This hymn is what, more than a hundred years old? So this suggestion of mine is nothing new. But let them do this without in anyway seeming to depreciate the wonderfully redeeming ministry roles that women are now assuming in the churches. They're doing a great job but they need help! The church needs help, the help of CHURCH MEN! I'm 100% sure that the women would just love it when their MEN, finally, take on their God-appointed leadership roles. Anyway, this is getting to be a rather long commentary on the visit of Rey Ortlund. I just wanted to show the tremendous impact and implications of Noel's expressed desire, which we in the UCM-PK share, for "an expanded men's ministry at UCM". Thanks too, and may God bless the sweet and beautiful lady who occasioned this letter -- Pewee Tarrazona announcing that you, Hector, now have your own email address. Glory to God! Glory to Christ Jesus! TOM |