Farewell to a Friend

By Daniel Vestal
April 23, 2010

On April 17, 2010, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship said farewell to a founder and friend, Cecil Sherman. He was a leader among us even before we began and then served as our first coordinator from 1992 to 1996. He can never be replaced or replicated, but he will be missed.

I can’t remember the first time I met Cecil, but I have admired and respected him for more than 40 years. I have never known a more principled person than Cecil. He was uncompromising when it came to issues of conscience. Unlike the ancient king of Israel who asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here?” we who knew and loved Cecil could say that we have known a modern Baptist prophet.

His unwavering protest against fundamentalism was prophetic. His resistance to legalism and his clarion call to freedom in Christ was prophetic. His leadership of CBF was prophetic. His preaching was prophetic. And though death has silenced his voice and his pen, his prophetic witness will live on. Like all true prophets before him, “he still speaks even though he is dead.”

Cecil was a prophetic role model, especially for those of us who say we are called to preach and teach. A great temptation for pastors, professors and professional ministers is “to go along to get along,” or to chart a career path, or to “be at ease in Zion,” or to seek success. This is not the role of a prophet. Rather our role is to remind people of God, to speak for God and to be true to God. And when we are faithful to the prophetic calling there will be some who like Naaman will say, “Now I know there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”

But Cecil Sherman was not only a modern Baptist prophet, he was a modern Baptist pastor. He shepherded several churches in his life with love and is honored by those churches as a “beloved pastor.” He led CBF in those early years with a tenderness and “life wish” that resulted in growth and fruitfulness. He nurtured students at Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond in his teaching and personal interest. He pastored a host of colleagues and former church members with his abiding friendship.

And then, through the years he “fed the sheep” of the Baptist family with his written commentaries on Scripture. His influence and impact through Bible study lessons is inestimable. Tens of thousands of lay people have been formed in their faith and enriched in their life because of Cecil Sherman. My wife, who for many years taught an adult Bible study class, told me, “I could soar as a teacher because of the foundation Dr. Sherman gave me in his writings.” Many others could say the same.

I was with Cecil on the SBC Peace Committee in the mid ‘80s, and I shall never forget a poignant moment. One fundamentalist pastor kept bullying Cecil and other moderates, and after Cecil “stood up” to him, he said, “Cecil, you wouldn’t be allowed to teach Sunday School in my church.” It is more than ironic that one of the greatest and lasting legacies of Cecil Sherman will be his love of Scripture, his study of Scripture and his teaching of Scripture to clergy and laity. He was a pastor who knew that God’s flock needed the spiritual nourishment that comes from thoughtful, reverent Bible study.

But Cecil was even more than a prophet and pastor. He was a friend to so many of us. His constancy and integrity inspired us. His faithfulness and friendship encouraged us. His devotion to family humbled us. His life was, and continues to be, an example of Christ likeness. We say farewell to him with sadness, but we do so in the anticipation of resurrection and reunion.

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.

Do You Believe God Still Calls Missionaries?

By Daniel Vestal
October 26, 2009

I do. I believe in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, and I believe that God calls some people to fill a strategic role as cross-cultural and incarnational ministers.

At CBF, we refer to these called individuals as “field personnel.” And when we appoint them, we affirm their calling and send them out as Christ’s representatives. But lately, fewer and fewer have been sent. It’s not that God has stopped calling or that the need for missionaries has gone away. It’s that the CBF Offering for Global Missions – the primary funding source for this part of God’s work around the world – has plateaued.

There are several reasons for this plateau; some I understand and some I don’t.  Maybe it’s changing economic conditions. Maybe it’s that individuals and churches are investing their mission dollars in other ways. Maybe some are giving to projects and field personnel in which they are personally involved. Maybe some have lost confidence in cooperative mission efforts and others don’t give to any ministry where they can’t see immediate results.

I have always believed in an “abundance mentality” when it comes to ministry support, i.e. “God’s work done in God’s way will not lack God’s supply.” Yet I also believe in planning, collaboration and strategic thinking in ministry support. For these reasons, CBF has set some priorities for its shared mission. We focus on the most neglected, those who are least evangelized and most marginalized. We are committed to biblically-based global missions and to a biblical vision of justice. We partner within the Baptist World Alliance and the ecumenical Christian family to proclaim the Gospel. And we serve local churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

As the sole source of support for many of our field personnel, the annual Offering for Global Missions is vital to making these priorities a reality.  The larger the Offering, the more field missionaries we can support. In recent years we have had to reduce the number of field missionaries we can send because of a plateaued offering. Thankfully others have stepped forward to become CBF field personnel bringing their own support with them. For this we are deeply grateful. We are also grateful for the significant anonymous gifts that have funded a number of our field personnel. And I am most grateful that we have not had to bring home any field personnel because of plateaued giving.

But now the time has come for the CBF family to pray even more earnestly and give even more generously so that we can not only sustain the field missionaries we have but send even more. Here’s why I give to the Offering:

•  First, I give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions because it is just that … an offering to God, an expression of my Christian discipleship and financial stewardship. For me this is even more than a donation, a contribution or a fulfillment of a pledge. This offering is an act of worship and a response to a conviction to be part of fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

•  Second, I give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions because it is global in scope. The impact of this Offering is beyond one specific place or one local need. Its reach is bold because the missionaries it sends and supports are all around the world ministering to and with multiple peoples in many places.

•  Third, I give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions because it is a missions offering. Every penny provides salary and support for individuals who cross cultural, language, geographical and racial barriers to be the presence of Christ. They intentionally and purposely go to difficult and dangerous places to invest themselves among people as representatives, servants and ministers of Christ.

Yes, I believe God still calls missionaries, and if you do too, will you please join me in making a gracious, even a sacrificial gift to the CBF Offering for Global Missions?

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.

Being the Presence of Christ: An Apologetic

By Daniel Vestal
August 20, 2009

The abiding, indwelling, transforming presence of Christ is predicated on the resurrection. The hope of every Christian, not only for life after death, but also for transformation in this life is predicated on the resurrection. The promise of Jesus that the Kingdom of God, inaugurated during his life and completed at his return, is predicated on the resurrection. The new heaven and the new earth as a vision for the future and as a motivation for mission is predicated on the resurrection.

It is the defining event for the Christian gospel. If there is no resurrection, the death of Jesus is only the death of a martyr. But with the resurrection, the death of Jesus is the sacrificial act by which God redeems the world. If there is no resurrection, the teachings and claims of Jesus are not only suspect but are blasphemous and insane. But with the resurrection, the teachings of Jesus are the truth by which all other teachings must be judged. Indeed they are the words of eternal life. If there is no resurrection, the story of Jesus itself is inscrutable, contradictory and confusing. But with the resurrection, his story unfolds in a way that makes him the center of history as well as the universe.

All the New Testament documents were composed from a post-resurrection experience. Every writer was living in a community created by profound belief in the resurrection and personal experience with the living Christ. One simply cannot understand the New Testament without seeing
each document from this perspective.

It is important to remember that the resurrection was not a resuscitation of Jesus’ body and a return to the way he was before death. The empty tomb is important, not to prove the resurrection, but to show that the human body of Jesus had been transformed and now fit a mode of existence that can only be called “eternal.” And in that resurrection body he appeared on several occasions to demonstrate that although there was a continuity with his earthly existence, there was also a radical discontinuity.

The resurrection appearances were important, again not to prove the resurrection, but to demonstrate that the resurrected Christ now inhabited a body which – though tangible and touchable – was transcendent. It was very different than before death. So for 40 days Christ appeared to the disciples; not to Pilate, Herod, the Pharisees or other unbelievers. He appeared only to believing disciples, and even in those appearances there is great mystery. He is sometimes identified and sometimes not, but each appearance is only to those who love and believe in him.

Then comes the ascension of the risen Jesus. Scripture uses a number of metaphors to describe this event. He is said to “be exalted at the right hand of God,” or “seated at the right hand of God,” or “standing at the right hand of God.” The meaning of the ascension is that the risen, living Jesus is now glorified. Christ is now a cosmic presence with no boundaries, no limits, no restrictions, not even of a transformed body. And after the gift of the Spirit, this cosmic presence becomes a personal presence available and accessible to all who love and believe in Him.

Christ is now a hidden presence, i.e. not seen by human eyes or grasped by human reason, but only known through faith and love. Christ is now a mediated presence, i.e. Christ is experienced and communicated in many ways and through multiple means to human beings. Christ is now both a transcendent and immanent presence i.e. reigning and ruling the universe yet closer to us than the breath we breathe. Christ is now a trinitarian presence i.e. the threeness of the one God is in the presence of Christ. The very fullness of the divine being dwells in the glorified Christ just as it did in the incarnated Christ.

And it is this Presence that we can receive, nurture and practice. It is by this Presence that we are transformed. This Presence can be embodied in us both as individuals and as a community so that we participate in the transformation of the world. However, this Presence is not a magical spell that can be conjured up or an impersonal power that can be manipulated at will. When Simon the magician saw the manifestation of Christ’s presence he offered the apostles money for his own selfish purposes. But Christ is the sovereign Lord of the universe, free to act in ways that cannot be understood, predicted or controlled.

This means that the presence of Christ is not limited to being embodied in the Church. Though this Presence is in all who believe, this same Presence inhabits and pervades the cosmos. Christ has been exalted and reigns as Lord of history, of time and eternity. The Christ who is within us is also above us, below us, beneath us, beside us, before us.

The presence of Christ is now embodied and mediated in many ways. It is embodied in the experience of Christian worship. Christ said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” It is embodied in a suffering humanity. Christ said, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” It is embodied in those that are marginalized and powerless, Christ said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” And it is embodied in the Church. Christ said, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

The presence of Christ embodied within us is a real presence. Through the centuries there have been fierce debates as to whether Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper is to be interpreted as symbol or substance. But there has been little debate about the sacramental presence of Christ within the Church as a whole and within the individual believer. We become flesh and blood “signs,” partaking of the presence of Christ, revealing the presence of Christ.

This is not merely a metaphor, model or symbol but an actual reality in which we continue Christ’s ministry, suffering and power in the world. This continuation in no way violates or replaces our human identity. Christ’s spirit within us does not obliterate our spirit, but rather “bears witness” with our spirit that we are children of God. Christ’s spirit “joins with our spirit” in providing assurance, strength, affirmation. Christ’s spirit inhabits us at the center of our personality without destroying our personality. Christ’s spirit does not “merge” with our spirit nor does it “deify” us, but it does incorporate us into the mystical Body of Christ and makes us a temple of the Holy Spirit.

This presence within us continues the Old Testament narrative where God is said to dwell among His people. From the fiery pillar of cloud to the “shekinah” glory to the anointing of prophet, priest and king, God dwelt with the chosen people of Israel. So our experience of the indwelling Christ provides continuity with this expansive narrative. This presence within us extends the mission of Christ to reconcile the world to God. Christ continues his redemptive mission through us. We are sent as Christ was sent. We speak His words. We perform His acts. We suffer for His sake. We serve as His hands and feet. This presence within us is part of the consummation of the present and coming Kingdom of God, when the dwelling (presence) of God will be among us. It is part of the goal of the coming Kingdom where the New Jerusalem will descend from Heaven and “the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.”

What a grand and glorious reality is ours as Christ followers. We not only imitate Christ and make him our example, but we experience Christ’s transforming presence and become means by which that presence transforms others. What an awesome privilege.

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.

Missio Dei

By Daniel Vestal
June 3, 2009

In all our conversation about missional church, missionaries, mission trips, mission programs and the human activities that we describe as missions, I would like to reflect theologically on discerning God’s mission in the world and discovering our participation in it.

DISCERNING GOD’S MISSION

THE MOTIVE FOR GOD’S MISSION IS LOVE AND THE DIVINE DESIRE TO BE KNOWN God is love and within the triune God there is an eternal giving and receiving of love. There is community and fellowship within the Divine Being. And out of that love, God creates the universe and human beings in God’s image so that God may be known.

After sin God still desires to be known, so God chooses Abraham and creates Israel to be the vehicle and instrument for making God known to all the world. Then in the fullness of time God sends Israel’s Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, so that the world may know the character and identity of the one true God. God’s mission is motivated by love – unbounding, unconditional, unlimited love.

THE GOAL OF GOD’S MISSION IS THE RECONCILIATION AND REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD. Nobody needs to tell us that our world is broken or that humanity is fallen. We know it. We also know that we’re a part of that brokenness. We know we are sinners, guilty before God and one another. And we ask the question, “Is there any hope? Is there hope for the redemption of my personal character? Is there hope for the redemption of culture? Is there hope for the redemption of the cosmos?

And the answer God gives is, “I make all things new. I forgive and redeem. I not only create, but I recreate what is broken. I heal the bruised and battered. I restore the fallen and deliver the captive.” And beyond that God says, “I create community and restore relationships. I bring peace within persons and peace between people.” And beyond that God says,

“See, the home of God is among mortals,
He will dwell with them as their God;
They will be his peoples,
And God himself will be with them;
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
Death will be no more;
Mourning and crying and pain will be no more
For the first things are passed away.

THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S MISSION IS THROUGH CHRIST. By death on the cross Christ reconciled the world to God, became the sacrifice for sin and defeated the power of Satan. By Christ’s resurrection from the dead, God vindicated the life and ministry, the words and works of Christ, completed the inauguration of the present/coming Kingdom, and declared once and for all that “Jesus is Lord.”

After the ascension Christ continues to live among and within those who believe in Him by the gift and power of the Holy Spirit. The Church is Christ’s mystical Body and a continuing presence of Christ in the world. And at His return Christ will culminate and climax the redemptive mission of God with the renewal of all creation.

The mission of God is in Christ and through Christ. Just as ”there is one God, there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.” There have been many prophets and teachers who point to the truth. But there is only one who is Truth. There have been mystics and martyrs, poets and philosophers in the world. But there is only one Savior for the world: Christ: the image of the invisible God, the Word made flesh, the only begotten Son of the Father.

DISCOVERING OUR PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S MISSION

PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S MISSION IS A GIFT AND PRIVILEGE. One of my favorite Fred Craddock stories is the one he tells about an early pastorate when he called the leadership together as he saw profound changes ahead. He told them, “This community is changing. We need to do something.” But they were unwilling to change or be changed. Twenty years later he and his wife went back to that community to find the church filled with people, because they had sold it to a barbeque restaurant. His wife remarked, “I’m glad this church was sold to a restaurant, because now all kind of people can come.”

The problem with that church, and many others, is that they thought the church and its mission belonged to them rather than to God. They thought that somehow they owned it and could do with it as they pleased. But the church and its mission is simply an extension of God’s mission. It belongs to God. It is given to us as a gift, a stewardship, a sacred trust. What an awesome privilege.

PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S MISSION WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR OWN CHARACTER INTO CHRISTLIKENESS. The greatest way we serve Christ’s Kingdom is by learning to live in it ourselves. We can’t make disciples of others unless we become disciples. We can’t teach the way of Christ unless we learn to walk in it. We can’t witness to the power of Christ unless we experience that power transforming us.

This is why prayer and worship are important. This is why the practice of spiritual disciplines is crucial. This is why Christian community and spiritual formation are necessary. More important in mission than what we do is what we are becoming. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S MISSION REQUIRES THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Mission is more than activity and activism, although it takes our energy and time. Mission is more than doing good things, although it requires our engagement. Mission is more than teaching and preaching, although it includes words. Mission happens only when the ministry of God’s Spirit is taking place in and through us.

Mission is greater than the sum of all our practices, because the Breath of God must quicken and awaken, empower and enlighten, renew and remake. Mission is greater than human effort, although human effort is important, because the Wind of God’s Spirit must blow in mysterious and powerful ways to accomplish what only God can accomplish. And we are totally dependent on that Spirit if we are to participate in God’s mission.

In his remarkable book “The Mission of God” Christopher J. H. Wright offers the following statement: “Fundamentally, our mission (if it is biblically informed and validated) means our committed participation as God’s people, at God’s invitation and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.”

I agree.

My Father's World

By Daniel Vestal
April 2, 2009

While a pastor in west Texas, it was my privilege to preach every year at a cowboy camp meeting, an ecumenical event that was a wonderful window into the ranching culture. One year I preached a sermon against profanity, after which a cowboy remarked to a friend, “I can tell that the preacher has never worked with cattle.” He was right.

I didn’t grow up on a ranch or a farm. In fact I’ve lived my entire life as an urban dweller. But I do love this beautiful world God has created. At times I am terrified by the sheer power of nature, and at other times I am awed by its beauty and complexity. Contrary to the old Gospel song (“This world’s not my home, I’m just passing through”), this world is my home. Indeed my theological conviction is that someday God’s present and coming Kingdom will be realized on this earth as it is in Heaven.

Recently I read a stimulating book, “God and Globalization,” and in it Jurgen Moltmann had an essay entitled, “The Destruction and Healing of the Earth: Ecology and Theology,” Here is a poignant quote. “The ecumenical interest of world Christianity is the habitable condition of the earth and the peacefulness of human civilization. This planet Earth shall, in its end—and this is the final Christian hope—become the house and home for the eternal, indwelling God, the locus where God’s very Self will come to rest: “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.” (Rev. 21:3)

However, Christians are not the only ones who care for “the habitable condition of the earth.” Sometimes I feel that Christians don’t care nearly as much as others. The vocabulary of recent years that calls for care of the earth is not a theological vocabulary: green revolution, ecology (ecosystems, eco-activism), environmental equilibrium, etc. Personally, I am grateful for those who agitate against pollution and global warming and others who advocate for clean water, clean air and the preservation of our natural resources. Such individuals inaugurated “Earth Day.”

“Earth Day” is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for our earth and its environment. Since 1970, the April 22nd date has been the annual date for widespread observance. I realize that this date is not a part of the Christian calendar or doesn’t fit into the liturgical year. It’s not even a national holiday. But I want to suggest that it’s a good way for us to join with ecologists and environmentalists, as well as millions of people who are deeply concerned about the conditions of our planet, to show affection and appreciation for our home – the earth.

As it happens, April 22 this year is on a Wednesday, which gives congregations an even greater opportunity to take advantage of a popular observance. Also this year Disney is premiering a film entitled “The Earth” on April 22. Let me offer some suggestions on how a church might use “Earth Day” as a part of its life and ministry.

1.  Use “Earth Day” as an opportunity for CELEBRATION
I have discovered in all churches an amazing array of individuals who have great affinity and affection for nature. But they don’t know each other: hunters and fishermen, bird watchers and beekeepers, gardeners and garden club members, bikers and hikers. Outdoor people of all sorts would resonate with a call to celebrate the beauty and wonder of the universe.

2.  Use “Earth Day” as an opportunity or EDUCATION
Scripture has a lot to say about God as creator and the responsibility all of us have to be good stewards of the Creation. In recent years the problems of pollution, global warming and environmental destruction have become urgent. The first thing many of us need is to see how Christian discipleship informs and forms our relationships to the earth. There are excellent resources for personal and group study that could be used around this time of the year.

3.  Use “Earth Day” as an opportunity for WITNESS
If there is any place where Christians should be “counter culture”, it’s here. We as human beings are more than “consumers” or “conquerors of the earth.” We shouldn’t be bashful about our conviction that the world around is not just “nature.” We should be bold in reclaiming our prophetic witness that science and technology don’t have the final word about the earth. Our witness should focus on biblical themes: creation, stewardship, sabbath, covenant.

4.  Use “Earth Day” as an opportunity for RENEWAL
Since the natural order is created by God, it gives testimony to the power and beauty of God. The natural order silences us and puts us in our place. But it also can calm and soothe us as no logic or language can. Nature can be a means of grace and a vehicle of the Spirit that ushers us into consciousness of the divine presence.

"This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world,
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hands the wonders wrought."
                      Maltbie D. Babcock

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.

Lessons from Surgery

By Daniel Vestal
March 3, 2009

At the risk of telling more than anyone wants to know, let me report and reflect on the past month.  On February 2 I had surgery for prostate cancer, and it was successful. Lab reports have shown that the malignancy was contained and surrounding lymph nodes were clear. Thanks be to God.

The skill of my surgeon and other medical professionals was outstanding. The care of my wife and family before, during and after the surgery has sustained me. The prayers, encouragement and love of friends and colleagues have been overwhelming. I am most fortunate and deeply grateful.

Sickness and surgery has a way of awakening in one an awareness of what is really important in life. It is also a sober reminder of one’s frailty, dependence and the universal human condition of mortality. Recovery creates time and space for self examination and discernment. This is the longest season of forced confinement and inactivity that I have ever experienced. I have learned, and am still learning, some lessons from this time.

The first is SOLIDARITY. I never felt alone, because I was not alone. I never felt abandoned because I wasn’t. I always felt accompanied and surrounded, because I was. The human family in all its diversity is really one, and I experienced a new connection to that oneness. While hospitalized the nurses that ministered to me were from Mexico, Philippines, Uganda, Ethiopia and the U.S. Somehow all those differences were superficial when it came to the human touch, the human smile, the human word.

Infirmity itself reinforces solidarity. There is a kinship created by disease and death, pain and suffering because sooner or later we all experience it. Somehow in comparison to that kinship, all other rivalries and distinctions seem insignificant.

Two other lessons I am learning are HUMOR and HUMILITY. The day after surgery one of my nurses was determined that I walk, and so into the hall we went. I was partially covered with a hospital gown, with tubes running in and out of me, holding onto a pole for dear life. Suddenly I looked to my left and a man I didn’t recognize said, ‘Hello Dr. Vestal.” He was a former church member and was recovering from a similar procedure. The last thing I thought I wanted was to see someone who knew me, but somehow in that moment we both were able to see each other as we were, and laugh.

During this month I have found myself closer both to laughter and to tears, often at the same time. Perhaps these two patterns of behavior are more related than we recognize. They are both involuntary actions and serve as a window into our deepest self. I have also felt more vulnerable with fewer mechanisms to deny or hide my feelings. I have found pleasure in small things with an increased ability to smile or to grieve. I have felt a greater inclination to tenderness and sensitivity.  

Another lesson I am learning from this past month is RESPONSIBIITY. Having been given so very much, I feel an even greater responsibility to give back. And I not only feel this responsibility as an individual but also in a corporate and civic sense.  I not only feel this responsibility as a Christian, but as an American. Having access to quality health care should not be the privilege of some. Rather it is the right of all. So shouldn’t all of us feel responsibility to do what is necessary to insure quality health care for all?

As it has happened, the timing of my surgery and recovery has been at the beginning of the Obama administration. So I have watched more TV than usual, read more newspapers than usual and followed the events of the past weeks more closely than usual. I have come to know the names and faces of cabinet secretaries and other administration officials and even felt compelled to pray for them by name. I have come to believe that the social, political issues facing our nation are also moral issues: education, energy, environment, immigration, economic recovery and others.

The deepest conviction I have felt is that we have a civic responsibility to make decisions and enact policy that address these issues. We have responsibility to work together so that everyone has the opportunity for productive employment.  We have responsibility to provide quality education for every child and to use energy as good stewards of the environment. We have both personal and corporate responsibility to care for the poor and powerless, to seek racial reconciliation and to hold our government as well as one another accountable for a just society.

One final lesson I’m trying to learn has to do with STEWARDSHIP. We only have so much physical and psychic energy, so much time and money, so much power and influence. The great question is how will we manage it all? What will we do with it?  The same is true of health, and non-health.

Of the many cards and letters I received one was particularly poignant: “No matter what the prognosis, this can be life-altering. But in Christ we know that all things can lead to the good. I will pray that God will grant you strength of body to recover well and strength of spirit to be a good steward of the challenge.” I know I need strength and patience, because I want to be a good steward, even of surgery.

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.