At
one time, there was a Senior Pastor who founded one of the fastest
growing churches in an Asian nation. Within six years,
he preached in many many churches, in many countries, established
16 branch churches, launched a bible school, published 2 Christian
magazines,
appeared on radio programs, held evangelistic rallies, sat on boards
of Christian organizations, conducted Church Growth seminars all
over the place.
His
home church grew from 23 to 1700 in six years. Invitations came
in like floods. He was booked up to three years
in advance. He was
the up-and-coming superstar pastor in Singapore. He believed that
he had unique abilities and better than most pastors. He wanted
to prove
all the "lazy and hopeless" pastors wrong. He felt that
they were self-serving and did not grow their churches well. He openly
expressed
his contempt for such under-shepherds and thus made many enemies.
He could not care less because he was riding the tide of ministry
success.
His ministry and churches were to become models of what real church
growth was all about. When he baptized 40 people every month, he boasted
about them. They were all his new converts! He was not interested in
stealing sheep and he declared that out loud.
He
flew to different places every month to help out the smaller churches
and their pastors so that they could grow.
He told many of these small-church
pastors, "If you cannot afford to give me an offering, please
don't. I will pay my way and my hotel stay, so that I can come and
help you." He loved looking very sacrificial and a fighter for
the underdog pastors and churches.
His
reputation grew and more invitations came in. He had to defer some
because his calendar was full. Wow, everybody
wanted him... and
so he thought. After some times, this pastor felt that he must have
been born in Krypton and wherever he went, people would cry out, "Is
it a plane, is it a bird... it's Superman!"
He was proud to declare that he was able to squeeze five years of
work into one year. He was not like other pastors! He was one of most
hard working pastors in the region. He was in his early thirties and
he seemed to have the infinite strength and stamina to go on and on
and on ... and then one fine day, at only 37.... Wam! He suffered from
a serious burnout and fell into sin!
It took him more than 7 years to recover from the burnout! And like
what they used to say, the rest is history.
Pastor Albert Kang
Coordinator
Elijah Challenge Asia
Luke 10:9 "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God
is near you.’"