A Beautiful Calling - Part 1 (The Danger and Privilege of Pastoral Ministry)

Introduction

1 Timothy 4:11–16 ESV

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Michael Kenneth Williams died on September 6, 2021 at 54 years old. He did not know that the heroin he purchased had been laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl. He struggled with drug addiction for most of his adult life. He grew up in a rough neighborhood. He was molested at 12 or 13 years old, and thought of himself as damaged goods. Across the US during this COVID-19 pandemic, people have died in record numbers from drug overdoses. Most of them don’t make major headline news. But Michael K. Williams did because he was a very talented and well known actor, earning 5 Emmy Award nominations during his career. His name may not ring a bell to you, but he rose to fame through his role as Omar in the early 2000’s HBO show The Wire.

In a 2016 interview with NPR’s Terry Gross, Williams his relationship with Reverend Ron Christian, who planted and pastored Christian Love Baptist Church. Michael Williams said, “I’ve never seen someone give so much of themself, 100% night and day. He was always there.” He met Rev. Christian during the 2nd or 3rd season of The Wire. He was struggling with drugs at the time and someone told the Pastor that he needed help. According to Michael Williams, Rev. Christian was in the Bronx doing ministry and heard that someone needed his help. He dropped everything, drove back to Newark, NJ to meet Michael Williams. He had never seen The Wire, had no idea who Michael Williams was, just knew that someone needed his help. In fact, Michael Williams told Terry Gross that Rev. Christian asked him to write his full name on a piece of paper. He wrote “Michael K. Williams.” Then the pastor said, “What do you want to be called?” Williams said, “You can call me Mike.” Then the pastor said, “Why is everyone telling me that Omar’s in trouble?” That’s when Williams realized that he had no clue who he was.

Williams said, I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked for. I was broken, doing drugs. Rev. Christian gave him a Bible and said, “We’re going to spend the day together.” Williams said that one the pastors biggest sayings was, “I’m gonna love you until you learn to love yourself.” Then he said of Rev. Christian, “He never judged. He just nudged.” “ You know, you can stop this pain when you’re ready. I can help you. But until then, I’m your brother.” He said the pastor didn’t accept his disfunctionalism, but he loved me in it.”

There’s a lot we could say about what Michael Williams shared, but here’s part of why I’m telling you this story. He gave this interview in 2016, while working on a project that was about Rev. Ron Christian. Rev. Christian passed away in 2015 at 51 years old. He died while praying at the church. When Terry Gross asked Williams about his pastor’s death he said, “His heart just stopped working. It gave out.” When I heard him recount how tirelessly the pastor worked on behalf of those he was striving to reach and disciple with the gospel, Paul’s words to Timothy in 2Ti4.6-8 came to my mind.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

This first message on A Beautiful Calling is subtitled: The privilege and danger of pastoral ministry. The pastorate is a beautiful calling. The privilege is that we get to be on the front lines, proclaiming the truth in love, coming alongside people and communities, a front row seat in seeing the Holy Spirit transform people and places. The danger is that we get to be on the front lines. And those on the front lines take first fire. So, it could cost us everything.