The Final Result is in His Hands

Contributed by Jack Shiflett, Executive Administrator for Western Europe

After over 30 years of ABWE missionary ministry in Spain, two churches recently reached maturity and called their own national pastors. The Sunday before being unanimously called as their pastor, Iñaki Colera sent this letter to the church family of the Iglesia Bautista de Alameda de Osuna.

"I am not a politician and I am not seeking anyone's vote. The best thing you can do for me is to be sincere before the Lord. You are going to be the Lord's voice for me and for my family, and therefore, after you have prayed and asked for God's wisdom, vote accordingly.

"You need to keep in mind that I am a sinner. That is not just a formal declaration, but the painful reality that is manifested daily in my life. I am not better than you are and maybe there are areas in my life that are worse than yours. We all need to pray for one another, but I would ask those who decide to vote in favor of calling me, that you do so with the promise that you will pray for me and my family. Pray that the Lord would keep us faithful and that we would never be a stumbling block nor ever bring shame on the church of God. From the moment I made the decision to serve the Lord, Satan has attacked us, and I am sure he will continue to do so. We need your prayers.

"If you do vote in my favor, I will be the pastor of this church. Although it will make me uncomfortable and I will feel incapable at times, I will exercise the responsibilities of a pastor for your good because that is what the Lord will demand and expect of me. Not that I will just preach a number of times a week, but that I will really pastor this congregation, your souls and the souls of your children. It is a grave responsibility, but I will not be authorized to turn my back on this responsibility no matter how difficult it may be.

"I will make mistakes and you will have to be patient with me. At times we may not agree on what should be done or how. I am not a foreign missionary, nor a venerable elder, nor the person who first spoke to you about the Lord, nor a graduate with a title from a prestigious seminary. In all the difficult circumstances that will come our way I will be just Iñaki. The same Iñaki you have seen grow up in this church with all the defects and struggles I have always had.

"If after next Sunday you call me as pastor of this church, I am going to need you to make the conscious effort to give me your vote of confidence. I am not asking you to be blind to my weaknesses, nor to cease from correcting me when necessary, but if you choose me to be your pastor you must be aware that it will be difficult for you to submit to the spiritual authority of someone you know this well. But for the good of the church and the benefit of your souls you should only vote "yes" if you believe you will be able to make this commitment.

"Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings; don't fear that you will disappoint me; don't worry about the future of the church, because it is in the best hands possible—the hands of the Lord. Pray for God's wisdom and vote accordingly. The final result is in His hands."

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