The Pastor's Soul Volume 4: Listening to the Voice of God

ARTICLE TOOLS

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I WAS TEACHING PRINCIPLES of spiritual growth in a rented Communist factory auditorium to about one hundred and twenty-five Ukrainian pastors soon after the end of the cold war. The only hotel in the city rented rooms to Ukrainians for $4 per night; it charged Americans $42. The factory cooks prepared our meals for pennies. The daily menu included red borscht, green borscht, and plain borscht.

Each night we all gathered after dinner in a small hotel conference room for impromptu discussions. I was surprised to discover that Ukrainian pastors struggled with many of the same issues pastors encounter in America: "What about spiritual warfare? Can Christians be demon-possessed? How can we organize our people into small groups? How can I find time to prepare good sermons when I already have a full-time job? What is the best way to disciple our people? How can I have a more vibrant prayer life? What about speaking in tongues? Why do Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals fight so much? What about the role of women in the church?"

One night an elderly gentleman, visibly agitated, said, "We've had more experiences with God and suffering than he has [referring to me]. We have been tested by fire. What does he know that we don't know? Why should we listen to him?"

Some were embarrassed by his outburst. Some thought he was right. Every eye was on me.

I turned to the white-haired Ukrainian pastor, who had suffered much during the Communist persecution, and said, "You don't understand how humbling it is for me to presume to teach anything to you. I've walked through your cemeteries and seen thousands of tree-stump-shaped tombstones (which symbolize lives cue off before their time) with death dates all ending in 1931. I know Stalin sold your grain ...

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