New Monmouth Musings: Words That Changed My Ministry

Dear Friends,

Last week I attended the funeral of a dear friend of mine, whose words back in 1969 changed the direction of my life and ministry. Those words came from the lips of Dick Armstrong, who had been a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, and who had passed away at age 94.

Dick enjoyed a varied career in both the secular and religious worlds. He was a professional baseball player, an accomplished pianist and composer of music. He was the director of public relations for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, and the first person to introduce the idea of team mascots to professional sports, his Mr. Oriole being the first professional team mascot to appear on the field. Dick, who had pastored one of the largest churches in the Presbyterian denomination, was also a prolific writer who authored seven books and had been working on three others at the time of his death.  Dick was the most amazing and multi gifted man I have ever met. His obituary filled a full page of the Princeton newspaper. 

I first met Dick thorough the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, while he was serving as President of the National Trustee Board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Our interests in sports and faith provided a natural attraction, and thus began a friendship that we maintained for almost 50 years.  Living in the Princeton area provided me the opportunity of visiting with him on a number of occasions, and I never left our times together without feeling encouraged and inspired to be a better person and a better pastor.

But now about those words that changed the trajectory of my life and ministry. Dick had been serving as interim pastor at the Cedar Park Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and one day he called and asked me if I would be interested in considering the pastorate at Cedar Park.  Cedar Park was a predominately white church in a 90 percent black community, and the challenge facing the church was one of integration.  At the time I was serving a small church in Syracuse New York. I knew little, if anything, about urban ministry, and having grown up in a predominately white community of Watertown, New York, I  felt totally incompetent and unprepared for the kind of ministry the church needed. Dick was persistent, however, and on two different occasions he called and encouraged me to at least explore the possibility. Each time I politely told him I was not interested. 

After our third conversation, however, he closed with the words that changed my thinking about my direction for ministry. Dick said, "Tom, I believe You're the man for this ministry." Dick believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. He had confidence in my abilities at a time when I felt totally inadequate. I couldn't  get those words out of my mind. Dick believes in me!

Belief in someone is a powerful force in shaping one's life, and it was those nine words, and, of course,  the power of the Holy Spirit that changed my attitude about my limitations and inadequacies to serve Cedar Park. I accepted Dick's challenge, pursued the position and became Cedar Park's pastor. The next seven years of my ministry were life changing for me and our family as our church became one of the few integrated churches in Philadelphia, and I grew in my ability to pastor in ways I never imagined.

Encouraging words are powerful and life changing as Dick's words were for me. They can become the positive push that can alter the direction of our lives. They can become "the wind beneath our wings" that enable us to soar beyond the limits of our own expectations.

The Apostle Paul fully realized the power of the 'positive push' when he exhorts us "To encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing. " 1 Thess. 5:11

Is there someone in your life who would benefit from your words of encouragement?

Why not drop them note or pick up the phone and give them a call. I promise you that you will be glad you did, and so will the person you contact. Who knows what your words might be as life changing as Dick's words were for me.

Yours in faith and friendship,
Pastor Tom