Last week we looked at a call to the ministry, then a call to your first congregation, and I was going to just simply skip over a call to another congregation, that's Lecture 2-3. However, I think we do have time today to have a briefish look at that one before going on to look at Lecture 3, the pastor's training. So, we've looked at the pastor's preparation, the pastor's qualifications, The pastor's calling, and today, later on, we'll get on to the pastor's training. I think I did leave out that handout last week. You may not have it with you. If you don't, then the copy is on Populi. And if you don't have access to Populi, and you don't have the paper copy, then all I would suggest is that you just write down the maxims as you go along today when I give the numbers, and you can fill them out, of course. when you get back to your studies. So, first thing is God can call you to a short pastorate, and this is by way of introduction to the subject. God can call you to a short pastorate. Tom Carson accepted a call to serve I think it was in Quebec, with the understanding that he would spend part of his time improving his French. And after a few years, he would resign and try to plant a French-speaking church in that city. So he took a calling with that specific purpose, really, of a shorter ministry to prepare him for another ministry. So God can call you to a short pastorate. One, two, but seek long pastorates. There's a book I'm going to be quoting from again and again in this lecture. It's David Campbell's Handle That New Call With Care. It's a book I would really recommend that you get. I know you're not looking to change congregations when you don't even have your first one, most of you. This will almost inevitably come into your lives if you have any length of ministry. And so I'd like to just give you a little bit of preparation for that. And this book is really targeted at that specific ministerial pastoral dilemma. What to do when a new call comes your way. And Campbell says in his book, There is much to be said for long pastorates. The opportunities that they give for developing deep relationships with the people, the growing influence for good that a pastor can have as those relationships develop, the healthy discipline of continually having to break fresh ground in preaching, the long-term goals that can be striven for, the enrichment to the congregation as the pastor matures over the years and gifts and graces. These are all arguments for a pastor putting down roots and remaining in a charge for a considerable length of time. Really excellent reasons given there. I think one of them, that having to break fresh ground in preaching, is a tremendous motivation to study. I do know of some pastors who maybe have three, four years here, three, four years there, three, four years, and really they're just preaching the same three or four years worth of sermons wherever they go. And so they're not developing, they're not maturing, they're not progressing. And that's not just a detriment to the church, but it's obviously it's a detriment to their own souls as well. You talk to pastors and they'll give you numerous lengths of time that they'll speak of in terms of, after four years, I feel as if I've just started. Now that can vary, but there's a sense of that in a congregation You're really not going to make much breakthrough in the first year, two years, even maybe three years. Then there comes a point where you've won trust, you've won respect, you've matured yourself, you're in the groove, and your usefulness then begins to multiply and your preaching and pastoring opportunities increase. So seek long pastorates. That's all I'm saying going into the ministry. One three. Don't seek a move. Again, just a general principle with some exceptions, but in general, don't be seeking a move. Andrew Bonar said in his biography, page 152, a change of heart may be more fruitful than a change of congregation. A change of heart may be more fruitful than a change of congregation. That's challenging, isn't it? He went on to say, I need not change of place nor people, but of heart in order to be more useful. And 1.4, prepare your church for your departure. The biography of Schulte says, a church that hangs on the person of its minister will die with him. And what happened to this church of the mature Christians, as they were called, Shoulter's Church? It says, a year after Shoulter's death, it disbanded. He had patronized it, paid for its building, preached for nothing, but never given it a form or zeal to perpetuate itself. It hung upon his person and died with him. And you'll see in some of the links that I've put in the popularized site, There's at least one that deals with pastoral succession. And personally, I think it goes too far. It's a Gospel Coalition article in terms of people trying to plan for the next person that comes after them. But at the very least, we should prepare people to handle the succession, if not prepare a successor. So prepare your church for your departure. Don't make them utterly depend upon yourself for its existence in hell. Preparation for change. Oh yes, you like our snowflakes today? Every week's an adventure, isn't it? Number two one, God will usually prepare us for ministry changes. Boner said, I sometimes think that the Lord is making my way easier to leave this place by various occurrences. But what matter change of place if the Lord go with us? Later he says, sometimes I think my heart is drawn considerably toward working among the perishing multitudes at home in such places as Glasgow. So he's thinking of abroad but feeling this This real pull towards working in Scotland and the big cities. He says, my heart is toward the perishing multitudes and towns if ever I leave this place. Enabled, he says, to set apart a good part of this day for prayer regarding Glasgow. In my ordinary reading, Jacob's going down to Egypt occurred. That seemed a word in itself. I lay at Christ's feet, trying to look up in His face and get from Him counsel, strength, knowledge of His will, all I need. So there you're seeing something going on in the heart of a godly man as a sense of calling to another place begins to build. God will often do that and as he will prepare us for ministry changes. So there was something going on in his heart and then the call to Glasgow came. It wasn't out of the blue. I would say that would be usual. It's not always the case. I think even recently, Pastor Procey's call that he's accepted to go back to the Netherlands. He said, I believe himself, that it was really Even when it came, it wasn't on his radar. He never thought it would come, and he never thought he would respond to it. So there was no building preparation there. But I think oftentimes, even usually, there will be some element of divine preparation before a call comes. Number three, consideration. A call to serve should be considered on objective and subjective grounds. Again, I'm going back to Boner here. He was asked by the Committee for Evangelism amongst the Jews to consider a call to Constantinople. And he said, I'm led to apply Acts 16 verse seven for Constantinople is just opposite the coast of Bithynia. I have a seed to go to the coast opposite Bithynia and the spirit suffered me not. That is, he says, I do not feel that the Holy Spirit has stirred me up to that work or qualified me for it. So you see their subjective. and objective considerations. While yet, he says, did I know it as his will, I would go tomorrow. And then he goes on, the committee have given up as hopeless in the meantime, the attempt to supply my people for three years and now call me to go for life. The initial proposition was, hey, go to Constantinople for three years, we'll supply your congregation, then come back. They say, well, we can't get three years' supply, so will you go for life? And he says, this I have no light at all to do. It seems contrary to God's way of training me hitherto. He's looking at how God's prepared him and trained him up to this point. And as he looks at Constantinople, he says, this is too big a jump. It just doesn't fit. It doesn't gel. Other circumstances in the matter have led me to think the Lord is not opening up this way for me. My brethren are now all against me going. And last of all, my own soul has never felt called." And then later on in his biography, he speaks about, I moved to come to Edinburgh. by the providential aspect which things seem to me to bear." And then he lists them. And if you go through them, he lists some of the objective and subjective factors in his consideration of this call. 3. Consider reasons to stay. I think this is one of the great things about that David Campbell book. He has a, I think if I recall correctly, a full chapter devoted to what are the considerations, then consider reasons to stay, then another chapter consider reasons to go. I put up PDFs of some of that material, again on that lesson site and Populi. And I really encourage you to read it, even though you're not thinking of changing congregation, some very helpful material there, even on actual considering of your calling. So he says, for example, on page 2122, what will cause a minister to remain where he is? Perhaps what kept Titus in Crete. He stayed on there after the Apostle Paul left in order to straighten out what was left unfinished. Titus 1.5. There were things that still needed to be done, situations that needed to be tackled, truths that needed to be taught. And then in the biography of John Stott, He's received this call. He wants to become the principal of a theological college. Anyway, he cites reasons for staying his elderly parents health. He'd set his hand to the clubhouse project in All Souls Parish. I don't possess the necessary qualifications. I'm much too young. I don't have the spiritual maturity, experience, or gifts for such an influential position of leadership. I'm not married. I'm not an ecclesiastical statesman. I feel more called to the ministry of the word and to pastoral ministry. So again, some helpful areas for consideration. But then 3.3, consider reasons to go. Consider reasons to go. Again, David Campbell's chapter. speaks of the varied reasons that will enter into a man's thoughts and touches on a number of these. Maybe health, maybe opportunity to develop gifts and usefulness. Maybe the fact that he suffered so much at the hands of hostile church members in this present situation. Or maybe he feels his own spiritual maturity would fit this other situation better. So 3.3, consider reasons to go. 3.4, see the benefits of a quiet congregation. I think it's very, very tempting when we are starting out in the ministry, we see ourselves as pastoring 200, 300, maybe more. And maybe very few of us are sitting here today saying, oh, I hope I get a congregation of 20. or 25, and yet there are tremendous benefits, especially in starting off in a quiet, smaller congregation. Bonar was 18 years in a very quiet Perthshire congregation. It says, often during those 18 years of seclusion, Mr. Boner wondered what might await him in the future, and if his work might not someday lie in a wider field. Several invitations came to him, but he did not see God's call in any of them. And he's in London, and he writes to his brother-in-law saying, many an upbraiding do I meet with for what they count the folly and absurdity of continuing to feed a few sheep and call us, rather than agree to plunge into the mass misery of souls here. But nevertheless, I'm not moved from my belief that the Lord may mean to work more in a very small spot than in a great city." So he's not just talking about his own personal development, getting time and space to grow and mature and learn, but even seeing If you're in God's place, then it really doesn't matter how big or small your congregation is, because God can save more souls in a small congregation than he might do in a big one, or use you to mature a couple of dozen people in a way that maybe not even a handful might respond in a big congregation. So see the benefits of a quiet, Congregation I certainly had that for almost five years. It was extremely beneficial God may give you a smaller ministry as a mercy Three five God may give you a smaller ministry as a mercy more leisure and preparation I've given you a quote from again boner and he was Him and McShane were under consideration for Dundee. McShane was called, Boner was left, and he was saying he sees it as God's kindness, both to his parish of Collis and to himself, he says, in giving me more leisure and more preparation. Three, six. God may lower us for a time to raise us higher. Again, Boner. Wonderful the way he's recorded for so many of these struggles and internal dilemmas in his diary. But he says, have a glance now and then at what God may have sent me to do, but as yet no opening. There are two great lessons to me at present. Willing to be nothing, if God so please. and prayer for the past opportunities being blessed. I feel as if God had put me now for a time in a lower place of his vineyard with less work." And he goes on so honestly to say, I believe that Christ desires to subdue in me the disposition of the sons of Zebedee. But I've often greatly wished and expected to be honored in the church. Now I feel that I am not cared for, and in St. George's I am counted heavy and listless. He goes on to say how he's doing this little work in Edinburgh and nobody knows, nobody sees. He accounts that the reason may be either to reserve me for some honorable reason in his cause afterwards, or to remove me to praise himself above. Don't let the fear or favor of man determine where God calls you to serve. Three, seven. Don't let the fear or favor of man determine where God calls you to serve. You're in a great congregation, you're very blessed, you've got wonderful people around you. You get a call and the main consideration that you have when you look at it is, what will my elders think of me? favorite godly widows say of me. Don't let these considerations determine, maybe influence, but not determine where God calls you to serve. Boner again says in the middle of that large paragraph, the fear of displeasing my uncle is the only very strong argument in favor of Glamis. So he has been called to this place, and his uncle was involved in it. And he's saying, really, the only reason I would go is I'm so afraid of displeasing my uncle. 3-8, expect difficulties wherever you go. In the biography of John Stott, Timothy Dudley Smith says, the traditions of the church are not so definitely evangelical as in Prebendary Webster's time. Sorry, this is Stott speaking there. And I shall need much grace, tact, and firmness to deal with the present situation and win the confidence of the people. The parish contains opposite extremes of wealth and poverty. It's not easy to make the church a spiritual home for both. He talks about some of the financial difficulties. Again, Tambell says, should a minister leave because he's facing difficulties? It's often the Lord's will that he continue his ministry in spite of them. He quotes the example of Jeremiah. He says of Jeremiah, we have in him the most steadying, encouraging, humbling, and inspiring of examples. One that's helped many a sorely tried minister. to submit to the Lord's will and stay where he is. So sometimes when you're going to face difficulties in a congregation, it's going to be very tempting to look for a call or accept any call that comes, but just know that wherever you go, sooner probably rather than later, other difficulties, maybe greater, will arise. Three nine, you may be called out of pastoral ministry to other ministries of the word. Campbell again quotes numerous examples of this very helpfully in his book. All ministers, he quotes Hezekiah Harvey, are not called to the pastorate. And it's sometimes the duty of those who were once called to that position to leave it and enter a different department. of ministerial work, still ministry of the word, but not so much in a pastoral setting. One of the stories, one of the things I've linked to on the website is a blog by Trevin Wax, who was a Baptist pastor, a well-known blogger as well. He, last year, went to work for Lifeway, building biblical curriculum for Bible studies and things like that. The article is him sort of an apology. He's obviously got people saying, how can you be a pastor and then go to work for a publisher? And this, again, is sort of the essence of his argument. I'm called to the ministry of the word. And whether that's in the pastor, and that's what it's usually going to be, or some other sphere of service, that's up to the Lord to decide. So some helpful stuff. Again, you can look at a number of well-known men who have done things like this in Campbell's book. 310, be open to praying about even the most unlikely of calls. Be open to praying about even the most unlikely of calls. Leave that one with you, you can read through the quote. 311, God may close doors as well as open them. Reduce usefulness as well as increase it. And again, Boner. I was considering too, he says, that my having little preaching. I think if I recall, he's in some assistantship at this point, earlier in his life in Edinburgh. He's saying, my having little preaching was equivalent to God restraining me from work by sickness or any cause like that. So he's saying, look, if the Lord has sent sickness into my life, I wouldn't be able to preach much. And he says, now, I would have been satisfied had the cause seemed inevitable, had it been something like sickness. So why not also now? And God's called him into this time when he just doesn't have the same opportunities and the same usefulness. 311 sorry 312 312 let nothing but the call of God lead you to another congregation. Boner today announced my conviction to my people that if I did not go to Glasgow I fear I should be acting the part of Jonah. Nothing but the conviction of a call would have led me to leave this place, and I fear lest my work here would never prosper afterwards. Solemn. 313, God usually confirms his call with his word. Notice the word usually. Find this in many men's lives, they have a call and in the course of their ordinary reading or family worship or listening to sermons, God so orders it that a particular text, verse, passage is preached upon that just absolutely seals the deal. And Boner gives an example there. In both his private reading and his family worship. And in the book, Elijah the Tishbite. 314, patiently wait for divine guidance. You can read that quote there. So all that under the heading number three of consideration. Number four. Consternation, consternation. For one calls cause deep, inner and outer conflict and trauma. Calls cause deep, inner and outer conflict and trauma. It's a very suitable lecture for you, John. We're talking about leaving a congregation and going to another. Maybe it's just as well you didn't hear the early part. Again, in Boner's biography, he relates in deep perplexity. Mr. Candlish has offered me the situation of assistant and parochial missionary among his people, and I am much urged on every side so that this season seems to be turned into sorrow and anxiety instead of rest. Got a letter from John Purvis which moved me exceedingly wherein he beyond measure dreads my going away. I've come again to Jedburgh and I'm now in the very depths of perplexity. You see, the deeply emotional words he uses to describe his situation. The same with that quote there from Davis. He talks about his anxious perplexities, his uneasiness night and day. So this is not going to be an easy decision usually for most pastors. For to expect deep sadness and even depression when you leave a flock. And the donor says, I felt this day far more intense sorrow than ever before. Altogether I have felt of late somewhat as I suppose death would make me feel in parting from friends. I do nothing but go alone and weep over them and pray. For some days it seemed as if I had passed through a sort of death in coming away, being still in some measure very depressed. I was cheered by conversing with Horace." So here's a man, he's been called of God, he knows he's called of God, and he accepts his call and he goes away, but it's not like you just click your fingers and you dissolve all ties and relationships. That's deep trauma, deep sadness, even depression. Jonathan Edwards says, my heart seemed to sink within me, leaving the family and city where I had enjoyed so many sweet and pleasant days. And then another lengthy quote there in the John Stott biography. Emotions of all kinds overwhelmed me. I was honoured and humbled, reassured and frightened, grateful and fearful." Again, speaking of overwhelming sadness. And then 4.3, expect strong persuasion from calling churches. And I've just left you there with the reference to look up in John Stott's biography, pages 320 to 326. Number five, valediction, the leaving itself. Five one, times of departure can be blessed times that God uses in saving and sanctifying his people. Sometimes it can feel like an unmitigated disaster for the church that's losing its pastor and even for the pastor himself. He thinks, you know, when he accepts this call These last weeks, months are just going to be disastrous. They're going to be just so painful and stressful. And yet God can use them mightily. Boner speaks of how the attention and concern of the people is very encouraging. It seemed to sort of intensify their attentiveness, their appreciation, their desire to milk the last drops of goodness from this man's ministry among them. Some people will switch off, they will. Especially if they totally disagree with you going, but other people, you'll see, they'll just hang on your words in ways that they've not done before. Five two, leave faithfully. Leave faithfully. That's a section again from Jonathan Edwards. Very tempting in your last few weeks or months in a congregation, just let things go. I'll leave that to the next guy to tidy up, you know, or the eldest can deal with that once I've gone. But there, in that extract from Edwards' biography, Jonathan Edwards, he's faithful to the end. He doesn't spare the people when he sees sin. He says, it's been exceeding grievous to me when I've heard of vice, vanity, and disorder among our youth. And so far as I know my heart, it was from hence that I formally held this church to some measures for the suppressing of vice among our young people, which gave to so great offense and by which I became so obnoxiously saying, you know, I've already suffered over this in my ministry among you. I've rebuked this kind of behavior. and it's been a cause of trouble among us. And I said, I'm not gonna let it go, even though I'm just in my last weeks here. Here he's saying, the contentions which have been among you since I first became your pastor have been one of the greatest burdens I've labored under in the course of my ministry. And so he preaches his last sermon, his farewell sermon. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Now, obviously you can go to two extremes here. You can do what I spoke of there, just let it all go, and leave it to the next guy. On the other hand, you can take the last opportunity to give them a good slashing, and let all the things you bottled up over the years but never said anything about just pour out of you. We're trying to navigate. these two rocks and leaving faithfully. Leave charitably. In the R.C. Anderson book, The Effective Pastor, he says in the time before he leaves the church for his new field of service, he should be careful to see that his ministry is cordial, friendly and positive. And he goes on to speak well of, he should use the time to patch up misunderstandings and restore relationships with people with whom he has a difficulty. He should do his best to leave the church as a friend to everyone. And his sermons should be positive messages of encouragement and motivation to the people. And he says, during the week of his departure, it's proper for him to pay special visits to people with whom he has enjoyed a particularly meaningful Relationship. If he leaves in a loving and gracious spirit with a positive attitude, it will be a sweet and honorable parting, and the people he leaves will have fond memories of him. So leave charitably. 5-4, leave prayerfully. Andrew Bonar, again. Okay, we're leaving in a few weeks. Temptation. Stop praying for these people because you won't see the fruits of it. What does Boner say? Resolve this forenoon to spend my time in prayer and thanksgiving and reviewing all my life in this place. I lament the sins of coldness and earthliness, wandering in prayer, seeking to benefit others without being benefited myself. Something of discontent at little annoyances, opportunities lost, so on, so on. So, I remember this myself when I left my both congregations actually. One of the last things I did, and all the furniture was out of the house, vans packed, ready to go, was went to the empty studies that I'd spent so many, many hours in. And they were really sweet times of thankfulness, gratitude, memories of fellowship with God, help from heaven and preparing. But also times of, yes, repentance and confession, of failings and inadequacies, mistakes. So time for prayer is a very profitable time spiritually, or it can be. Five, five, leave confidently. And that's really speaking of confidence that God can raise up men after you to take your place. Leave confidently. Honour, the story of my subject, Joseph, unexpectedly coming to the cross, led me to see how easily God could raise up instruments for Jedburgh if I left it. The context led me to see that it may be right to leave a people, even though much trouble was coming in afterward, and the work appeared to be stopped and broken off. I believe that God sent me only to commence and that other instruments will be raised up wherever the people are, come to trust only in God. And then a quote there from the Peyton biography, again, expressing his confidence that whereas he has sown, another will water, another will reap. Don't look back with this terrible anxiety that you are this unique, irreplaceable pastor. Pray for a successor, but don't choose one. Five, six. Again, you'll maybe contrast that view with the Gospel Coalition's article on planning for pastoral succession. My own view is pray for a successor, but don't choose one. Again, quoting there from Campbell's book, but who will take my place? one of our primary concerns if we've got a truly pastoral heart. It's just Moses' concern as he drew to the end of his life. And what's God's answer to Moses? It's take Joshua, son of Nun. At his command, he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in. God basically chooses the successor. It's extremely tempting to get involved in that process. You're going to be in another congregation and you're going to get an email, you're going to get a phone call. We're thinking of Reverend, Pastor, Doctor, whoever, X, Y, Z. What do you think? I really believe unless it's really exceptional, like you know something that maybe people don't know, that you entrust them to the Lord, and you leave that congregation under the guidance of its own elders and probably an interim pastor, and that you trust the Lord to lead them into His will. The worst thing is a minister really trying to maneuver and pull the levers and push the buttons and trying to get somebody in his own image back in there after him. And that's probably exactly the opposite of what they need. We all have imbalances and the Lord has his way of following our ministries with somebody that may be a bit different to us, that will rebalance people or that will come in and minister to a group that maybe we haven't ministered to and really need development in. The Lord is able, and we need to trust him to find the right successor. If you start getting involved, this is what usually happens. Your congregation's probably split, and some fancy this man, some want another, and they're wanting your vote. They want to be able to come back and say, well, the minister said this is the man, and then you've created real, real problems. So 5-7, stay out of your successor's way. Again, from Anderson's book, he says, the best advice I can give to a person regarding his successor is to advise him to stay out of his successor's way. If a successor asks, his predecessor may choose to inform him of vital information regarding the congregation. It is my policy, however, to withdraw from the scene as much as possible and let my successor enjoy the spotlight. When he establishes himself and becomes secure enough in his ministry to invite me back, I will return gratefully, remembering, however, that I am only his guest. When members of his parish call me and suggest that there are problems with his ministry, I listen attentively in order to try to defuse the situation. try to make no prejudicial statements, and refer the caller back to his pastor or to the appropriate denominational official if I see that mediation is indicated. Under no circumstances will I interfere. When I meet with my successor, if he wants to tell me his troubles, I will listen attentively and pray with him, but I will not enter the situation or deal with any of his people in his behalf. Stay out of your successor's way. Okay, number six, submission. Six one, submit and encourage submission in your congregation. Submit to the Lord's will if he calls you to a place, submit to the Lord's will if he keeps you in a place, and encourage your congregation to submit whatever the case may be. I'll let you read through a number of these quotes yourself. The transition, number seven. One slide back. Submit and encourage submission in your congregation is six one. Submit and encourage submission in your congregation. Seven, the transition, seven one. Enter a new ministry with self-examination and prayer. Andrew Boner felt last night and this morning many fears lest in Edinburgh I should grow weak and cold or be led by reputation. The prayers of last night will be a witness against me if I yield to self-gratification or seek my own advantage or become cold. 7.2. Expect opportunities wherever you go. This is really, that quote from John Stott's really encouraging us to, we might look at where we are and think, oh, all the opportunities are here. We're looking at the new place thinking, well, there's not many opportunities there. But no, he's saying, expect opportunities. Expect God to open doors of usefulness wherever you go. Seven three, do not criticize your predecessor. So you go into this new place, you start visiting, And the people start complaining. Oh, we are so glad you're here. You have no idea how bad the last guy was. Let me tell you about him. And sometimes, you know, you may have some negative feelings about that guy as well, if you've spent any time in a church. And it's very tempting to put the boot in as well. And of course, it's all about pride, you know. I'm so much better than him, you know, for sure. Aren't you lucky you're rid of him and you've got me now? And as, who is it there? R.C. Anderson again says, often when a new pastor comes into a situation, it appears to him that everything the former pastor did was wrong. So they're all praising him, they're all criticizing his predecessor, and he says it's easy to fall in with such talk rather than discourage it. And he says, it would be good for the new pastor to remember that one day he too may be in a similar spot. It will rebound. 7.4. Consult with your predecessor. Previous minister. Some books say never ever talk to the guy that was there before because that's going to colour your views. It's going to give you a prejudice. in the quote from Anderson's book. He says, before agreeing to become pastor, I made it a point to sit down with my predecessor and try to get an objective view of the congregation. Rather than flavoring my view prejudicially, his comments gave me rich insights into the congregation. 7-5, honor your predecessor. Honor your predecessor. Anderson, again, He says, I did my best to praise his accomplishments before the people and to hold him in honor. When significant anniversaries approached, I invited back as many of my predecessors as possible to take part in the celebration. When families in the church invited a predecessor of mine to conduct a wedding or funeral, I tried to stay out of the way. I would attend without maybe taking part in it, allowing my predecessor his place in the sun." He's just saying, look, this is reasonable. You're new there. They've been with him for many years. Don't feel put out because they want him to marry their daughter or conduct this funeral. And lastly, 7.6, start slowly. Start slowly. Greatest mortality amongst ministers say Taylor and Plummer, is during the first three years after settlement. Now, one at least of the causes of that is that most young men put too many irons into the fire at first. Without stopping until their pulpit preparations have become easy to them, they set up a Bible class, a cottage meeting, a mission station, and so on, and go into each of them with all the fervor of juvenile enthusiasm until, warned by failing health when it's too late, they abandon some or may even have to look for another sphere. So he's basically saying, just lay the groundwork first. Don't go in all guns blazing, starting programs here and everywhere. Get the basics right, build slowly, and just see what your capacities and limitations are in this new situation. Okay. Again, encourage you to read Campbell's book. Any questions?