What a great boost to this congregation and what tremendous promise for the future having Dan Fuller ordained as an elder of Palm Beach Lakes. I have long respected Dan and his family (as have so many others), and I know that this congregation will be blessed to have him serving as one of its shepherds.
Thank you, Dan! Thank you for accepting the responsibility and challenge of becoming one of my shepherds. Thank you for preparing yourself for more than 20 years and for desiring to serve this congregation in this capacity. Thank you for the exemplary marriage and family that you and Loni have worked hard to create and live before all of us. Thank you for being the man you are.
Here are some things to keep in mind. You could not possibly be privileged to serve with a better group of men! Wow! PBL has truly been blessed with wonderful, faithful and effective elders over the years! However, remember that your responsibility and task is not to be like one of them. There is much to learn from them and their wisdom will prove to be invaluable, but you can only be the elder that you can be. Don’t try to be someone else. The real value and strength that you bring to the eldership and this congregation is you!
The only one you need to mimic as a shepherd is your Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:5). Mimic His love for God, love for truth, love for people, love for lost souls, love for the less fortunate, love for children, love for widows, love for the discouraged, love for the least in the kingdom, etc.
There will be a temptation to try to “make everybody happy.” You will want people to like you and have a favorable view of you and your efforts. It may be especially tough to not show partiality in your recommendations to the eldership or in the input you offer for the making of group decisions. The role of an elder is not intended to be a people-pleasing position but a God-pleasing position. Ultimately you will answer to God for your efforts and not for how popular you were.
Last year I heard a terrific lecture with an intriguing title, “Being Living-Room Elders and Not Board-Room Elders.” What a cool way to say it! It is “easy” (comparatively speaking) to be a decision-maker and not be a shepherd. Being a shepherd requires that you be lovingly aware and involved in members’ lives (on an individual basis). This is both challenging and rewarding at the same time.
Dan, you and all of our shepherds are in our prayers! May God bless you and your family as you allow Him to use you in the service of His blessed kingdom!