Clarity, Please
Larry Schram, BCY Regional Minister
I love clarity and I know I am not alone in my appreciation. Indeed, multiple times a day, I am engaged in conversations and ministry appointments that are all about clarity—the pastor wrestling with their ministry placement, the church struggling with best practices amid Covid protocols, and inquiries exploring ordination are all about finding clarity. A church questioning the process around our Identity Statement, the local church elder who wants help discerning how to respond to a church conflict, and the seminary student questioning biblical interpretation—all are seeking clarity. Almost every day as a regional minister, I wrestle with questions from someone pursuing clarity. Is autonomy really a biblical value? How do we know if something is a disputable matter or not? Why do different Baptist associations hold different positions on some issues, and yet all claim that they are being biblically faithful? We seem to be living in a time when clarity is fervently sought.
I believe that clarity is also important to Jesus. When I read the gospels, I see how time and time again, Jesus brought clarity to those who listened to Him. He challenged the teachers of the law who confused people with their complex and self-serving interpretations. Instead, Jesus often brought absolute clarity about God’s intentions. He also made it crystal clear that anyone who chose to follow Him would not fit into the surrounding culture very well. He was very clear about why He came and what His purpose was in coming. Further, He was shockingly clear that the whole purpose of anyone who chose to be His disciple was to be a servant in the Kingdom. I love that clarity, even if I don’t always like its implications in my life.
I love it so much that it has become part of my daily prayers: “Jesus, grant us clarity about what you desire and what really matters.” I believe that Jesus is the only one who can bring clarity about what really matters in these confusing and challenging days. Candidly, I don’t always get an instantaneous answer to my prayer, but one thing always becomes clearer: I need to keep my eyes fixed on Him. When I do, I always find some clarity.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12: 1-3
Please join me in praying daily that Jesus will grant clarity to these three areas of need:
Our Ordination Prep Candidates
- Greg Pearson – FBC, Victoria
- Diana Zhao – Joy Fellowship, Vancouver
- Jasper Song – University Campus Baptist Church, Vancouver
- Kent Dixon – Braemar Baptist, Edmonton
- Tim Challen – Virden Baptist, Manitoba
May Jesus grant them great clarity on their pathway to Ordination.
Our Interim/Transitional Pastors:
- Garth Borthistle at FBC Nanaimo
- Scott Hemenway at New Life Duncan
- Laura Nelson at Berea Baptist Church, Surrey
- Chris Kibble at West Vancouver Baptist
- Lorne Wilms at Mill Bay Baptist
- Awlwyn Balnave at Olivet Baptist, New Westminster
- Terrance Froese at Grandview Calvary Baptist, Vancouver
May Jesus grant them increasing clarity in their ministry settings.
Our CBWC Family of Churches as we prayerfully seek clarity on what it means to be a family of churches. May we all fix our eyes on Jesus.
This regional newsletter is published quarterly within the CBWC’s monthly newsletter, Making Connections. Have a story idea? Want to tell us how great we’re doing? Or how terribly? Email our senior writer, Jenna Hanger: jhanger@cbwc.ca