Month of Prayer and Giving Day 27- Fidelity to Christ

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV

When Paul wrote the church at Rome he greeted various people who were known to him in the church. One of these was a man by the name of Apelles. Paul said of him – his fidelity to Christ has stood the test.
Many ministers would desire to emulate someone like Apollos. Not Peter Schild, Apelles is more to his liking. He writes, ‘Neither success or eloquence, learning or human admiration but only – fidelity. Please pray that I am faithful to my master.’

We have reason to thank God for answering that prayer. Whether as a conservative student in a liberal theological seminary, a trainee in an established Reformed Baptist church or as a church planter / pastor in one of Western Europe’s most strategic cities, Peter has demonstrated faithfulness.

He doesn’t blow his own trumpet though. Ask him and he will tell you his greatest encouragement is that the Lord is building His church in spite of his weaknesses and failures. He doesn’t seek to be a one-man band either. He serves joyfully along Tobias Riemenschneider his co-pastor as they seek to faithfully minister to the needs of their growing flock.

And, yes, they are growing – significantly. This has its own challenges. Sometimes we speak of the need to be faithful even when we are seeing little fruit. Peter knows well the unique challenges that come to one’s faithfulness when they are seeing fruit for their labours. How do the leaders find time to personally encourage and instruct individual members – especially new Christians? Where will the church meet? They have outgrown their present meeting place. How do you stay close to Lord without becoming distant from your people?

Will you pause for a moment and thank the Lord for His great work in Germany? Will you ask Him to keep Peter and those serving with him faithful to Christ? Will you ask the Lord to meet the needs of this growing congregation in every conceivable way?

While you are at it will you remember city after city in Germany that needs a similar type church to the one Peter has been used to plant in Frankfurt? May the Lord in His great mercy raise up other faithful men to meet this great challenge.

“Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
3 John 8 ESV

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