MY LIFE STORY: How God Called Me Into the Ministry

Every pastor has a story. Some peculiar. Some extra spectacular. My calling was more of a process. How I became a pastor is a long story. I have written part of the story in fulfillment of my chaplaincy requirement during my ministerial internship training. I am sharing it with you. May it help inspire others who are having doubts whether they have been called into the pastoral ministry.

Feel free to download and save the pdf attachment.

Excerpts:

"Perhaps you wonder if it was God who really called me at all. My story is quite different from the experiences of other pastors who have been called into the ministry. There are those tragic accidents that led to a second life encounter with God. A demon possession that ended in spiritual deliverance. Or the tender wooing of the Spirit in a child’s heart that eventually led to a decision to become a minister. And countless extraordinary ways by which God transformed the life of an individual and called him to the ministry.

"As I attempted to excel academically, my quest for an understanding of what righteousness by faith deepened. As far as I can remember, I know I have a relationship with God, but I just did not have an assurance of salvation. I often wondered and thought , “How can I be sure that God loves me and that I have this assurance of salvation.” "Since a young child, I was somehow thought that I have to obey all of the ten commandments in order to be saved. And to be kept saved, it has to be kept perfectly. And I was so far from obeying all ten of it. While in college this fear of hell haunted me.

"I lived a fearful life before. As a Christian I lived to please other people and God. He was to me a cosmic policeman who is always out there to check for my inadequacies and failures. The God that I have been taught was tyrant God.

"By his grace He cleansed me from my sin and promised power over it. During that time he gave me the assurance that all I needed to do was to accept him fully by faith. My part was simply to receive Him in my life through faith. As simple as that. From then on I understood the power of the everlasting gospel and received the assurance of salvation which was missing in my life." "After my father narrated that story, he reminded me of his solemn oath to God many years ago. That story sent a shiver on my spine. So I had been dedicated to God’s service a long time ago. And God recalled my Dad’s promise by calling me personally the night of February 1991 by writing his call with the illuminating streak of a falling star.

Conservatives Vs. Liberals

It seems that there will be an ongoing battle between Christian conservatives and liberals until Christ comes. My church is not excempted  from that.  Sadly, I have met friends and members of the church who left the church as a result of the crossfire between hypocrisy and various cause to implement change for the sake of change.

And how you define these two groups will be relative on how you view yourself. 

Here’s my personal definition of conservatives and liberals.

Conservatives:  Christians whose mission is to keep the unity & purity of the church at the expense of the church mission of saving the lost.

Liberals:  Christians whose mission is to save the lost at the expense of losing the church’s unity & purity. 

I am for one a conservative in terms of upholding the Bible as the standard of faith and practice; a liberal when it comes to tolerance over those different from my  beliefs and preferences in terms of ministry methodologies and strategies.

I am a conservative over doctrines taught by the Bible; a liberal in terms of acceptance of people who's still growing in their understanding of truth.

I am a conservative in upholding my church’s traditional values;a liberal and selective in terms of keeping tradition just  for the sake of keeping them. 

I am a conservative in terms of keeping the unity and purity of the church; a liberal and inclusive in fulfilling the mission of the church to reach all people not just my own. 

I am a conservative in terms of radical discipleship; a liberal in terms of creative leadership.

I am a conservative in keeping and obeying my understanding of truth; a liberal in sharing them to others. 

To end,  how I wish the conservatives and liberals will first be more loving, more accommodating, more prayerful, and tolerant of each others view  while not sacrificing the mission of the church to seek and to save the lost. Friends of mine have abandoned the church because both the conservatives and the liberals were more interested in being right  than yielding their rights. 

Personal Lessons from 1 Corinthians 13 (part 2)

4.  Love does not boast... it is not proud.    I should have nothing to do with the pecking order. Before I get quick to scat off and pretend I am not proud, I have already become proud.    The Pharisees during Jesus day are the kind of people who wants everyone’s attention, respect and admiration. At times I am one who do.  Am I not?  I love to be in the spotlight.  

   

  As a  pastor my role dictates I am a highly visible figure. How can I be a front man without succumbing to pride?

 “Regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3 nasb). That’s what Jesus did. While others were going up, he was going down.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Phil. 2:5–8 niv) 

Made me think again - Am I not meant to be a pastor forever? Well - God has called me to.  Should I not serve God as a pastor forever?  That is what he has called me to.   Think for a moment l-  God humbling himself to our level.  That is humility.  He left the castle so why should I be in one....servant leadership.
---------

When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:13). My son’s next birthday will be held in honor of the outcasts. I want my son to know what it means to serve others.  True love puts others before self.  True love considers others more important than self. Philippians 2:3: “In humility consider others better than yourselves” (niv).


--------

When was the last time I served my wife?  When was the last time I served her than myself.  When was the last time I considered her more than myself. I am devoid of such love.  God has sent me here to remind me that there is hope for people like me. That I too need to come to God thirsty for this kind of love.  So I come thirsty. And drink from the fountain of God’s love. 

to be continued...

Personal Lessons from 1 Corinthians 13 (part 1)

Here are some personal lessons I have learned from 1 Corinthians 13 in the context of family life:

1.  Love is patient. I get irritable at times.  At times I have been impatient with my wife (Thank God she is patient with my impatience!). Jesus was patient with people.  Patient with the corrupt crook named Zaccheus. Patient with the motormouth Peter.   Shouldn’t I be more patient with my lovely wife's little shortcomings (compare that with my unforgivable shortcomings) who at times still struggle with the hardships of child rearing. 

2.  Love is kind. Love is not just about words.  It is love in action.  It means going the extra mile. It means washing the dishes for my wife and not just saying I love you.  When was the last time your  wife said to you, “Dear, you are so kind to me.”    Before anyone else should say I am a loving person, my wife should be the  first to say I am kind.   Am I kind? Way a lot to go!

3.  Love does not envy.  My wife knows I love gadgets. Although I am not that type of person who really covets people’s stuff, I am that person who can become greedy (at least in the mind).  Lusting for the latest gadgets.  For the latest technological trends.  Sucked in to the hype.  Although i try to reason out that I do need these things for ministry, they never get used for its intended purpose. Or should I say their use are not maximized as  effective tools for my ministry.  I should carefully think about these matters. 

... to be continued

LIFE BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS (Part 2)

Continued….

17. World Conference - I enjoyed my new year in Taipei,Taiwan for a week long celebration of the World Conference on Youth and Community Service.

18. Sponsors - Relatives and friends helped fund my trip to Taiwan. Thanks for the unforgettable experience. Thanks for your sacrifices.

19. Distance Learning - Our church conference has sponsored our distance learning masteral classes. I took 9 units this year.

20. AWE4Him - iDREAM's Praise Team was given this name early this year. It stands for Adoration, Worship, Esteem 4 (4-all four corners of the earth) our Holy, Immutable, Majesty.

21. Bulihan, Silang Crusade - The public evangelism held at Bulihan Silang led to the baptism of 215 souls. AWE4Him led in the praise time.

21. Biga, Silang Crusade - 40 souls surrendered their lives to Jesus through baptism.

22. Iba Church Planting - It all started as a small group. Now it’s growing and envisions to become the largest church in Silang town.

23. New Assignments - Effective Dec 22, I am moving to Adventist University of the Philippines’ church while still being the area 10 (Cavite province) chairman.

24. Church Organization - Batas SDA company was finally organized to Batas Seventh-Day Adventist Church on April 26, 2008.

to be continued....

LIFE BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS (Part 1)

Pssst! Pastor Ardie! How was 2008?

Let me summarize a pastor's life for 2008 according to Gerald L. Borchert: "Jesus is the agent of wholeness, of eternal life, of secure pasture, and of release from the realm of darkness. He is, as the Samaritans confessed, “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42), and here he is the one who provides life to the fullest (John 10:10). The Greek perisson means “that which goes way beyond necessity.” John wanted all his readers to know that the gift of Jesus is life beyond our wildest dreams.

For this year John 10:10 has been my central theme. Check out this text in my favorite versions:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. The NET Bible 1st Edition

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. The Message

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. NLT

Here are a few of God's surprises for me for the year 2008. Here's to life beyond my wildest dreams:

1. An Awesome God - John 10:10. With you God, life is beyond my wildest dreams
2. Eternal Life - In spite of my shortcomings, Jesus would never let me go.
3. Excitement - Each morning as I wake up, I am excited to start another day.
4. Passion - Although it may dwindle from time to time, my passion for God and ministry
grows each day.
5. Lovely Wife - How would I survive without my heaven-sent angel?
6. Fiona Sedrol - Born July 8, 2008. My second child boasts of being the next Ms.
Universe.
7. Sean Ardis - Why of course my first born leaves me wondering if Einstein was his uncle.
8. Parents - Hmmm. Why are they so patient with me?
9. Siblings - I pray that their journey in life will be Jesus-driven.
10. Ordination - God finally says, “It’s time!” I got ordained as a full-pledge pastor on May 2, 2008.
11. Church - Church still puzzles me and sometimes leave me wounded as a pastor but it will always be the object of God’s love. Jesus calls her his bride.
12. iDREAM - This young professionals organization keeps my passion for ministry alive. Geniuses at work!
13. 1st Gen Macbook - Why this 2 1/2 year old laptop has been instrumental to the baptism of 1,902 souls.
14. Nokia 3120c Phone - Why this cheap 3g phone keeps me connected to the net anywhere in the Philippines.
15. ardisonbernardo.multiply.com - This social network now houses my personal blogs & keeps me in touch with friends.
16. nextgenadventist.blogspot.com - This blog keeps my vision and passion alive of what a new generation Adventist and pastor should be - ever growing, ever changing, ever-reaching the next generation for Christ!

to be continued...

Pickpockets Love Texters: How I Experienced Grace

I was on my way to our company party. Upon reaching Manila city, I took my wallet from my pants and "secured" it inside my bag. Instinctively I knew pickpockets are busy as well during the Christmas holidays. As I walked towards the metro train I decided to update my phone's email and checked on my short text messages. A few meters from the counter I took my backpack... immediately i felt a numbing heat all over my body. The zipper got unzipped and my wallet tucked 1 foot deep to the bag's bottom was gone.

Good thing I only had 400 pesos in that wallet but I need those cards- ID's, driver's license, security cards, credit card, and my ATM card. Good thing I still had my cellphone with me. I was about to call my bank when I remembered there was a branch close by. In ten minutes time, I requested the customer service to put my bank cards on hold. Pickpockets these days are high tech so I never gave them the chance to use my cards. The bank teller told me that if they had used my credit card before I canceled the services, I will still have to pay it.

Since I only had 15 pesos in my pocket, I was thinking how would I get home? How would I spend my Christmas holidays without an ATM card? Will my bank allow me to withdraw my savings without valid ID's to present? The most logical thing was to get to my bank (my company's branch) which was 30 minutes away by train so I can withdraw my salary. But how to get there....

The Bible says ASK (ask, seek, knock) and it will be given to you. I could call a friend in Manila to pick me up or ask my senior supervisors to come and give me money. It was not the best option at that time. It was at that time that I literally "asked" and "begged" for help.

"Nakakahiya man po, pero pwede po ba akong mamasko sa inyo?" (I don't even know you Ma'am, but can I ask for a Christmas gift?" With a smile on her face she handed me a 20 peso bill. At that moment, that was the most important paper money bill I ever held. I was not expecting her to hand me a thousand pesos. But what she gave me was "grace". "Enough grace" to get to my bank. I was not her friend but she extended it to someone in need of grace.

As I pastor I will never get to know or experience everything about God in this dying planet. In fact, even my two-inch thick Bible just recorded "enough" revelation to show me how to make it to heaven. And Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross was "enough" to get me to God's rich depository of his riches and grace - to be in His presence now and beyond. All I ever need today is enough grace to get me to another day and enjoy His mercy. And He wants me to ask for enough grace daily till the day comes when I will live in God's bank - in heaven throughout eternity.... and beyond.

Have you asked for God's grace today?