Young King David and Today’s Diaspora

Some years ago, when I was a pastor, someone told me that even though I was chosen as pastor by their congregation, I was not their pastor. The words shocked me. The person remained a member of my church but never allowed me to pastor them. Over time, several other members told me the same thing.

As a leader, David was not accepted by everyone either (read 2 Samuel 2:1-11). The Lord had approved of David’s becoming king over Judah after the death of Saul. The Lord had been with David and had anointed him for this role many years earlier. David had also proven his leadership through successful military campaigns and wise decision-making, in which he sought to honor the Lord.

At the same time, not everyone had declared David as their king. The Lord’s people were split into two camps. Saul’s general, Abner, wanted Saul’s kingdom to continue, so he made Saul’s 40-year-old son Ish-Bosheth king over Israel.

So David’s rule began in the midst of disunity and being misunderstood. 

Many of our diaspora and globalized leaders feel misunderstood and invisible since the greater church doesn’t know their stories. Surprisingly, their ministries have been fueling the current growth in the Christian Reformed Church! Today, these leaders are doing cutting-edge missional work and many Anglo leaders would do well to sit at their feet and learn. Is this where the Spirit of God is at work? You bet!

Your support of these ministries can feed the evangelistic fires roaring in Seattle, Miami, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and Toronto. I believe their leaders need to pastor us into the kind of missional work saving the CRC.

Read more of their stories in the Diversity Newsletter (Dec 2021 edition).