As I embark upon my twelfth year at Central Church, I am impressed by those pastors who have given their entire lives to one community (this is my fifth pastorate). Pastors on the Eastern Michigan District like Rev. Bob Hunter who went to Detroit Grace Church of the Nazarene straight out of Bible College in 1978 (or something like that) and has never left. Rev. John Wright who has only pastored Detroit New Hope and has been there around 40 years. Rev. Mike Kempton, a classmate of mine at Olivet and Nazarene Theological Seminary, has only pastored the Hazel Park, Michigan church. He is at 35+ years in that assignment. Those men, and many other pastors around the country like them, are heroes.

Flint Central is my longest pastorate. Compared to those pastors in the previous paragraph, I’m a newbie. Mine is the second longest pastoral tenure in the history of Flint Central church (Rev. John Andree was here longer). I’d like to say that my time here has been without worries or trouble. I’d like to say it, but I can’t. There have been peaks and valleys (as with any church). There have been times when the Enemy has said, “Be like a bread truck and move your buns” or something to that effect. But through it all, God has been faithful to remind me of my call to Flint Central Church. I wasn’t “hired” to be the pastor of Flint Central Church, I was called by God to be here. It’s that calling that hasn’t left me and has kept me here. 

All this to say, I’m sure Revs. Hunter, Wright, and Kempton have had moments of frustration and problematic people. They may have been wooed to go to other places. But they’ve stayed through thick and thin. They have remained faithful to the cause of Christ in their communities. They have fought the good fight, through all times. It is an admirable quality that I cannot match (unless I keep pastoring until age 104). 

Uncle Buddy Robinson, an evangelist of a century ago, understood the challenges of the ministry. Of course, he didn’t have today’s keyboard critics hiding behind their screens using social media to spread venomous lies and gossip. He didn’t know of maliciousness of rumormongering technology that could land below-the-belt gut punches with the stroke of a key. Still he knew the Enemy would put up a fight, trying to get beat-down pastors into throwing in the towel. He described a determination to stay in the fight that the three pastors mentioned above (and many others not named) exemplify.

Put iron shoes on my feet along with galvanized britches. Hang a wagon load of determination upon the gable end of my soul and help me to sign a contract to fight the devil as long as I’ve got a fist and to bite him as long as I’ve got a tooth and then gum him ’til I die.

In-it-for-the-lang-haul pastors like Revs. Hunter, Wright, and Kempton signed that contract years ago to keep on fighting no matter the circumstances. They have heroically remained faithful. I can’t match their longevity, but I pray all pastors (myself included) would strive to match their resolve, fortitude and grit. Keep on fighting and “gum him ‘til we die.”