In celebrating Phil’s 50th birthday, a number of us were asked to describe him in one word. And while our brother’s personality can be described in different words, one word particularly stands out; energetic! Phil is so energetic that he is both enthusiastic and overwhelming at the same time. His energy emerges from his work, relationships, and preaching (the brother is all over the place). It is also seen in his passion for the gospel. He is always oozing with energy whether pastoring a church, teaching a bible study, starting an orphanage or as president of a University.
On the one hand, it is his personality, some people are naturally energetic and are always operating at full throttle, and Phil is naturally an energetic character. Yet, on the one hand, it is the nature of biblical Christian ministry that it requires your all. The apostle Paul is a perfect example of a man giving his life to meet the demands of ministry. He declares to the Corinthians spend and be spent for the sake of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:15). To the Philippians, he says forgetting what lies behind, I press on towards the goal (Philippians 3:13). He later tells Timothy to be a labourer who does not need to be ashamed and urges him to be faithful in teaching other faithful men.
Phil Hunt has, over the years, understood these truths and has given his life to faithfully and wholeheartedly serve the Lord in Zambia for the last 30 years. Though he is no longer young, his energies do not seem to wane. One could argue that his energies have increased the older he has got (although he now needs an afternoon power nap)!
If energetic is the first word that best describes Phil Hunt, then endurance has to take second place. I think it is fair to say a person who hangs around for over a quarter of a century qualifies to be described as enduring. In an ever-changing ministry world, Phil has been a steady constant. He has faithfully preached the gospel and has committed to training gospel preachers on the continent of Africa. Granted, he has changed over the years. He has grown wiser, more flexible and more accommodating in matters of prudence and preference and refined his doctrinal persuasion. Still, his commitment to the gospel has remained constant and enduring.
Again Paul the apostle is a reference point for us in endurance and faithfulness in the ministry. In his final letter to Timothy, his disciple, he writes;
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
Paul charges and instructs Timothy to remember at least eight things in these five verses.
Timothy was to remember to whom he is accountable to
Those who labour for the Lord are stewards entrusted with the master’s task. A task that they will give an account for. The charge Paul was leaving Timothy was before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The supreme king and judge of all men. The master who entrusts us with the stewardship of time, talents and treasures. It is true that was motive Timothy to preach the word of God with authority, clarity and persistence.
Preaching the word
Paul made sure Timothy was not unsure about His job description. His role was simple; preach the word! To preach the word implies one knows the word, loves the word, understands the word, lives the word and then proclaims the word. The minister’s role is to faithfully open up the word of God and preach it to the word people. This he is to do with unwavering perseverance. The minister of God has no business coming up with clever things or new techniques to minister to the people. What was true of Paul and Timothy’s job description is true of ministers today who preach the word and endure all things for the sake of it.
Endure Hardship
The faithful preacher will not always be popular or receive accolades. The word of God is not always accepted or wanted, and invariably those who preach the word of God faithfully will not always be welcomed. It is for this reason that Paul tells us time to endure hardship. Be ready and resolved to preach the word in and out of season. When people desire to hear the truth or when they do not desire to. In other words, the reception of the word was not the motive Timothy was to be looking for to preach the word. He was to preach the word because his master expected him to do so, whether it was accepted or not.
Serve Patiently
Timothy was to convince, rebuke and exalt and do so with all patience. Faithful preaching requires that a minister bares with the weaknesses of the people he is ministering to. For this reason, Paul urges Timothy to carry out his ministry with all patience. Elsewhere he exhorts him to gently correct those who are in error with all patience with the hope that the Lord may grant repentance to some (2 Timothy 2:24-26). A true minister of the gospel will be characterised by patience and will seek to serve for the long haul, even amid persecution and rejection.
Be Evangelistic
The fifth thing Paul exhorts Timothy in his ministry is to do the work of the evangelist. Timothy was to be a proclaimer of the good news of Jesus Christ. His preaching and ministry were to be evangelistic. That at least implies that Timothy was to desire people to get saved, pray for them to get saved, preach to them to get saved, plead for them to get saved and teach those who get saved to leave out the results and implications of their salvation.
To summarise, Paul says to Timothy, “fulfil your ministry”. Paul himself has run his race and nearing the finishing line, and his concern is for Timothy as a minister to fulfil the task that God has called and entrusted him with. And to do so, Timothy was to remember he was accountable to God, preach the word, endure hardship, serve patiently and do the work of an evangelist. May these things remain true in the life of Phil and his family and, indeed, in our lives.
Note: This is an edited version of a preface I wrote for a book in honour of Phil Hunt.
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