You Were Born For A Purpose
It is fascinating to me that the older I get, the more convinced I am, of the positive plan & purpose to life.
In the last few years there has been an increasing level of communication about being relevant.
That of course goes without saying, for unless the Gospel is relevant in its application to the culturally diverse modern world that we live in, its message will be lost in its translation.
However relevance is an obscure objective for many of us who are getting older and were brought up in a vastly different Australia of fifty years ago.
If you are struggling to be relevant, let me suggest a better way.
It’s a way that is more natural and takes the struggle out of ministry, or what it takes to be a Christian in this high tech world of the Internet with its super highway of knowledge and political expediency!
I am referring of course to the positive power of your personal Influence in and over your life.
The influence I refer to is the kind that operates without stress and is a natural, positive way to live your life.
The Dictionary says it this way; “It’s a power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, without any direct or apparent effort”.
Too often we think that to be a person of influence we must be a gifted leader.
Too often the thought of being a person of influence conjures a picture of World Leaders.
Since retiring from the full-time ministry as a Missionary and Pastor in 2004, I momentarily struggled with the negative notion that I was no longer relevant.
Not only was I no longer relevant but had lost all the powers to influence others for God.
I felt like I was a nobody in the competitive world of Church leadership.
To be honest I felt a little lost in that I had resigned all my influence away and handed it over to another man.
Now I was officially a “Has Been”!
To put it bluntly – I was a proverbial Rooster one day and a feather-duster the next!
I can laugh at it now but at the time it was very real to me.
In case you are feeling sorry for me, don’t!
Because sooner or later it will happen to you. haha!
Oh, of course there was a sigh of relief that I no longer had to be an influence, which ironically is the best place to be.
No longer did I have to stand above the crowd and offer all the answers in the name of God.
No longer did I feel pressured to exert influence and give direction to the Church.
No longer was I expected to prophecy or speak ‘ex cathedra’ to ‘my‘ people.
I was glad to exit the surreal world that could be called the “Ivory Tower Syndrome” that many leaders don’t recognise and is a deceptive trap fed by pride and ego.
Ultimately in the economy of God our mortality brings us to a place where we are no longer driven by the need to influence others
Rather it is Christ’s influence in our lives which allows His life to shine automatically through us.
This in essence is the perfect kind of influence.
Ageing is a great leveller and to be honest, death puts it all in perspective.
That’s why I love getting older!
It gives me the power to reflect, without the stress of surreptitious behaviour to be a person of influence.
Rather, my influence now flows out of the natural gifting and common sense person who I am.
In my mind I am no longer measured or compared as Ps Tommy Evans’ son, or the General Superintendents’ brother!
Of which I was proud to be!
I am who I am, created by God with purpose and giftings to fulfil my destiny.
Thats why I say “Relax for easy power”!
I no longer have to be the chart maker or history maker.
Recently I have been blessed by the contemporary song that is being sung in the modern church.
It’s called “Way Maker”! It was written by Osinachi Joseph.
She is a Nigerian Gospel singer and says – “I wrote Way Maker. It was inspired of God, and like you know, its a song of worship, recognizing God for who He is, the miracle worker, promise keeper, the light in the darkness.” Sinach.
It runs for over 6 minutes, so sit back, take a break and try and absorb how God is working in the Church today, despite the social isolation of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
He is also working in your own life.
Yes indeed He is the Way Maker and He never stops working!
I now no longer have to be focused upon being an influence because of an elevated office.
Rather as an ordinary man who is equal to his peers, my influence flows out of who I am in Christ.
Christ is the leader, the visionary, the Way Maker!
I no longer have to be driven as the primary ground breaker, the driven individual that craves the success and ackowledgement of my peers.
In other words, influence must flow out of who you are rather than your position or standing in life.
I now find myself surrounded by many men and women of influence on a level playing field and I love it.
Interestingly, since leaving the office of a pastor I have found that my influence now is greater than when I was a full time minister.
Let me explain: While serving as a Missionary in Papua New Guinea I had the privilege of planting and overseeing 34 Churches in the Maprik region of the East Sepik.
Thousands of people lived in that region and I was their missionary!
I was a young man full of energy and passion like an ‘Apostle’ to the region.
It was a great privilege and responsibility to bear that kind of influence.
Later when I returned to Australia my sphere of influence changed.
I had the privilege of being on the pastoral team that built the largest Church building in South Australia.
Thousands of people were ministered to each week and came under our influence during those revival years, not only in the Church but on television.
They were ‘heady’ days indeed!
Interestingly one of the young men who was converted to Christ in that church in the early 1980s was Mark Elmendorp, who is now my Pastor.
And so the cycle of life continues, sowing and reaping from generation to generation.
When I came to Queensland I had the privilege to grow a small church, pay off its debt and then buy some land & property next door for future generations.
I wanted to build a large auditorium on the front of the property and a Missionary Training College next door, but it was not to be!
It would have given me greater status amongst my peers but really, who cares?
Perhaps the Lord knew I would have a pride problem which would negatively effect my influence in the long term!
A few years later I also had the privilege to lead the largest rural pentecostal church in Queensland.
In 2004 over thousand people called the Toowoomba Assembly of God their spiritual home.
It was the hub to many churches in Western Queensland and many related to us for encouragement and influence.
All those years of serving were very satisfying and fulfilling.
I had reached the zenith of influence, or so I thought!
Let me explain!
Since leaving office I decided to pursue a ‘sea-change’ of personal interests, hobbies, church and family history etc.
I had very little time to explore them during my missionary and pastoral years.
Let me explain how it all started!
Many moons ago while still in Bible School, I was given a Agfa Camera by a fellow student which set me on a hobby course of photography for the rest of my life.
I’m sure Louis Corino had no idea how much influence his decision would effect others.
His gift not only effected my ministry but it would influence others throughout my life’s journey.
Have a look at the story on this video which I recorded of that event that occured over 60 years ago.
Now in retirement I have the time to explore and enjoy it further.
I didn’t expect it, but since I have learnt to publish my photos and videos online, via Facebook and this Web site, the stories of interest have created greater interest!
I don’t pursue influence anymore but to by surprise my sphere of influence has extended far beyond the years of full time ministry.
In fact I am staggered at the extent!
This website, for example which you are reading is read by an average of over 300 unique viewers every month.
Now thats a small size congregation, by todays standard but hey?
It will soon reach over 20,000 readers since I first started working on it.
My YouTube Church video channel has been viewed by over 1.3 Million viewers.
That is 30,454 views in the last 28 days.
As of today 2890 have subscribed.
One of the most popular is this video about Pentecostal Praise and Worship from South Australia.
Fascinatingly every day people people from all around the world read from the pages of this website.
I have never met them except for those that leave encouraging comments. I find my influence, far from being a requirement of my ministry, is a natural blessing that flows out of who I am.
Someone said to me the other day, “Pastor Fred you will always be a pastor even though you don’t hold the Office of a Pastor”!.
Maybe? But it comes out of how God made me and yes thats the purpose I was born ….. 81 years ago!
Now what am I trying to say in all of this?
We are all born for a purpose!
Whether it is in a spiritual or secular field of operation.
All of us are gifted in one way or another and can be a positive influence for good in our home, work or play.
The Bible says it this way; let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Be yourself and let your light shine naturally where God has planted you and you will be surprised how much blessing you will be to others without trying!
Your influence may even surprise you at times!
For example last Sunday I decided to post online a photo of myself sitting in my office ready to go to Church with a caption saying “The House of Worship is the place to be”.
“Its time for me to go and publicly honour Him. Can’t miss the sacrament of the communion of His presence!”
Within a minute someone from overseas wrote a comment in return requesting prayer:
‘Good morning Mr Evans, When seeing your post just a minute ago I felt so bad because I was grew up in church but now I havn’t been to church for some reason, i need your prayers.’
I had never met them, yet the Holy Spirit was able to use a simple photograph & caption to prompt someone about church attendance, which I followed up with a personal prayer and private message of encouragement.
Some time ago a friend of mine was minding their own business just walking down the street when a person who was known to me saw them.
Later that person said “Pastor Fred when I saw that friend of yours walking down the street I knew everything would be alright.”
You see the person concerned was suffering from anxiety & depression but when they saw my friend, immediately they received comfort, that their world was not going to end.
Strange thing is influence hey?
In conclusion, may I suggest to you that the influence of Christ through your life is more powerful than you think.
May God the Holy Spirit use you for His good pleasure and influence others in ways that please Him.
Its Wonderful how it works! Decide to be an inspiration and let God encourage others naturally through you!
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”