Spr ing 2016
The Latter rain
By Alan Benson
“…the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he
Over the course of the next seven months, my family and I receive the early and latter rain” (James 5:7). began faithfully attending the church services that the Banks held in the basement of their e have all heard it said that “patience is home. On a regular basis, Pastor a virtue.” Yet it is a virtue that very few Banks would come and pick possess; its absence may be nowhere me up at my public school so more apparent than in ministry, and that we could play ping pong understandably so. When we consider the cost and at their house. On most days, consequences of the Great Commission, it is no wonder he would have to make a stop that those who are passionate about the making and to visit someone, go to see a maturing of disciples of Jesus Christ are eager to see fruit. person in a nursing home, or run by the hospital. I closely The problem with discipleship, like farming, is not just watched his life as he taught our little fellowship the Word of that the “bearing fruit” stage is last, but that it is a very God on Sundays and taught us to pray on Wednesday nights. short piece of the total growth cycle. It is here that patient I had never known another pastor and wasn’t aware of what endurance in cultivation is demanded like no other, for to a life in the ministry meant, but after quit early or to push too hard will affect watching the faithful, patient, joy-filled the harvest by weakening the roots. service of this man who led me to know “…I can say without God, I asked him on the day of my reservation that I am in I was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, baptism to announce that I believed to a very Protestant, Orange Order God was calling me into the ministry. the local church ministry family. Neither of these characteristics Later that year, my family, a handful of today due to the patient, introduced my family to the Gospel. At others and I became charter members the age of four, I (along with my father, persevering, shepherding of the Antigonish Baptist Church. Over mother, two sisters and two brothers) the course of the next several years, the love of a faithful servant of moved from very Protestant Ulster size of our little fellowship grew slowly. to the town of Antigonish in Nova God, who, without awards or Without fully realizing it, we were also Scotia, Canada. Due to the sudden accolades, taught me what it growing spiritually under the loving circumstances of our moving to the shepherding of our pastor. I went from “New World,” we were not aware of meant to be a pastor.” knowing nothing about the Scriptures the fact that we were relocating to a to gaining an academic knowledge, town that was 98% Roman Catholic enabling me to quote scripture verses, at the time. Humanly speaking, this was not the most recite the books of the Bible and treasure Scripture in my fertile soil for the Gospel either, yet it was this great need heart so that I could live without sinning against God. Pastor that drew a young missionary family to pursue planting a Banks would often teach me a passage of Scripture and ask church. While burdened to reach a Catholic community me what I thought it meant and how it applied to my life. It with the Gospel, in October of 1981, John Banks called on was during these days that I gained not only a desire to learn one of the most Protestant families that he had ever met. the Bible, but also a desire to learn how to live it. On that night, while my father was looking for a family Bible, Pastor Banks asked me, an 11-year-old boy, the most Now as I look back on those days, I realize just how slow important question I had ever been asked—did I know and arduous ministry was in a predominantly Catholic town that Jesus Christ died for me? That night he explained the in rural Nova Scotia. Ministry was slow and fruit was scarce Gospel to me clearly and powerfully, and by the grace of when measured by many standards, but I cannot ever God, upon hearing it for the very first time, I trusted Christ remember being aware of any of those struggles. I am aware as my personal Savior.
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Continued on page 3
In This Issue
2 Highlights from the Highways & Hedges
3 Mission Matters: In Him, I Can The Latter Rain (cont.) Ready to Go/Gone
4 Itineraries