This is such a familiar Bible verse for most Christians. Church leaders pull out this text when they are trying to encourage people to sign up for responsibilities at church. Pastors sometimes use it during ordination services for elders, deacons, or deaconesses.
There is nothing more exciting and motivating than the words “Here I am!” or the request to “send me”! These words are meant to fire up the people of God for service. These words are meant to stir up the people to go out to Reach the World. These words are meant to inspire the people to embrace their call to discipleship. Here I am! Send me! I Will Go, Lord! The result will be Total Member Involvement.
In other words, the Lord has a ministry for everyone to do. He asks even today, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Throughout history, the Lord has chosen to use men and women in His service. There is a lot of work to do and He needs a lot of workers to do the job. Isaiah responded to the Lord’s call by saying, “Here am I; send me.” He wanted to be used by God; he was willing to work for the Lord. Even today we need people who are willing to get involved in serving God and doing His work! We have a mission to fulfill as a church. We have a message to share. Are you as a church leader willing to get involved in this endeavor with your congregation? I urge you to answer Him, like Isaiah, “Here am I, Lord! I will go, Lord, and lead Your people. I will go and hold Your people in my heart. I will go and show Your love to Your people. I will go and work to bring about the kingdom of God here on earth!”
The work of the Lord still demands a vision, a vessel, a life of vitality, and a willing volunteer. In light of this need, this issue of Elder’s Digest highlights the new initiative “I Will Go,” the Adventist Church’s new mission-oriented strategic plan. Enjoy the reading!
A WORD OF GRATITUDE
God gave me the opportunity and privilege to be the editor of Elder’s Digest for the last fifteen years. With passion and total commitment, I have tried to provide the best resource possible for local church elders, deacons, and deaconesses around the world. And God has blessed this effort! But now it is time to pass the baton to someone else. Pastor Anthony Kent, with extensive ministerial experience, will be the new editor of this journal. I pray for him with the assurance that God will continue to use him in a powerful way. Many thanks to those who worked close to me— Pastor Alfredo GarciaMarenko, Gloria Massenburg, Sheila Draper, Schuyler Kline, and Erika Miike—with deep gratitude for their dedication and commitment.
