John Shepherd and Job 42:12

    I have mentioned in my writing over the last couple of years that since retiring from the sending agency we served with for 23 years, Renee and I have been affiliated with a small nonprofit called Calvary Road Ministry (CRM).

    This organization was started by a retired Knoxville, TN pastor named John Shepherd. The story of how John and I met, and how that meeting ultimately led to the formation of CRM, is too long for one blog entry, albeit it is a fascinating example of God's providence.

    What I want to highlight here is how John served as a shining example to all 60+ year olds of how to best utilize the latter part of one's life for Kingdom expansion.

    John adopted Job 42:12 as the verse which would guide how he invested his time and resources during his final years. The verse says "And the Lord blessed the latter years of Job more than the former..."

    At a stage of life when many American Christian men think more about vacation trips and hobbies,

John took on a whole new ministry among the Maasai of Kenya. He did this in response to my request to partner with me in my ministry among that people group. Those of us working among the Maasai knew that one cultural key to reaching them for the Gospel was to utilize older men to share with the eldest Maasai men.

    John had been a pastor for over 30 years and had a large network of men he was willing to challenge to give of their time and finances to help the Maasai Team's members fulfill my request.

 
 Thus in 1998 a wonderful story began to unfold which has led to the Gospel being shared with tens of thousands of Maasai.  Hundreds of churches have been planted. The two story cloths I have previously mentioned have been produced. The first one has come to be used literally all over the world (another long story in itself). The lives of many dozens of older American Christians have been made deeper and more satisfying as they have through the years taken up John's challenge to share the Gospel with the Maasai.

    John died in Sept. of 2013. I flew from Uganda to Koxville a few weeks before he passed thinking I would attend his funeral. Instead I had the privilege to visit with him several hours over two days. Our conversation focused on all we had seen God do since our first meeting.
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    While there, a friend told me John's illness was a rare, slow growing form of cancer. Apparently a doctor at one point told John it could have been growing for 15 years before it finally put him in the last stage.

    The number 15 jumped out at me, because it was in August of 1998, 15 years earlier, John had called me to say he had retired as a pastor to start CRM. Wow!

    What a fruitful 15 years they were, and God is not yet through with CRM. This group's wonderful story is still in progress.

    But my point is this; it all began with a serious follower of Jesus saying "Lord, I want to see even more of your power and blessing in my latter years than I have seen in my previous 63."

    That took a lot of resolve, labor and a very understanding and Gospel centered wife.

    To some degree, my undertaking this AT hike at age 60-61 (my b'day is just around the corner) so as to raise funds for S Sudanese refugees, is an attempt to follow in John's footsteps. As John did, I also want to send a clear message to the older crowd. You still have much to offer and the Great Commission always takes priority.

Uncle