Spiritual Father

Recently our district has been studying how "Spiritual Fathers" influence future generations of ministers. We were asked to share if we had a spiritual father and why it benefited us. These were some thoughts I put together on the fly:

My "Spiritual Father" is Phil Foster. I felt the call to ministry from a young age (12) and Phil had a steady impact on my development. You asked what did he do for me that impacted me. For one thing he exhibited longevity in ministry. He came to Pasadena A/G when I was about to turn 12 and is still there today. Another thing is that I remember praying with him. Sunday nights were spent around the altar at the church, and as I was seeking God he would pray and lay hands on me. I remember one night as I poured my heart out to the Lord only a few remained around the altar and he said, "Ben, you remind me of the journey I went on when I was following the Lord's call to ministry." I can still see that moment in my memory, because I remember thinking, "Then I'm on the right road." It was a great validation.

He took me with him. I remember being invited to go on visitation with him. I just sat quietly watching, but it shaped me. He also gave me opportunity to preach as a teenager in the church. I preached for Sunday night service at first, then Youth Sunday on Sunday morning. He let me borrow his books for studying. He involved me.

The week before I went to Bible college he called me into his office and gave me a book. It was John Maxwell's, Developing The Leader WIthin You. He said that he'd gotten it for me because he believed in me as a leader, and that God had a special future for me. It was the first reading on leadership that I'd ever done, and still today I remember the principles of that book over the many I've read since.

Phil hired me right out of school, and never treated me as a hireling. He treated me as en equal/co-laborer from early on in my ministry there. He included me on decisions and ministry that I probably I wouldn't have included me on, but I benefited greatly because of it. We started quarterly retreats just the two of us where we would bat around the ministry of PAG and sharpen each other. The clash of disagreement was always the fertile soil of new ideas. And we cheered each other on. He'd tell me when I had "rung the bell" and would be so transparent with me about areas he felt he'd failed in.

He believed in me when I started a church plant, and was quick to point out that he believed in me when the plant closed at the end of 2010. He has welcomed me back to regular worship at PAG, and has quickly included me in ministry since being back.

My father Ben, Sr. is a great Dad and has had tremendous impact on my life, but like any Dad his biggest contribution was just being around and being himself. He couldn't teach me everything, but he could teach me what he knew. Phil has been the same way. I mention that because the pursuit of "Spiritual Fathers" is less about all they can do and how great a man they are. It is more about how close they can be and whether they are there for the regular bumps of life. Can I watch this man and learn from him when he's not talking to me as much as when he is? Will he believe in me when I'm not sure I believe in myself? Will he lead me, and love me, and in the right time get out of my way, while always ready to grab me by the scruff of the neck when I'm about to step on a landmine? That's the friend and "Spiritual Father" I have in Phil.

--Ben