Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Richard Melton "retired" as an elder
My friend Richard Melton retired recently as an elder at Southern Hills. He has served us for 30 years as one of our shepherds. So he may not have the title any more, and he gets to skip the meetings. I guess he won't vote any more. But I do know he will still be a shepherd. I served the last 9 years in the eldership with Richard.
So here are some things that made Richard a great elder.
He showed up. It is amazing how many hospital rooms I go in where our members tell me every elder that has visited them. Richard was always on that list. Always. One of my goals in life was to make a hospital visit before Richard. Never did. He really understands that shepherding happens in crisis. And he did not just visit the well known members. He checked in on everyone. And prayed with them every time.
Our elders do a lot of prayer and anointing. Some of our members -- and even some elders initially -- were a little leery of this practice. I love what Richard said about it: I am not sure why, I didn't' see this growing up in church, but it is in Scripture so we better do it. Wow.
Richard was a shepherd to the marginal and the disenfranchised. I hear a lot of talk about reaching those on the margins. Well, our church has some of those. Richard was their elder. Spent hours counseling, serving, giving, praying, and studying with them. Lots of people talk about it. Richard just did it.
He is a good student of the Bible. Richard has taught Bible class at Southern Hills as long as I have known him. When a topic came up for discussion in an elder meeting, Richard knew where Scripture addressed the issue. Elders have to know the Word. Richard does. It is fitting that his elder retirement gift was a Bible.
He and Jane modeled couple shepherding. She has been every bit as involved in the lives of our members as Richard. Opened their home to so many. Leading our church by example.
You can tell a lot about who is a real shepherd by who gets asked to do annointings and funerals. Richard did a lot.
Now don't misunderstand. Richard is not perfect. But he knows who is. And he gave 30 years to getting his flock safely home to heaven. I love that.
And I love the fact that Richard will not quit shepherding. He may not be an elder, but he will always be a shepherd.
I do lots of leadership seminars and retreats about elders. I hear a lot of talk about shepherding. Richard didn't just talk about it. He did it.
Our eldership will miss him. I'll miss him. But I am glad he will still be one of my shepherds.
So thanks God for Richard and Jane Melton. They have kept your people on the road home. So raise up more like them to lead your people.
