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Miscellaneous

Don’t Waste Your Retirement

By March 30, 2010June 22nd, 20152 Comments

The title of Will’s recent post, Don’t Waste Your Cancer, comes from one of several variations on the theme “Don’t Waste Your . . .” from John Piper and others associated with him. I would encourage you to watch Piper’s “Decide to Abandon Retirement as the Reward for Your Life,” which calls us to continue serving God in our old age rather than retiring to a life of shuffleboard and golf. As I watched this clip, I thought of my own grandfather, Eldon Brock.

Grandpa was a Baptist pastor for 20 years in New York and Michigan before becoming director of Lake Ann Camp in Lake Ann, Mich., in 1971. He served as camp director for 20 years before “retiring” in 1992. What has he done since he “retired”?

  • In 1996, he founded Closed Door Ministries, which “empowers national believers to reach their own in the lands of the persecuted church.” In 2004, CDM was handed off to its current president, Dr. Philip McDonald.
  • In 2006, he formed Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries, “assisting churches to disciple US ethnic people to evangelize unreached people groups worldwide.”

Grandpa continues to challenge people, both in person and on his blog (wow . . . my grandpa has a blog!), to reach people of other ethnicities for Christ. I am thankful for the godly example of my own grandfather and hope that God will also enable me to be faithful in serving Him for as long as I live.

Do you know someone who hasn’t wasted his retirement?

2 Comments

  • Dick Dayton says:

    Greg, Good post. In the OT times, the priests only did the sacrificial offerings for a limited time, because of the physical exertion. I have always assumed they invested the rest of their years in teaching Scripture and ministry to people. I agree that the idea of retiringn to do nothing simply is a waste. J.O. Purcell has planted a vibrant church in his community in Florida. At Baptist Church Planters, we rejoice in experienced people who can tie in to the church planting ministry.

  • Greg White says:

    Do I know someone who has not wasted their retirement? Two come to mind: Pastor John Hippard – our visitation pastor, has recently been elevated by our congregation to “Pastor Emeritus” status after 54 years of faithful ministry! Brother John is eighty-two years of age. In his “retirement” he came to Pana and filled a vital ministry position for a number of years. The reason John had to slow down recently was his health. Another “retired” couple is Ted and Rose Ertle. Until Ted had some recent health problems they had faithfully served and blessed many churches as interim pastor and wife. May the Lord grant that I be this useful in my later years! (Which by the way isn’t too far off.)

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