GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN, A FAREWELL MESSAGE

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORSince this is the last editorial I will write as the outgoing Communication/IT/Media director for the Alberta Conference, I thought it appropriate to leave you with one of my favourite scriptural passages: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)

For the last few months, I have been preparing to pass the baton of leadership of the department to my replacement. That time has come. Throughout this month, I had the privilege of welcoming Troy McQueen into his new role as my replacement. I will stay on until September 30, then transition fulltime into my next phase of ministry and life calling.

Twenty-one years ago, God called me to drop out of college (I was studying business administration and finance at the time), sell my business, and go into ministry. Since then, God has led me through various ministry roles within the Adventist Church in the United States and Canada. Some of those roles have included serving as a Bible worker, colporteur, chaplain, pastor, ordained pastor, director, and administrative assistant to a conference president. I had many more positions and roles along the way; I will spare you the bore of listing them here, but you can see a bit of how eclectic it has been.

I once counted the number of jobs I've had since high school, both in ministry and out. The number exceeded 50! That's right, 5-0! I have held over 50 jobs since high school! When I tell people this, most think something must be wrong with me. They might be right.

Recently, however, I've met several people like me. Many of them are entrepreneurs. One guy got fired so many times that nobody else would hire him. Therefore, he had to start a business if he wanted to work. It was either that or starve.

Thankfully, I've never been fired, although I've come extremely close to it. Nevertheless, what is happening with my situation is I feel like God is opening the doors for me to go back into business. This isn't the first time God has done this for me. Remember when I mentioned God called me to drop out of school? To do that, I had to be convinced that He didn't want me to go to school. At the time, I interpreted that to mean God never wanted me to go to school.

However, years later, God showed me that, no, He wanted me to go to school, but at that time, He wanted me to lay it down and go into ministry, which I did, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. It has forever changed my goals, focus, and what I want to do in this life.

With that said, what is interesting is I also thought that when God asked me to drop out of school, He wanted me to leave business forever. That wasn't the case — at least, that is how it appears to me now.

What is happening is that doors are opening for me to go into business. And what is most amazing is I am frequently now interacting with people on a spiritual level in the industry. When people learn that I am an ordained minister, it opens all kinds of doors for fruitful discussion.

This is quite a change from when I was serving as a pastor. Back then, I would mention I was a pastor, and people would just shut down—cold as ice.

Now, I tell them I'm going into business and I served as a pastor. They have a new level of connection with me. “Okay, Pastor Eric,” they will say.

What does all this say? I don't know yet what it all says, but what it is saying to me right now is if we give to God, He will give back to us in full measure. I had difficulty laying down business and college 21 years ago, but I did it. I was never expecting to have the opportunity to go back. Did I want to go back? Not really. For all these years, I have desired to be in ministry, but lately, it's like God opened the book, and the doors have been unlocked. And people, places, learning opportunities, and ministry experiences (this role at the Alberta Conference being one of them) have reawakened that desire for business, so that's what I'm doing: I'm going into business as a ministry.

Some people may think I'm forsaking the Lord — the one who turned back after setting his hand to the plow. That's not me. I've never turned back from something I know to be my calling and purpose. And I know I have been called to be a pastor, but I also know that calling to be a pastor is just one part of my larger life purpose and calling for God, so off I go. I am thankful for the Alberta Conference and the leaders with whom I've had the privilege of working. I want to thank Gary Hodder, Keith Richter, and Wayne Williams. Working with them has been a real blessing. And they have allowed me to explore an area of my life and calling, for which I will forever be grateful.

Here's to all of you. I wish you much success. And I hope you will stay open to how God may unexpectedly lead you in your life. Give to God — give to others — and it will be returned to you in full measure.