A Letter to My Church

I have now, in my formerly gunpowder-stained hands, a letter, written in 1961,  to my church from its then-pastor, Tom Ditto.  In just a few days, it has become a very important and inspiring thing to me.

But before we go back to 1961, I have to say a few words about Tom Ditto.  When I was going through ordination, I was placed in a sort of small study group of other ordinands.  I was in there with some of my closest friends in ministry.  Martina Ockerman, one of my oldest friends in Kentucky; my best friend from seminary, Lyle Morton; and Scott Wilson—you know that story… we went to middle school together in Germany, and how cool is it to be in ministry with him AND his son, Jacob.  Well, Tom Ditto was assigned to us as a clergy mentor.  Man, did he walk me through some thorny stuff.  My first church had the meanest white woman in America in it.  I bet I cried to Tom once a month.

I would see Tom about once a year at Evangelism Resources’ banquet.  He went home to glory a little over a year ago.

Last week, Janis and Jack Ellis invited me over to give me some of Jack’s old books.  Look through a preacher’s, a writer’s, a scholar’s books?  Yes, please!

I was not prepared that the best part of what was in one of the boxes he gave me was the aforementioned letter.

The letter was written to a number of people who had gathered together to go over names of new people in Morehead, and then went out to visit them (!!!) and invite them to church.

The most important paragraph of the letter, and the only part I will quote, reads: “’Jesus Christ is Lord’ is the emphasis of the Methodist Church for the next four years.  Immediately the special area of this emphasis is centered in evangelism.  The goal is that every member of the Church will begin to witness about Christ to friends, neighbors and associates.  Let us each prepare ourselves daily with spiritual disciplines that will enable us to do this.”

Whoa. Friends, this is great stuff!  One time, not too long ago, the national church called its members to evangelism? To the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Evangelism has fallen on hard times in the United Methodist Church.  Since Rev. Ditto wrote that letter, the UMC has lost more than 60% of its members.  In 1957, we were the largest Protestant denomination.  Since then, a continuous slide.  But we’re paid well, have nice pensions, and a lot of property value.  You know, the stuff the Great Commission is all about.

But there is more to the letter.  In fact, it’s not so much what Rev. Ditto wrote as it is what else was in the letter: the names and addresses of many new people in the community.  I want to sit down with some of the older members and see how many of the folks on this list became a part of the church.  But I can tell you that two of the families on that list did and are still here. I know their kids, grandkids, and soon great-grandkids.  Paul Ousley is on the list. He has gone home to glory.  But his dear wife Gail is still here, one of our treasurers.  And so are Howard and JoAnne Setser.  Howard and JoAnne’s daughter Elizabeth married a friend of mine from Sunday School in Lexington, Mike Berry.  Mike and Elizabeth are both prominent leaders in a great church where Jerry Beck-- a pastor I love-- serves!

I have no way of calculating the impact of these families on the Kingdom.  Their years of worship.  Of service. Of tithing. Their witness to their friends and family. The work that goes on through their kids and grandkids.  Now what would happen, if were to learn about how so many others of our members came to know Christ?  Wouldn’t we have a totally different view of how to do evangelism, WHY to do it?  How to stay encouraged about it?  Joyce Saxon’s father told God is she got saved he would become a preacher.  What about countless fathers and mothers and grandfathers and grandmothers praying by children’s bedsides, doing devotionals together, exalting Christ in the day-to-day? If I think about it, I am overwhelmed. I see each person in my mind and cannot fathom how many people, stretching back to the Apostles, were faithful in living and proclaiming so that each person in my church came to know Christ! To think that today, I may be someone who can witness to another.  Any person living their life in the light of Christ—we can never understand what influence they will have. Each one of us who is saved is a miracle!

Someone went to visit the people on this list.  I know of at least two other prominent members of my church that came because Rev. Ditto visited them when they came to town.

I think this letter is one of the most encouraging and challenging things I have come across.  A simple letter, nothing of earth-shaking historical value.  But what it shows us is a pastor and church who wanted to reach their town for Christ.  A small town, but that does not matter.  Everywhere, people need to know Jesus, and we should be pleased to introduce Him anywhere to anyone!

And then there’s this.  We may think, “I went out and visited people, and invited people, and no one came.”  Don’t I know it! If I counted the fruit of my evangelism based on the percentage of people who became followers of Christ, I’d be so depressed.  My own self-assessment is that I am a less-than-average evangelist.  But I don’t worry about numbers or rejection. What I do focus on is that when one person accepts Christ, angels rejoice.  And this letter from Rev. Ditto reminds me that each person who comes to Christ can have an amazing impact over the long haul of the Kingdom. Don’t obsess about all the people who don’t respond to your invitation.  Or who reject your precious Savior, who is so dear to you that it hurts if they take Him lightly.  Think that those who do come to know Him through your witness will also bear fruit for the Gospel.  You may never get to see that fruit.  But it is there.