Recently, an incredible pastor and personal mentor retired from his church in Washington, DC. Mike and Kay Minter planted Reston Bible Church 47 years ago. Can you believe that? 47 years! The church started small in their home and today is a mega-church in the DC area. How awesome to see their faithfulness to God, His Church, and their family. This past Sunday, the church had a celebration for Mike and Kay. Mike shared his last sermon as an encouragement and challenge to the church. Surrounded by their children and grandchildren, Mike and Kay were overwhelmed by the number of people and the outpouring of love from so many where they served so faithfully through five decades!
Reston Bible Church has become an incredible church in the time Mike and Kay served there. Mike has literally baptized people who are now grandparents, their children, and their children’s children. He has married countless couples and buried countless saints. He and Kay have discipled generations in Christ. Reston supports hundreds of missionaries and mission organizations around the world. Mike and Kay have seen so many become Christ-followers and impacted untold United States Government leaders. Their ministry is immeasurable!
We live in a world of instant gratification. Everyone wants the latest technology, the newest trend on social media, and whatever is “in” at the moment. Things in our world change quickly. People want to be somewhere else, so they are willing to take shortcuts. This leads to them getting in trouble and losing their position. So, when you find someone who is faithful this is a rare and valuable treasure. Whether it is Coach K, who is retiring after years of being a college basketball coach, or Pastor Mike as a Pastor, we are able to clearly see their impact as it reverberates through the generations.
In life, we all long for faithfulness. We long for a faithful marriage. 40, 50, or 60 years married is a joy and an honor. We long for faithful friends. Friends who are not just there in the good times, but who walk with us in the tough times as well. We long for faithful medical professionals, teachers, and more. People who serve with wisdom and experience. People who answer the call in their lives and stay true to their mission all their days. These are the ones who make the greatest impact.
Your call and my call is to be faithful. Be faithful in your marriage – when temptations come to check out physically and emotionally, resist and flee. Be a faithful parent and be a faithful friend. Be faithful to Jesus and faithful to His Church. Don’t bounce from church to church, but find a church home and invest your life. Will it always be perfect, no, but the goal is not perfection, the goal is to hear your God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” We are not good on our own, but we are by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. So, what we can be is faithful. My prayer for all of us is that we will be running into the arms of Jesus. When God calls us home, may we be faithfully serving and doing what He called and equipped each of us to do.
Pastor Mike now serves on our church staff at Rolling Hills as the Associate Teaching Pastor and leads our PrimeTime ministry. At 76, he is still impacting people for Jesus. He still goes to the Amazon to teach at our Justice & Mercy International Pastor’s Conference. He still inspires other generations to be faithful. Whether you teach preschool, children, students, lead a Community Group, Men’s Group, Women’s, or Pastor a mega-church, keep going! Don’t get distracted and don’t stop. Keep going. Be faithful. Your best days are still ahead. Remember, your goal is to be faithful.
Thank you, Pastor Mike and Kay, for inspiring me, your family, your church, and all of Christendom through your dedication, commitment, and faithfulness. We are so thankful for you!
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