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Our Last Newsletter
I’m sitting at my desk with a blank sheet of paper in front of me and a pencil in my hand. I’ve always cherished this moment because it challenges me to be creative in writing these newsletters to you. But today feels different, because I know this will be our last one.
I’ve been writing to you since 1979 – that’s 210 quarterly newsletters over the past 47 years. My hope is that along the way, I’ve shared words that have touched, moved, inspired, and challenged you to hear God’s Call to be the Church.
I won’t miss the deadlines, but I will miss the opportunity to write to you. I’ll miss imagining you receiving our newsletter, The Call, settling into your easy chair, and reading my messages and hearing about the ministry experiences Pam and I shared while traveling among your churches. It has always encouraged me to know you wanted to stay connected through these newsletters.
I often think back to the day my bishop, Jack Tuell, said to me, “Kimball, there is no appointment for an evangelist in our conference. Will you go and live out God’s call on your life for the Church and then show us how to do it?” He not only challenged me, but supported me, because he believed evangelism is greatly needed in the Church. That day marked the beginning of a close friendship. His wife, Margie, became Pam’s prayer partner.
I am not retiring from ministry. I will continue to preach as I am invited. I will keep writing songs that share the Gospel, and I will remain available to encourage and mentor young pastors, sharing what I’ve learned over the past 60 years. The only change is that I will no longer be leading our usual three-day events.
Your prayerful and financial support has made this outreach so successful. Because of you, we’ve been able to reach thousands of people through more than 600 evangelism events across 13 states. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your belief in evangelism, and for trusting me to serve as a messenger for God. Please know how much I love and appreciate you. I remain available if you’d ever like to connect by phone or email.
In closing, I want to say I will always remember that genuine joyful look on your face as you responded to God’s Call to stand at the altar, joining hands with your fellow church men and women, singing, and boldly proclaiming that you are God’s Church.
Now, allow me to leave you with the words which I began our evangelism events:
“The Call to be the Church is the greatest and most loving challenge in the World”
And the words I ended with:
“Go into the World,
Living to Love,
Daring to Dream,
and Running to Reach the Highest”
The Prophetic Spirit, Now
Today, we live in a nation that is dangerously losing its sense of identity and purpose. Our political leaders often seem disconnected from the vision our founding fathers had for America. We are drifting further from the biblical call to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
The prophets spoke to the people of their day when they faced difficult times. They warned the people what could happen if they continued what they were doing. They also encouraged the people to change and follow God’s ways. As Eugene Peterson writes, “The biblical prophets continue to be the most powerful and effective voices ever heard on the earth for keeping religion honest, humble, and compassionate.”
When we understand what the prophets were doing—both in their words and their actions—we can be inspired to do the same. We, the people, can speak truth to power. As Christians, this is what Jesus preached and taught us to live by.
As we reflect on the prophets, do we see any parallels in today’s world? We live in a democracy, a system that grants each of us a vote. However, when the politicians are not honest in their speeches, our votes are being won fraudulently. We must be wary of politicians who hold up Bibles pretending to be religious, while lacking the values it teaches. Why are we so impressed with rich people? Do we assume they are smarter? Do they know more about running the country? Too often, their concern lies more with profit than with people’s needs, hurts, pain, and poverty.
As brave and courageous as the prophets were, they first made excuses as to why they couldn’t speak for God. Moses claimed he couldn’t speak well. Isaiah felt unworthy. Jeremiah said he was too young. I identify with them. At 85, I sometimes feel too old. But God did not accept their excuses, and God won’t accept ours either.
Just as the prophets warned the people in their day, we are called to warn our people of what could happen if we keep moving in the direction we are headed. We are the Body of Christ. We are the arms, legs, and heart of the prophetic spirit. Our country needs us now to speak and to act.
Kimball Boyd Coburn 