Have you ever needed to make an important decision and had that sinking feeling that you didn’t have anyone qualified to give you good advice? “Where do I turn?” you ask.
Yes, of course, we should pray. We should seek God and ask Him for wisdom and direction. However, God has also chosen to work through people. After we pray, He often asks us to get up and go talk to someone—a brother in the church, a trusted friend, a neighbor, or someone who has experience in the area where we need wisdom.
This is part of God’s plan. He did not design us to make every decision alone. A president has advisers around him to give advice and direction. We husbands have our wives, who can give valuable wisdom and input. Sometimes our older sons and daughters see things that we do not and give us helpful thoughts. In the church, we may ask our brotherhood for wisdom before making a life-changing decision such as a move to another community or a career change.
Certainly the Holy Spirit gives us direction and wisdom, but many times God chooses to work through another person. We see this clearly in the life of Saul, who later became known as the Apostle Paul.
Saul was traveling on the road to Damascus when a bright light from heaven suddenly shone around him. Jesus Himself spoke to Saul. Saul asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Jesus could have told him everything right there. Instead, He told Saul, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:6)
Then God sent Ananias. Think about that. Jesus had already spoken directly to Saul, yet God chose to use another brother to bring further direction into Saul’s life. Ananias went to him, laid his hands on him, and spoke the words God had given him.
At All-Nations Bible Translation, we recognize that we also need people around us who can give wisdom, direction, and honest counsel. We do not want to make important decisions in isolation. Two important groups that help us in this way are our Advisory Council and our Pastoral Council.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council is made up of men appointed by the Board of Directors to provide counsel, support, and an outside perspective to All-Nations. Members serve one-year terms and may be reappointed as the board sees a continued need.
Advisers stay informed by reading the minutes from quarterly board meetings and participate in at least one board meeting each year, either in person or virtually.
Beyond giving counsel, Advisory Council members help promote the vision of All-Nations in their own areas of ministry and commit to supporting the work through prayer. While they do not carry the governing responsibility of the Board of Directors, they provide valuable wisdom and encouragement as All-Nations seeks to faithfully carry out its mission.
Sometimes those outside the daily work of an organization can see things that those on the inside may miss. We value that perspective. We want men around us who will both encourage us when we are moving in the right direction and raise a concern or question when needed.
Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council is made up of five to seven ordained men from Anabaptist churches who provide spiritual direction, counsel, and accountability to All-Nations leadership. The council includes both younger church leaders and older, experienced ministers, giving us a broad perspective from the churches we serve alongside.
One important responsibility of the Pastoral Council is to listen to the larger Anabaptist community. These men can bring both affirmations and concerns to All-Nations leadership. They help us think through whether an issue is something All-Nations should speak to or whether it is something that should be left to the churches.
They also help us consider the influence All-Nations has within Anabaptist churches. We never want an organization to take the place that God has given to the local church. Our desire is to be an “Aaron and Hur” (Exodus 17:11-13) support to churches, not above them or apart from them.
The Pastoral Council also supports the church partnership work of All-Nations. Members serve three-year terms, stay familiar with the work and publications of All-Nations, attend an annual Pastoral Council meeting, and participate in at least one All-Nations event during each term.
As an organization involved in Bible translation, missions, training, and sending workers into other parts of the world, we recognize our need to walk with godly pastors. These pastors help us keep our feet firmly planted in sound doctrine and maintain healthy relationships with the churches that stand behind this work.
Walking Together
We are deeply grateful for these two indispensable councils and for the men who faithfully serve on them. They give their time. They pray. They listen. They ask questions. They offer wisdom. Sometimes they tell us things we need to hear, even when those things are not easy.
We do not believe that any council, leader, or individual has all the answers. Our confidence must always be in God, His Word, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Yet we also believe that God often gives wisdom and direction through the people He places around us.
Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”
There is safety in counsel. There is a sense of peace in knowing that these chosen men of God are walking alongside us—praying for us, giving wisdom, offering encouragement, and speaking honestly when needed.
None of us were meant to walk alone. Not even an organization.
– Harold R. Troyer