Oct. 4, 2010
For Immediate Release

By Tawny Vilchis, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The Rev. Fred Luter Jr. of Louisiana and Dr. Hershael W. York of Kentucky spoke on the “Characteristics of Effective Church Leaders” at the Pastors and Church Leaders Conference at Campbellsville University on Sept. 23 and 24.

The conference was a two-day event supported by The Reuben and Jewel Robertson Worship Endowment Program and The Baptist Heritage Series of CU.

Luter, senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, La., challenged the audience to “Walk Worthy of the Calling.” He shared “The Victory Through the Word of God” and his perspective of “The Other Side of Ministry.”

He said, “Do you ever think about what your saying ‘God called you?' Look to your left; now look to your right, can you imagine God called them? That's what we can't forget; God didn't call us because of but in spite of. ”

Luter shared Romans 12:1-2 and Ephesians 4:1-2 in his first sermon, “Walk Worthy of the Calling.” He said Paul lists three applications on how to do this: with conviction, through conversion and with commitment.

With conviction, which is the work of God on the inside of us, you learn how to become a living sacrifice. He said, “Do you have conviction since you have been saved? Has there been change in your life?”

Through conversion, which is the work of God on the outside of us, you are what you become because of what God has done. He said, “You must change from a sinner to a saint; from having religion to a relationship.”

With commitment, you are being committed 100 percent to God and his calling and nothing else. He said, “We don't have to guess about God's will whenever you are committed, God will reveal his plan.

“When you're committed to your calling it doesn't matter what the church thinks about you. It's not about the pastor, it's about the master.”
Luter shared Psalms 119:9, 11,15,16 when speaking on “Victory through the Word of God.” He said, “If we are going to walk worthily of the calling, we must understand the power that is in God's word because we will be under constant attack, the Christian life is not easy, and our call is to greater effectiveness.”

Luter listed three ways we need the word of God: in your hands, in your head and in your heart.

In your hands he said, “Take it up and read it, for it is the way for the young man and woman to cleanse life.” In your head he said, “meditate upon it, contemplate upon his word.” In your heart he said, “Hiding the word of God in your heart is the best weapon against sin in your life.”

In the sermon “The Other Side of Ministry,” Luter shared Psalms 34:1-3, 19. He said, “Ministry is tough. Sooner or later in life tough times will come to every person, believer or unbeliever. How can you, the minster, handle the tough times?”

Luter said to understand three things: the plight of the afflicted, problem of the afflicted and the promise of the afflicted.

He said about the plight of the afflicted: “There will not just be affliction; there will be many afflictions; we will be tempted to ask ‘why so often and why so many?'”

When speaking on the problem of the afflicted he said, “Afflictions come to the believer not so much because of who we are but whose we are. God desires to test and to purify his own.”

He said about the promise of the afflicted, “But the Lord delivers'…What a promise! God will put a BUT in your situation. He has reason for your temporary season of affliction.”

Dr. Hershael W. York

York, senior pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort, Ky., spoke on “Unrelenting Obedience,” “Searching Until” and “Moses and Leadership.”

York shared Exodus 4:24-26 and said, “In the text, God seems unpredictable: Moses has been called by God, here God has determined to kill Moses. The call to service is the call to unrelenting obedience, to the demand of holiness.”

He said that there are three conscious choices we must make: private obedience is worth more then public leadership, submission to your Father is more important than to anyone else and that the mark of death is necessary for eternal life.

York said, “We try to preach a gospel that we ourselves don't do. We must pursue God whatever the cost. Everyday I have to point to the blood and say I'm clean I don't have to live a holy life on my own will. It's not based on my experience or qualifications, it is all about the blood of Jesus.”

York shared Luke 15:1-7, 8-10 when speaking on the sermon “Searching Until.” He told two stories about lost things, a sheep and a coin. Each story reveals the heart of God about lost people.

He said, “There are preparations we need to make in our lives to really have God's heart for the lost.” York offered four areas in which we must prepare.

Prepare to suffer reproach, he said, “Not everyone is going to be happy about evangelism, not even in your church.”

Prepare to shift you priorities, he said, “When something valuable goes missing, there is no longer a list of things to do but only one thing to do… a concern for the lost often is not high on the priority list.”

Prepare to actually search, he said, “Don't just talk about it, but do it; when fishermen fish they flourish, and when fishermen don't fish they fight!”

Prepare to succeed, he said, “If we will search diligently, if we will search ‘until,' God will give success to our all out efforts to find the lost.”

York shared Numbers 20:1-13 when speaking on “Moses and Leadership.” In the text Moses was angry and disobedient. York said it shows the seriousness with which God treats sin. God judges Moses and will not allow him entry into the promise land.

York pointed out three lessons to learn from the message. He said, “You can't trade past obedience for present indulgence no matter how. You can't sacrifice inner holiness for outer success. Don't settle for performance over perseverance.”

Luter and York also led small group sessions throughout the conference along with Dr. Ted Taylor, professor of Christian studies, director of Leadership/Character Development Institute and lead professor of sports ministry program; Dr. Shane Garrison, assistant professor of educational ministries; Dr. Scott Wigginton, associate professor of pastoral ministries and counseling; and Dr. Tony Cunha, assistant professor of music/associate dean.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 63 undergraduate programs, 17 master's degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.