Evangéliumi Hírnök, 2000 (92. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)

2000-08-01 / 8. szám

I WAS NOT INTERESTED! By Klári Vereczky Malis A photo recently reminded me of a wonderful pastor I had while living in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was instru­mental in my salvation and was called “home” while serving the Lord in India. I’d like to tell you how much this pastor meant to me after I found Jesus in that special kind of way - salvation. Dr. Maurice Berquist, a dedicated servant of God who pastored a growing congregation in Daytona Beach for more than 15 years, was a kind, gentle and wise man. He had become highly re­spected and admired among religious leaders of his fundamental denomina­tion and authored more than two dozen books. One, “The Doctor Is In,” was also produced for television. It is not because of his several accom­plishments that I think of Brother Berquist today. Instead, I recall most vividly my opinion of this pastor before I became a believer. And how my im­pression of him changed dramatically the moment I accepted the saving grace of my Lord Jesus. 1 didn’t like Brother Berquist at all during the dozen years before I came to know Jesus personally. But 1 do believe the Lord led him to be “there” wherever I was working. It seems that this pastor—whom I didn’t like very much—was evident ev­erywhere I went. He bought windows from our firm when I was with a window manufacturer. Later, employed at a local lumber yard, 1 helped him purchase building materials for his church’s new construction. And he even had a Chris­tian program on a local radio station when I was a commentator there! Brother Berquist was always there and, even though 1 didn’t appreciate it at the time, he continued to be God’s witness to me. Whenever this pastor invited me to a special program at his church, my reply was, “Maybe. I’ll see.” Yet I knew deep down in my heart I wouldn’t attend. However, he kept inviting me—for YEARS! Even his secretary phoned. Other believers called me. But a polite “maybe” was my only response. I never went. Living as a “modem” young woman in Daytona Beach, the lifestyle of Christian believers seemed dull and uninteresting. This pastor and his friends did not appeal to me in the least. 2000. augusztus But from that moment—that beauti­ful moment—when Jesus came into my heart with His Saving Grace, I saw Brother Berquist as an entirely different person. I came to respect and admire this patient pastor who had tried to bring me, a “lost” lamb, into God’s sheepfold. I learned a great lesson through this experience. I realize that, as the Lord’s Servants here on earth, we are to PER­SEVERE in trying to reach the lost even when they are not interested in His Mes­sage. Most of the time, it takes more than one invitation for someone to accept our offer. And it also takes a lot of prayer for the Holy Spirit to convince that lost loved one to come to Jesus. I wonder how many persons prayed for me before I became interested in and accepted God’s Great Love. I’ll be eter­nally grateful to all of them . . . and to Brother Berquist. ELMER MUNCSAN (1926 - 2000) Elmer Muncsan of Allen Park, MI., a devoted and active member of the Bethel Baptist Church and a champion of rights for nursing home residents, died on June 10, 2000. He was 74. Mr. Muncsan was bom in 1926 to the late László and Ethel Muncsan. He grad­uated from Henry Ford Trade School, earned a four year degree at Detroit Business Institute, went to work for General Motors where he spent the next 40 years until his retirement. In 1995, at the age of 69, he spent 10 month in Hungary, his parents’ home­land, as a volunteer teaching English at the International Baptist Lay Academy. His students were deacons, Sunday­­school teachers and directors fo youth and women’s ministries from 21 Eastern European countries. To prepare for the trip, he returned to school himself to earn certification as a teacher of English as a second language. “You don’t stop living once you re­tire,” Mr. Muncsan said before his trip. “You have to keep your mind active by countinuing to leam. The more you leam, the more interesting life is.” He is survived by his sister, a nephew and nieces. MUNCSÁN ELEMÉR egy kiváló magyar baptista ember volt. Amikor megismertem a Detroiti Magyar Bap­tista Gyülekezet aktív tagja volt, később az angol Bethel Baptista Gyülekezet tagja lett, s ott szolgált hűségesen, negy­ven éven át. Életében - gyülekezeti és hétköznapi magaviseletéből egyaránt - meglátszott a krisztusiasság. Ha valami tenni való volt - templom takarítás, énekkar vezetés, vasárnapi iskolai tanítás - ő készen volt. Amikor Torontóból átköl­töztem Detroitba és Petre Albert test­vértől átvettem a magyar gyülekezetét, az egész Muncsán család a gyülekezet aktív tagja volt. Krisztusi lelkülete más irányban is megmutatkozott. Több mint 30 éven át gondozta beteg édesanyját odahaza. Végül mégis kénytelen volt ápoló otthonba helyezni őt. Nővérével - Tóth Olgával - hat otthon vizsgáltak ki, mielőtt választottak. Amikor Elemér látta, hogy milyen rossz gondviselésben részesülnek az idős betegek, létrehozott egy szervezetet, ami éveken keresztül működött azzal a céllal, hogy az ápoló otthonokban lévő gondozottak körül­ményeit javítsa. 1995-ben, 69 éves korában tíz hóna­pot töltött Magyarországon. Angol nyelvet tanított a Szigetszentmiklóson működő baptista laikus akadémián (IBLA). Hogy ezt megtehesse, tanítói igazolványt szerzett és minden kiadását maga fedezte. Mindezt személyes tapasztalatból írom, hiszen húsz éven keresztül voltam Elemér lelkipásztora - 7 évig a magyar és 13 évig az angol gyülekezetben. Bogár József nyugalmazott Ip. Neked Szolgálni! I will serve Thee by William J. and Gloria Gaither Vágyam: élni, Neked szolgálni, Új élettel, Megváltóm. Megtaláltál és megváltottál, Éltem Néked átadom. Bűnben meggyötörve, Szenvedtem, de megmentettél engem. Szívem megérintetted, s adtál örök életet. I will serve Thee because I love Thee, You have given life to me; I was nothing before You found me, You have given life to me. Hearthaches, broken pieces, Ruined lives are why You died on Calv’ry, Your touch was what I longed for, You have given life to me. Magyar szöveg: Für Béla 9. oldal

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