November 17, 2013
The Desires of a Pastor’s Heart
My first encounter with Rev. Jennifer Joy Ikoma-Motzko was at the ABC Mission Summit in Overland Park, Kansas this past June. Yosh Nagakawa in his signature enthusiastic spirit was introducing Jennifer to all of his American Baptist friends. I was glad to be counted as one of his friends.
When I discovered that Yosh wanted to impress Jennifer to become an American Baptist and quickly learned that she was in a process of discernment, I said, “Trust in the Lord.” In a few months, Jennifer is now the Senior Pastor of Japanese Baptist Church and this is the reason why all of us are here for this august occasion!
Only the person who is truly faithful to God would want to become a pastor. There are more benefits working for Boeing. You get a better salary at Microsoft. Our Asian American parents and community usually have big hopes for their children to get a good education, get a good job, get married to a nice husband, get a nice house, get a family going, and get a lot of money. Jennifer, you have a good education, a loving and supportive husband, may have a nice place to live and probably will have a nice family but you won’t get a lot of money! When you trust in the Lord, God takes you to new places like from Chicago to Seattle and God asks you to only trust in him.
The Psalmist in Chapter 37:3 says, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This new land of Seattle and this new church of JBC will give you home security to enjoy, but you still won’t be rich as the world knows it.
When you took delight in the Lord by faithfully following God’s calling by giving up what you had in the Midwest to come to the beautiful and rainy Northwest, the desires of your heart will be fulfilled.
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to preach and teach the Word of God so that the people would be able to recite them to their children and talk about them when they are at home and when they are away, when they lie down and when they rise. (Deut. 6:4ff.)
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to lead worship and administer the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper so that the people would love the Lord your God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their might.
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to become a good shepherd to walk through the darkest valleys with your people because you know that there is no evil that could ever overcome the staff of Jesus Christ in your life.
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to be the conscience and prophetic voice of peace and justice for the people that as long as there is still suffering and inequity in the world that you would proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to be that undying witness to those who have not come to know for themselves the love of God in Christ because like Jesus you have come to bring Good News to all sinners and the lost.
The desires of a pastor’s heart is to trust the Lord and do good and you will live in the land of Seattle, enjoy the security of JBC and be rich in God’s Spirit. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you all the desires of your heart to be a humble and faithful pastor of Jesus Christ.
I am pleased as a pastoral colleague and on behalf of the American Baptist Churches, USA to welcome you into the fellowship of the ABC family. I charge you in the presence of God and this community of disciples to be faithful in the call of serving as the Senior Pastor of Japanese Baptist Church of Seattle and to give yourself fully and without reservation to this ministry.
Continue to trust in the Lord and do what is good, not in the eyes of the world but for the sake of Christ Jesus.
Let us pray.
Eternal God, you have called Jennifer Joy Ikoma-Motzko to full-time ministry at the Japanese Baptist Church because you have placed in her a pastor’s heart. Grant her the wisdom and power to proclaim the Good News of Christ. Give her the grace to be a loving pastor and a creative teacher to bring truth and understanding in her ministry. Inspire her to reveal your presence to every person in this church to know that you, O God is here among us. To this ministry, we consecrate Jennifer Ikoma-Motzko and ourselves, that to you may be given praise and glory, now and forever. Amen.