Ringer

My wife and I enjoyed spending Sunday evening through Wednesday evening at the annual Seedline International conference.  She was sick and could not go on the last night.  It was sad.

In this conference was a Missionary to Australia and I enjoyed listening to him.  “Good’ay Mate” was all he needed to say to me.  This guy has lived in Australia most of his life except for the time he spent in the United States going to Bible college.

He said that he spent most of his life as a “Ringer”.  I thought maybe he grew up ringing the Church bell.  This is a ministry that some take on and excel in.  A “Ringer” in Australia is a cowboy here in America.  I hate to say it; but, I immediately thought about a “dead ringer”.  We say that if someone looks like someone else.  I am guessing that the phrase come from somewhere else.

How fitting that this Ringer becomes a Missionary.  He is already used to dealing with hard-headed animals.  He should be well prepared for ministry.  His mandate comes from Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”  How about you?  Where does your mandate come from?

So, how are you doing?