a pastor's heart

My bro-in-law Tony died suddenly on the Saturday before Easter. We were both interns under Dr. Murphy Lum 30 years ago. At Tony's memorial service in L.A. two nights ago, Pastor Lum ended with an invitation to accept Christ as savior. It was an old-fashioned altar call, albeit brief. It impressed me because it showed Dr. Lum’s heart. More than anything he wants to see people come to know Jesus. I may think his methods are old-fashioned but I can’t disagree with his heart. He is in alignment with Jesus and Paul. Jesus said that his message was to repent because the kingdom of heaven is near (Matt 4:17). Paul said that our message is to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:19-20). Entering the kingdom of heaven and being reconciled to God are the summum bonum of human experience, the highest good that we could experience. Wanting this for everyone that he can influence is what makes Murphy a successful pastor, regardless of attendance numbers or the size of the church building where he has an office.