May We Meet in the Heavenly World by Lemuel Haynes

He was tireless in the cause of the gospel I hope to be so as well. He would preach right up to the week of his death at 80 years of age. He worked hard to pioneer missions and church-planting work in New England. That quickens me, and when I keep this perspective in mind, it fills everything with a new and more exalted dignity.Īs I said earlier, I hope his example of preaching his affected my own in some positive way. But Haynes raises my gaze to that coming Day when Christ shall appear and I will give an account and receive my reward. I don’t know why my dull heart focuses so much on the dailyness of ministry, and temporal things. Well, first, he’s helped me to view pastoral ministry in light of eternity. How has Lemuel Haynes influenced your work as a pastor?Ī. I pray for that to be the case in my own preaching some day. He is precise doctrinally and fervently evangelistic. For Haynes, doctrine is for feeling and living and rejoicing and thanksgiving. Third, I’d like to say I learn something more about doctrinal preaching from Haynes. Haynes demonstrates that that kind of pragmatism is not necessary and that biblical faithfulness is effective.

Today, there are many who think that playing down the Bible or dressing it up in new clothing is the way to be sensitive to the issues in the culture. He attempted to exegete the sacred text and the secular society so that the truth of God could be applied to all of life. But he also spoke powerfully to the issues of his day from a gospel- and Bible-centered perspective. He was faithful in his pastoral duties, serving one congregation for three decades. Second, the Lord seemed to position Haynes between the church and the world in a powerful way. That example is good for our souls and calls us to nobler, higher things of Christ. Haynes’s correspondence and sermons breathe the air of heaven and speak the language of Zion. At least that’s how the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit seemed to view things in Colossians 3:1–4. The only way to be of any earthly good and to make a difference for eternity is to be heavenly minded. I really dislike that saying, “Don’t be so heavenly minded you’re of no earthly good.” That saying gets it exactly backwards. First, as I try to demonstrate in “May We Meet in the Heavenly World”, Haynes was consistently gripped by visions of eternity and heaven. I’m gripped by three things as I study Haynes. What have you personally gleaned from the ministry of Lemuel Haynes the most?Ī. Lemuel Haynes simply hasn’t received enough attention as either an important figure in American and Christian history, or as an example to us of faithful Christian witness and pastoral labor.

Why do you enjoy studying Lemuel Haynes so much?Ī.

This is at least your third book that is in some way related to Lemuel Haynes.

May We Meet in the Heavenly World by Lemuel Haynes