My Gamaliel

Bob Fleming was the best Elder that I served with in my entire ministry. I affectionately called him my Gamaliel. Gamaliel was an Elder among the Sanhedrin and was a teacher who had great wisdom. When the apostles angered the religious leaders by teaching in the temple courts and they wanted to put them to death (Acts 5:33-39), Gamaliel was the voice of reason. I’ve never faced such persecution as the apostles, but many times needed a voice of reason in my ministry. Enter Bob Fleming. He was a great Bible teacher and full of wisdom. When I needed it, he was there to provide adjustment to my perspective. Bob didn’t always agree with my decisions and he let me know it in a way only he could. But he.always loved me, guided me, provided wise counsel and supported me in ministry. We’d sit down with a pot of coffee for an hour or more and what was said in his kitchen stayed in his kitchen and I left his presence the better for it.  

Do you have a Gamaliel? I hope you do. None of us goes through life without needing adjustment from time to time, especially if we are doing ministry. None of us are infallible as we represent God to others. Acts 5 gives us the context of Gamaliel’s wisdom. Our context may be different but the principle is the same. I will always be grateful for my Gamaliel, my beloved elder and friend, Bob Fleming. Looking towards the future through the lens of the past, I hope that I can be a Gamaliel for someone else. But Bob’s shoes will be hard to fill.