A Tribute to Pastor Doug Schneider and the Parable of the Servants with Gold

Today my heart is heavy as we grieve the passing on of our Pastor Doug Schneider. I had the privilege sitting under his ministry for over 25 years. Not only was he the pastor of our church but was leader of Global Canada and involved in a number of ministries around the world. Even in his final year with us, he was a visionary and instrumental in creating the History Makers School of Destiny which launches in September 2022. He accomplished more in one lifetime than most of us could do in five.

While we look at his accomplishments, even more notable is the impact he had on people. Of the hundreds of tributes that have poured in there is a common theme. His Celebration of Life today echoed that theme. He loved and cared about people. Everyone he met, regardless of background or position, people mattered. Being a Kingdom man, he knew how to express God’s love for people. Every time you talked to him you felt like he had given you a small piece of the Kingdom of Heaven.

We prayed for his healing, knowing that God if fully capable of doing so. But God, seeing matters from his perspective, had other plans. His passing was not premature, but he completed the race set before him and is now enjoying the rewards of his labour here on earth.

So what has this got to do with the parable of the Bags of Gold in found in Matthew 25?

When I reflect on Pastor Doug’s life, this parable comes to mind in a few ways.

First – Pastor Doug like the faithful servant, took what was given to him, invested in people and yielded a great return for the Kingdom. Today he is being rewarded as a faithful servant and good steward of that which he was given.

Second, and even more important. Pastor Doug deposited a part of the Kingdom of Heaven in every person he spoke to. That is you and I. While he has a legacy in his family, the church and institutions he was part of, the most significant part of his legacy is the thousands of people he impacted.

So the question is, what am I going to do, what are you going to do with that deposit he made in us. Are we going to bury it and do nothing of value with it? Or will you take what he gave you, develop it, grow it, run with it and continue to have an impact for the Kingdom?

Third, what am I doing, what are you doing to share God’s love and his Kingdom with others? Grieving is good, we need to take time and continue to grieve, but at the same time, we have to resolve to continue his legacy. How? By following his example of loving others the way God loves us, by taking the time to talk to people and get to know them. By becoming such a close friend of God that everyone we meet gets a taste of what the Kingdom is all about.

Thank you Pastor Doug. Until we meet again, my resolve is to follow your example, love others and lead them to the Kingdom.

Have a blessed week,

Bruce Richardson