The Great Omission

I remember hearing a preacher in a church service say, “Aren’t you thankful that we have this sanctuary, that we can come in from the world – gathered together safe and sound,  and able to put the cares of this life outside these walls.”

Sound familiar?

Maybe we’ve even said it ourselves at one time or another.

How wrong we are!

Now don’t get me wrong.  It is great to have a place that we can come, gather together for worship, prayer, teaching, and exhortation. The Bible tells us to do that, and to do it with even more frequency as we see the end times approaching. 

120 of Jesus’ followers had done that at Pentecost when the Holy Sprit fell upon them accompanied by audible and visible signs and the church was born!   When Peter and John were released after being threatened by the Sanhedrin they came to the place where other believers were gathered together – they recounted the persecution and the threats, and the entire group prayed, and when they prayed, the place where they were was shaken.

When Herod had slain James with the sword, he had  Peter arrested and he was scheduled for execution as well.  When God sent an angel to deliver Peter in the most remarkable jailbreak ever, he immediately headed for John Mark’s mother’s home, where he knew the believers were assembled in an attitude of prayer for his safety.

However, we need to awaken to the fact that “the meetin’ house” is not what it is ALL about.  It is not a place for the “holy huddle” to remain.  It is not “the church”, we are!  It is simply a place for preparation for the work that Jesus has given us to do.

Our focus must be outside the walls.

We are located in cities, towns, rural areas, and in countries all around the globe – and that is where Christ has placed us, and that’s exactly where he sends us.

Consider His words in Matthew 9: 35-38  “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;  therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Notice Jesus went…  He never traveled more than a few day’s foot journey from where He was born or grew up.  He calls us to go outside the walls of the church. He calls us to go intentionally, but He also calls us to make disciples “as we are going” about our daily lives as well.  He calls us to labor. His plan is for us to “reach, baptize, and teach”.  Jesus saw the crowds like helpless sheep. Harassed by Satan. Beaten down by him and unable to help themselves.  He compassionately told His disciples, and us, that laborers are needed!

Oh! That we would see others the way Jesus sees them!  Oswald Chambers has said: “We talk about the second coming of Christ, but half the world has never heard of His first coming!”  Millions walk in darkness around the world, but also around the corner from us. May God burden our hearts to accomplish His Great Commission.

The Master Plan of Evangelism has two aspects.  There is the geographic plan as shown in Acts 1:8 (starting in our home town first and reaching around the globe).  The other aspect is the mathematical component. 2 Timothy 2:2, making disciples and creating “faithful” individuals who will be able to replicate themselves, and on and on, multiplying the number of believers as we go.

In the coming year we are going to be exploring how we ALL can be more involved in disciple making. Yes, we will encourage and support international missions.  Yes we will financially support North American mission work and church planting activities. We will take part in Disaster Relief, and some will make mission trips in North America and to Asia.  But we will also focus on How we may reverse the “Great Omission” of forgetting the many lost people in our own area.  We’ll explore various methods, using situations every one of us are already prepared for with our own unique gifts and talents.

I’m praying the Lord of the Harvest that He will send laborers.  Right here among us.  The harvest is great. The laborers are few. The time is short. Judgment is final and eternity is forever!

The Great Adkins Clan Thanksgiving Week Anniversary Cruise

In two months I hope to be wearing this T-Shirt (or one like it).

If the good Lord is willing, and all works out as planned, two months from today we should be in the middle of a family adventure that we have never all experienced before.  I'm calling it  "The Great Adkins Clan Thanksgiving Week Anniversary Cruise".

2016 has been a special year in our family for Wedding Anniversaries.

Linda and I observed our 45th Anniversary on June 19th.  Just a month before that, our older son, Jay and his wife, Michelle celebrated their 20th Anniversary on May 18th.  This coming November 16th, younger son, Benji, and his wife, Leigh Anne will also observe their 20th.  It is a milestone year for sure.

Our family, although not as large and scattered as some, rarely all get to be together at the same time. There are only 11 of us in total, but geography, occupational duties, and school activities make it nearly impossible for all of our "planets to align".  In fact, the last time ALL of us were in the same place at the same time, was Thanksgiving of 2011, when Nathan was only 3 months old.  There have been several times that most of us have been together, but in each of those cases one or the other of the spouses, or one of the kids were not present.  That's frustrating for an old guy (and his wife) whose lives have been centered around God (first) and then family.

Jay is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Westwego in suburban New Orleans, and Michelle teaches in Marrero Academy.  Quint and Canon attend Patrick Taylor Academy (a science and technology magnet school), also located in Jefferson Parish. Quint, who is a Junior this year, attends Pat Taylor in the mornings and then drives to the New Orleans Center for Cultural Arts (NOCCA) for afternoon classes in advanced musical studies.  The boys in New Orleans stay busy with their various band and other music activities, as well as being heavily involved in their church youth group.

Nearly a thousand miles away, Benji and Nathan travel to Fallsburg, KY each day where Benji teaches Middle School English in the Lawernce County, Kentucky school system, and Nathan is doing his preschool work.   The two older boys, Will and Asher, attend High School and Middle School in Ashland, KY.  Both of the Kentucky boys also stay very involved in school sports and in activities at their church.  Leigh Anne is a Mary Kay Sales Director.

Of course I serve Westmoreland Baptist Church as Senior Pastor and have some other outside ministry related activities.  Linda just retired this year, so her schedule is a little more pliable, but she does still serve as legal guardian of her 95 year old father who is in a local assisted living community.  Even though he no longer lives in our home, Linda makes regular visits to see him, and is still responsible for all of his affairs.  So it's easy to see that there are often scheduling difficulties for individual family activities, much less getting the whole clan together.

A few months ago a couple of our New Orleans friends, Vinnie and Sue Verdin, made us aware of an excellent deal on aWestern Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Dream, scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving.  Linda and I had been on two cruises in the past, and as I told someone after the first one, "She loved it, and I didn't hate it."  Actually, both of us enjoyed it enough to plan another, longer one, and we always felt like we would enjoy a third cruise, if the opportunity ever arose.

I began thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if the whole family could go along on this cruise?  We could have the joy of having the whole clan together, and celebrate our triple special anniversaries together."  Michelle was the only member of the family, besides Linda and I, who had ever been on a cruise, and she was all for it.  It seemed strange to me that we would possibly be having Thanksgiving Dinner on the high seas and strolling the streets of Cozumel instead of watching football in the family room in our house on 49th Street, but the thought was intriguing.

Well, to make a long story shorter, the planets did align.  By being on the week of Thanksgiving, The boys were out of school, Michelle was out as well, and Benji would only have to use a couple of personal days.  Leigh Anne, Jay and I were able to work our schedules to make it possible, and Linda was chomping at the bit to go!  So, passage was booked, and it was a done deal.

I am truly looking forward to the trip.  Linda and I will probably head down to NOLA a couple of days earlier that Benji and his crew who will join us all there on Saturday, November 19th.  Our ship departs the Port of New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, November 20th and after stops in Cozumel, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, we'll arrive back in the Big Easy a week later, on Sunday, November 27th.

I'm thankful for Sue and Vinnie (who will also be on the ship) for making us aware of the opportunity, and for the Lord allowing us to work out the schedules and the finances to do this thing. So, come November, this old Papaw is looking forward to sailing off with my bride, to all of us being together, celebrating our three Anniversaries, enjoying the tropical climate and beautiful scenery, and observing Thanksgiving aboard a beautiful cruise ship.  As they say down there in New Orleans, "Laissez les bon temps rouler!"

Greater Huntington Baptist Association Welcomes Interim Associational Missionary

The Greater Huntington Baptist Association’s Executive Committee is happy to announce the calling of Rev. Gregory J. Page,  of Huntington as our Interim Associational Missionary.  This is a Bi-vocational position, as Bro. Greg will continue in his vocational position as a Science Teacher at Spring Valley High School.

There has been a void in the leadership of our Association for several years, since the North American Mission Board withdrew it’s funding of local association missionaries in West Virginia.  We were unable to fund our former full time position, and as a temporary fix, we hired a part time secretary and commissioned our association’s Moderator to take on the Associational Missionary duties.  This was only a "partial fix", as the men who have served as Moderator during that time were full time local church pastors, and while able to take care of some of the paperwork and administrative duties, they were unable to get out to visit the various churches of our association, and we have missed that personal touch.

Brother Greg will be assuming the AM duties immediately, although he will be somewhat time constrained until the close of Football season, as he is an assistant coach at SVHS, and is completing his commitment to that program.  From the close of the season, he will be devoting 20 hours per week to this ministry, (and more time during the Summer months, when school is out).

Brother Greg is a 1989 Graduate of Buffalo High School and graduated Marshall University in 1993 with a BA from the College of Education in General Science and earned his Master’s Degree in Health and Physical Education from Marshall in 2005.  Greg’s teaching career has seen him teaching at Rose Hill Christian School (1993-1998); Grace Christian High School (1998-2004); Wayne Middle School (2004-05 school year) and Spring Valley High School 2005 – Present). While at Spring Valley, he has been very actively involved in ministry to those who are involved in the athletic teams, serving as assistant football coach and assistant basketball coach, and serving as the sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes from 2005 to the present; SVHS Prayer Group (2007 – present); and Timberwolves 4 Christ  (2014-present).

Greg was licensed to preach in 2006 and ordained in 2007 by Locust Grove Baptist Church.  He has served as Associate Pastor of Locust Grove since 2008.  He is the author of “Tale of Two Champions” in 2014 and “The Grand Lesson of King Gregory” (a children’s book) in 2015.

Greg and his wife, Kimberly have four children, ranging in age from Middle School to College.

He can be reached by mail at the GHBA Association Office, 3401 Hughes Street, Huntington, WV 25704, and by pone at 304-417-3483.  Until a new Association  email address can be set up, Greg may temporarily be reached via email at Herdfan34@hotmail.com .

We welcome Greg to this challenging position and look forward to introducing him to the entire Association at the GHBA Annual Meeting at 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 13^th at Calvary Baptist Church in Chapmanville, WV.  Please keep Greg and his family in your prayers as he familiarizes himself with this position, and in his new relationship with our churches and the State Convention.

Thinking Outside the Ministry Box

Like many of our aging churches, Central Baptist Church in Ashland has had a bright and storied past.  Once a vibrant congregation in a working middle class neighborhood, Central Baptist has found itself in a community that has changed drastically.

While not what might be thought of as a typical "inner city" type church in some larger cities, Central is probably the closest thing to one in our neighboring town of Ashland, Kentucky (which is where I have lived for the past 36 years).  For eight years I served as pastor of Ashland Baptist Church, just a few blocks from Central.  I am very familiar with that community.  Over the past 40 years, the area from Greenup Avenue stretching south down 29th Street has changed from the working middle class neighborhood it was, to more of a transient neighborhood.  Houses  that were once neat, tidy, well kept family homes have given way to blighted, poverty ridden, and drug and related crime problem area.

Like many of our urban churches, CBC had to come to grips with the fact that the changing demographics of the community, often aren't recognized until the situation is somewhat critical.  Congregations age.  Attendance wanes.  Volunteer workers grow fewer, and if we are not careful, the once vibrant church becomes irrelevant in the community.  Now, don;t get me wrong.  Central has not become irrelevant.  But it has had to come to grips with the fact that, like Dorothy discovered in OZ,  "We're not in Kansas anymore".  Our own church here is increasingly finding ourselves in a similar set of circumstances.

We can debate and argue about worship styles, programs, dress codes, and benevolent works, but we must not lose sight of the fact that we are called here to "Magnify God, Make Disciples, and Minister to People".  That is our purpose.  We must learn how to do all three in an increasingly post christian culture.  It may involve "thinking outside the ministry box" and finding other ways to impact our communities for Christ.

That is what we want to do here. Perhaps we can gain some insight and pick up an idea or two from our sister church about 9 miles down the road in a neighboring town.

Below is a story about Central Baptist Church and what they are doing to try to impact their community for Christ.  The story first appeared in "The Western Recorder" and was written by Myriah Snyder.  Check it out.

ASHLAND, Ky. (Western Recorder) -- Central Baptist Church's new ministry center, Hope Central, has begun ministering to those in need in its surrounding community in a unique way.

The church looked at the neighborhood and wanted to do something more, something different than they have done in the past. They saw that by-and-large their community had needs, and they wanted to do more than meet "immediate needs," said children's minister and pastor's wife Renee Parsons.

"Everybody is meeting the immediate needs, but they are not really 'long-terming' it. It has created a society of dependency," Parsons commented. "We said, 'Okay, how do we stop doing that and start doing something much more productive?'"

Drawing from the cliché, "Stop giving them fish; start giving them poles," the church stopped giving out money, clothes and, largely, food. Instead, they pointed people to other ministries and resources throughout the area, and they began focusing on a new approach, Hope Central, located in a house next door to the church, Parsons shared.

Two of the main ministries the center will offer will be tutoring and an urban garden.

In cooperation with the public school system in Ashland, Hope Central will use volunteers to offer tutoring services and homework help. Teachers will choose children who need help after the first nine weeks. From 4-5 p.m. four days a week, up to 20 children will meet with tutors in reading and math. From 5-6 p.m., more tutors will be available for homework help.

The urban garden was birthed out of this ministry and is a project for youth at Central. They will apply scriptural truths to gardening, as well as use it for outreach, John Clark, Central's youth pastor, said.

In addition to growing a garden on the church grounds, they are starting a "pallet ministry," Clark said. Each pallet will contain a small garden.

Instead of giving people boxes of food, they will give them a pallet garden. The pallets will open doors for evangelism as volunteers develop relationships with the community.

"We're using our outreach to not just share the Gospel, but also help these people find what they need and get them the assistance they need to help better their lives and show them the love of Christ. It's just a blessing all round," Clark said.

The ministry center will be a hub for many things, including a place for the community to connect with other ministries that they may not have access to, otherwise. Central's VBS ministry will operate out of the center, as well as other services offering job placement or pregnancy crisis help.

The center, which has been in the works for a year and a half, will be fully functioning by October.

"This will be an awesome way to get these people some help, some love, and just give them Jesus," Clark added.

"The kids we are dealing with now are a generation of an already lost generation," he added. "If we don't make some drastic steps to go towards these children and make a difference in their lives, then what are we here for?"

---

This article appeared in the Western Recorder (westernrecorder.org), newsjournal of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Myriah Snyder is a news writer for the Western Recorder.

Happy New (church) Year!

Happy New Year, Westmoreland Baptist Church!

Before you decide that the old Preacher has completely lost it, please understand I’m talking about the “New Church Year” which begins the first of September.

Now, your question might be, “Why does the church year begin on September 1^st, when our fiscal year begins on January 1^st?”

And the answer to that is simple. 

I don’t know.

As the old saying goes, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

There has got to be a reason that it’s always been done that way, but I’m afraid I am not privy to that information. I do know, however, that it seems to be somewhat common across the SBC (or at least with the SBC churches I know) to start the church year on the first Sunday in September.

Most State Conventions are held in late October or early November, so, the “Annual Church Profile” which is the uniform church reporting letter across the Convention, usually comes to the local churches by the end of August, so the information can be listed and sent to the State and National Convention offices in time for the State and Local Association’s Book of Reports.

Our Greater Huntington Association’s Annual Meeting is always in mid or late October, and the State Convention is always the first week end in November.  This year the State Convention Annual Meeting is at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, WV on November 4-5.

At any rate, it is the new church year, and this is the time when we elect Deacons to the three year active deacon rotation, as well as install new committee members to the rotating committees that make up our church’s Administrative Team.  Deacon Election took place on Aug 21^st, and for some reason, we do not officially elect the other officers and teachers until the September Business Meeting, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE OFFICE BY SEPTEMBER 1^ST. 

I promise you, I will be working with our Nominating Committee and the Administrative Team to make sure this is the last year that this will happen!  We’re going to get that fixed!

There are some exciting things awaiting us in this next church year.  The 2015-2016 church year has seen more baptisms than the last two full years – combined, and we want to thank God for that.  With our new Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Student Ministries (Matt Maynard) now on board, we are already seeing new strides made in those areas.  In Matt’s first month we have seen the youth group increase from 3 to 12!  We have also had a Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, and seen the groundwork laid for periodic and regular departmental, teacher training and communication sessions.

Other good things are in store that I will be able to announce to you in next month’s Newsletter.  Let’s bathe all we do in prayer. Let’s “Cath-Up” on our tithes and offerings that have been way down over the Summer months, and let’s commit to be in our place, and in our respective places of ministry this year, for the sake of the Kingdom and for the Glory of our

This 'N That

I thought I would share three articles with you which meant a lot to me this week.

The first is an article regarding "Unity in the Southern Baptist Convention".  It was written by Dr. David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church of New Orleans.  Dr. Crosby is a godly man who was a candidate for President of the SBC this past Summer.  He is a godly pastor, who most certainly believes in the inerrancy of scripture, and also understands and practices compassion in ministry and evangelism, while working in one of the great mission fields in North America, "The Big Easy".  Dr. Crosby understands the need for cooperation among those of us who profess to follow Christ - even when we may not totally agree on every little point of doctrine, but we can come together under the broad umbrella of our Baptist Faith and Message. We Southern Baptists will never have uniformity, but we most certainly need to practice unity!  Dr. Crosby's article appears on the New Orleans Baptist Association's website. It can be seen by clicking here. 

The second article is by Joe Carter and appears on The Gospel Coalition's website.  This article is entitled, " Why We Should Be Grateful For Flourishing Evangelical Seminaries".  Carter makes the point that new data reveal that the largest seminaries in America are the most orthodox and evangelical. It's an encouraging read for those of us who value the worth of quality and doctrinally sound theological education.  Without exception, it is the conservative evangelical seminaries that are growing and flourishing in these days when our culture is spiraling downward.  Having just finished 10 years of serving on the Board of Trustees of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, I have had the blessing to see, up close, the dedication, discipline and hard work that goes on in providing a world class theological education to students through various and constantly changing delivery methods.  Carter's article is a good read, and can be accessed by clicking here.

 The third article is of personal interest to me, as it involves my youngest brother, Carl Adkins.  It comes from the "Atlanta Journal and Constitution" website.  There are big doin's coming up in Atlanta over the next few years that will take the spotlight in the sporting world, and my little bro is right in the middle of it.  After going 3-for-3 in bids to host marquee sporting events over the next few years — the College Football Playoff national championship game in January 2018, the Super Bowl in February 2019 and the Final Four in April 2020 — Atlanta sports and hospitality officials are assembling organizations to plan and manage the events locally. Carl has been named executive director of the local host committees for both the college-football title game and the Final Four. 

Carl is no stranger to hosting big events.  As long time General Manager of the Georgia Dome, he has been heavily involved with hosting the Olympics, Super Bowls, Final Fours, Atlanta Falcons home games, concerts, and other large events.  

We are all very proud of Carl, who began his arena management career as a Huntington East High School student, working at the Huntington Civic Center (Now the Big Sandy Superstore Arena) as a door guard and usher at it's opening event, a concert by Frank Sinatra.  His career path has taken him through moving up the ladder at the old Civic Center to progressive "upward moves" into supervisory and management positions at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, the Nashville Convention Center in  the Music City, on to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and eventually across the street to the Georgia Dome.

I invite you to read more about the big events coming to Atlanta and my brother's role in two of them. Article can be accessed by clicking here.

 

Why We Should Be Grateful for Flourishing Evangelical Seminaries

"It Only Hurts On Monday"

I thank God for encouragers. God, in His great mercy, always sees fit to send a Barnabas our way when we need one.

Thamer Calhoun is a personal Barnabas of mine. Now, Thamer is a real character.  He's an old Marine.  He's rough around the edges. He'll kind of remind you of Grumpy the Dwarf, only taller. He's tough. Quick to tell you what's on his mind. He's got an opinion on everything, and he'll share that opinion with you at the drop of a hat.  He'll even supply the hat!

He's a little scary at first encounter, but once a fellow comes to know Calhoun, one understands that under that gruff exterior beats a heart of gold.  He loves God. He loves his church.  And he loves his pastor.

Thamer is not the only encourager in our church, but he regularly comes by the office to check on me and often has prayer with me before he leaves.

Several years ago, Thamer came across a book entitled, "It Only Hurts On Monday: Why Pastors Quit And What You Can Do About It" by Dr. Gary L. McIntosh and Dr. Robert L. Edmondson. Thamer gave me a copy of that book when I first came to this church He told me that he had read it, and he was going to do everything within his power to keep me from being discouraged.  For every new Deacon we ordain, Thamer gives them a copy of this book. He encourages them to read it and to take it to heart.  He tells them all, "We need to pray for our Preacher".

Now that is an encourager!

Fact of the matter is that pastors DO get discouraged from time to time, and Monday is always a prime opportunity.  Every pastor understands that.  You work all week, reading, studying, praying, and preparing that message (or messages and Sunday School lessons sometimes as well). By the time Sunday is over, you are spent.  But beside what is expected of us in our teaching and preaching ministry, there is often an outpouring of other "stuff" on Sundays. "Crises" large and small often are brought to our attention - sometimes just before worship service. Sunday is often a grueling day for pastors.

That is why so many pastors take a day off on Monday. The book quotes one pastor as saying, "I always feel lousy on Monday.  That's why I work on Monday because if I'm gonna feel lousy, I'll do it on church time - NOT on my day off!"

I usually work on Monday, myself, but not for that reason.  There are usually a number of issues I followup on that have popped up on the Lord's Day.  I feel more comfortable getting those things addressed and following up on visitors, etc. while all is still fresh on my mind.  I try to take a day off later in the week when I can.

Another great encourager of Pastors whom I know is Joe McKeever.  Joe has been a pastor much of his adult life, and had served as a Director of Missions (and sort of a pastor to pastors) in the Greater New Orleans ares for a number of years.  Like Barnabas of the Church at Antioch, Joe is a true "Son of Consolation".  I am thankful to have met Joe personally and I so appreciate his blog and the daily cartoons he draws for Baptist Press.

Today, Joe posted the following list to Facebook and every pastor should be able to relate.  But you don't have to be a pastor to get a kick out of this post!

Hope it gives you a chuckle - and hope you have a tolerable Monday!

PASTOR, YOU KNOW YOU'RE TOO TIRED WHEN... 
1) The threat of being fired sounds great! 

2) You visit patients in the hospital and envy them. 

3) Your goal for today is to get through it without serious damage. 

4) People ask if you've been sick and you answer, "Not yet." 

5) A senior runs by the church to bring you a chocolate pie--your favorite--and you try to avoid her. 

6) The personnel committee offers you a six-week sabbatical and you turn it down because you can't make a decision on what to do with all that time. 

7) You don't recall all the words to "Jesus Loves Me." 

8) You make an extra effort to attend denominational meetings guaranteed to be boring just so you can get some rest. 

9) Your nighttime prayer is "Lord, I'm tired. Amen." And ...

10) along about the time you begin to recover from last Sunday, it hits you that another Sabbath is on its way and today is Thursday. God bless you, preacher!

"Unity In Diversity"

My oldest son, Jay Adkins, moved to New Orleans 14 years ago to attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and to serve as Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Westwego, just across the Mississippi River from the beautiful Audubon Park in the Crescent City.  Through Jay's contacts, and in the three or four years before Hurricane Katrina, I began to become acquainted with several of his fellow pastors in the New Orleans Baptist Association (or NOBA as it is called now).  After Katrina, along with many other volunteers, I made other trips to New Orleans to assist Jay's church and others as part of the SBC Disaster Relief ministry.  That experience led to meeting more NOBA pastors through the work of the Director of Missions at that critical time, Joe McKeever.  Joe, who is a talented cartoonist, and a long time pastor, himself, helped hold things together for those pastors and their families and churches in the aftermath of that terrible tragedy.

The next year, 2006, I was blessed to be elected by the SBC to serve as a Trustee at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in that beautiful city.  I have now  just finished up my second five year term on the Board at NOBTS and was privileged to see many great improvements to the campus and to its ministry over the past ten years. During that decade, I was also blessed to come to know more and more of the pastors of local churches there in metro New Orleans.

I have always been impressed with the challenges involved in doing ministry in that great city. It is a mission field in America!  New Orleans is certainly not part of the Bible Belt, and is well known for wickedness, and even violence in some areas of "The Big Easy".  Many pastors labor there full time.  Others are bi-vocational.  Even some of the professors and administrators at NOBTS also do extra duty as pastors, in that great city and its outlying areas.

The churches they serve are as diverse as the culture. There are the large, well known Congregations like Fred Luter's Franklin Avenue Baptist and David Crosby's First Baptist Church of New Orleans.  There are church plants like Ryan Melson's West Bank Baptist in Marrero and Vintage Church in the Garden District where Rob Wilton serves. There is the beautiful FBC Kenner where Mike Miller ministers, and Dennis Watson's multi campus Celebration Church.  Ken Taylor's Gentilly Baptist came back after Katrina, merging with another congregation whose building had been destroyed. Jeffrey Quentin Friend shepherds the Suburban Baptist flock., a primarily African American congregation.  Mid sized churches like Jay's Weswego congregation, and Ames Boulevard Baptist where Bob Steward and Rhyne Putman serve, dot the landscape up and down both sides of the Mississippi River.  One church, Canal Street Mosaic is pastored by NOBTS professor Page Brooks, who is also a US Army Chaplain.

I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the idea.  The pastors in NOBA are an ethnically, culturally, and theologically diverse group.  Some are reformed, others are not.  The large church pastors are as involved in the local association as much the smaller churches are - and that is truly unusual. At least it is from my personal experience in other associations around the country.

These pastors do not minister in a "homogonized" culture as do many SBC Shepherds.  New Orleans is a "gumbo" of various cultures, and the NOBA pastors have had to learn how to focus their ministries very differently than most of us other Baptist pastors have had to do.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about them teaching anything heretical, but some of their methods might be a bit unusual sometimes, and to succeed in that cultural crossroads they have had to learn to "be all things to all men that by all means they may win some."

The thing that makes NOBA special to me - observing from 900 miles away in the Ohio River valley of West Virginia, is the fact that in spite of the many differences between pastors, their personalities, and the peculiarities of their respective churches, they seem to work so well together to get the job done.  The goal is to reduce the lostness of their area, and they don't seem to let "labels" hinder their work. "Calvinists" and "Traditionalists" alike, working hand in hand are laboring to fulfill the Great Commission, without falling out over it.  They don't seem to let secondary and tertiary issues keep them from fellowship in the ministry.  As I once heard Frank Page describe himself several years ago, they are "conservatives, but they're not mad at anybody!"

Jay has referred to their cooperative efforts as "unity through their diversity".

Don't you wish Southern Baptists all over the USA would view our work in that same way?

Some of the leadership in the Louisiana Baptist Convention seem to look upon the pastors and leaders of NOBA with disapproval as they don't always "fit the mold".  In fact, Jay has jokingly told his colleagues that the NOBA guys are sort of the "island of misfit toys" in the Louisiana Baptist Convention.  There has been some obvious tension, and some behind the scenes political wrangling toward NOBA, all over "non essential" doctrinal issues, and that is sad.  One of my colleagues here in the Mountain State recently said, "Well, the SBC won the battle for the Bible in the Conservative Resurgence several decades ago.  But instead of putting our guns down, now we're pointing them at one another!"

Jack Hunter (a very gifted layman) leads the pastors and churches of NOBA. as their Director of Missions. Jack, along with seven pastors who make up the Association Administrative Team, have written and published a most interesting blog post calling upon Louisiana Baptists - as well as all of the rest of us - to work together in the Kingdom Business that we have been called to by Christ. The call is to avoid contention and needless criticism, name calling and mud slinging, and to keep the main thing the main thing.

The article can be found by clicking this link. Which Way Forward: Toward Unity or Division?

I know five of the seven men who have signed this post.  They come from all over the spectrum of conservative, born again, Bible believing, Bible teaching pastors.  They are men of integrity. They are men with big shoulders and tough skin, but hearts of compassion.  I know that they love God, they love His Word, His church, they love lost people, and they are committed to looking past small differences of opinion and extrabiblical traditions to seek unity in ministry and to accomplish the mission.

We should go and do likewise!

It Is A Matter of Conscience

I love politics.

It's in my blood.

Both of my grandfathers were Roosevelt New Dealers.  Both held local offices and one served a couple of terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

I have a cousin who has run for elective office, and I have done so myself in two local (nonpartisan elections). I lost in a bid for City Commissioner in the city where I live, and I won in an election for the Board of Education.  I loved having that privilege go serve our community and to do the little I could do personally to enhance the learning environment of the children of Ashland, KY.

The term I served was full of challenges, and although some situations were very difficult, I was thankful to be part of the solutions.  When time came to file for re-election, I had begun to make plans to purchase yard signs, look into local advertising and begin the campaign until the Lord impressed on my heart, "I didn't call you into public service.  I called you into ministry!"

No, He did not speak to me in an audible voice. It was much louder than that!  So from that point on, I have focused more fully on the pastoral ministry where I am called. I am an American and thankful for that fact, but my eternal citizenship is in a Kingdom - not of this world.

That ministry, however, does not keep me from exercising my franchise to cast my ballot when the opportunity arises.  When I registered to vote (about 100 years ago) I registered in WV as a Democrat.  Dad was a Democrat. My grandfathers were also.  About EVERYBODY in WV was at that time.  As time passed and I began to realize that my civil duty of voting should be influenced fully by my Biblical world view, I began to realize that the platform of the National Democratic Party was not compatible with some of my core beliefs, By the time I moved to Kentucky in 1980 I felt that it was a good time to change parties. I registered Republican, since the national party's platform was more in line with my social and fiscal conservative viewpoint.  Ronald Reagan led the party, and I bought into the "morning in America" thing. I took an active role in local politics and supported candidates (usually Republicans) whom I believed to share my values. Only one time in my life did I ever vote a straight ticket - but that is another story for another time.

Eventually  I became a bit convicted that a Pastor should be more careful even in the political realm of life.  I minister to people who belong to both major political parties. We seek to win lost people to Christ, and that involves EVERYONE.  While I still hold strong to my Biblical world view, I will not let partisan politics be a stumbling block to those I seek to win to Christ, or to those that I am responsible to shepherd in the local flock.  Knowing that Almighty God does not ride on the backs of Donkeys OR Elephants, I changed my voter registration to Independent.  Although I do have strong personal political views, I purposed to publicly stay away from endorsing political candidates in partisan races.  I have my opinion and I will share it, and debate (in a gracious manner) with anyone who would like to do so, privately.  I will not bring partisan politics into the pulpit.

Now that doesn't mean I won't address moral issues that have become politicized (ie. Abortion, Same Sex Marriage, etc) but I will address such issues from the Biblical standpoint - NOT to endorse political candidates.  So I walk a fine line between my interest in politics in general (as my wife can tell you) and my mission to proclaim the Gospel.

That brings me to the subject of our upcoming Presidential election this November.

For whom should I vote?

I have never faced a more challenging personal decision in the political realm.  It IS a matter of conscience to me, and at this point I cannot bring myself to vote for EITHER of the major party's candidates.  Certainly there is a third party option, but with Gary Johnson polling at about 10%, he is not likely a viable choice, and I really don't know enough about him at this point to make an informed judgment.

It really comes down to the choice between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton, and that is where I come to a screeching halt. With 300 million people living in this land, do you mean to tell me that THESE TWO are the best candidates we can come up with for the position President, the highest office in the land?

God help us!

Hillary Clinton's social and fiscal policies are abhorrent to my conscience.  Besides the flip flopping she has done throughout the years, the corruption and dishonesty, and absolute disregard for the truth that she has displayed goes beyond what I think that any person who shares my beliefs could possibly support. Her campaign and personal actions reflect the political crony-ism and corruption that one would witness in the "House of Cards" series on Netflix.  I cringe at the thought of  Hillary Clinton sitting in the seat of Washington, Lincoln, Truman, and Reagan.  Commander in chief of our military, and leader of the free world.  She represents so much of what is wrong in American politics, creating the backlash that has brought about the phenomena of Bernie Sanders and yes, Donald Trump.


Now, I know that some of my high profile pastoral brethren have jumped on the Trump bandwagon, if for no other reason than "He's not Hillary!"  But I have to take a stand otherwise.

"The Donald" is basically running on celebrity status, fear mongering, and name calling.  I admire his business acumen.  He inherited a fortune from his father, and although filing for bankruptcy several times in some of his companies, he has grown his fortune, and has employed thousands in his various business endeavors.  That being said, economics, business and jobs are not all that is involved in this election. There is the matter of morals. He criticizes the abysmal personal behavior of Mrs. Clinton's husband, when Trump, himself is a serial adulterer, and has bragged about it.

We long for someone of character to lead us. It's just not there.  Clinton is a proven liar, whose stand on the issues change however the winds blow. Her actions and those of her cronies have proven that she thinks she is above the law.   Trump is an amoral nightmare.  Other than "building a wall" and making Mexico pay for it" I have not heard a single specific idea he has advanced as to he intends to deal with the problems that face our nation and our world. His bombastic style and arrogance may appeal superficially to those who are disenchanted with the status quo, but folks, name calling, race baiting, fear mongering, and arrogance are not qualities I am looking for in a candidate for the highest office in the land.

I could go on and on, but it just comes down to this.  I cannot in good conscience, vote for either of the two major party candidates.

I will certainly go to my polling place at Charles Russell Elementary school this November and exercise one of my most valuable rights as an American citizen.  I will cast my vote for men and women (both Republican and Democrat) in local, state and national races, who I believe are people of character, and those I feel I can trust to faithfully execute the duties of their office in an honest and trustworthy manner.  But I cannot in good conscience vote for either of the two major party candidates at the top of the ticket. I'm not sure yet exactly what I'll do, whether I'll vote for the 3rd party candidate, or even write in the name of someone. But I cannot in good conscience push the button for Clinton or Trump.

It's a matter of conscience.  You do what you think is right, but it comes down to this for me.

The lesser of two evils - is still evil.

It Is A Matter of Conscience

I love politics.

It's in my blood.

Both of my grandfathers were Roosevelt New Dealers.  Both held local offices and one served a couple of terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

I have a cousin who has run for elective office, and I have done so myself in two local (nonpartisan elections). I lost in a bid for City Commissioner in the city where I live, and I won in an election for the Board of Education.  I loved having that privilege go serve our community and to do the little I could do personally to enhance the learning environment of the children of Ashland, KY.

The term I served was full of challenges, and although some situations were very difficult, I was thankful to be part of the solutions.  When time came to file for re-election, I had begun to make plans to purchase yard signs, look into local advertising and begin the campaign until the Lord impressed on my heart, "I didn't call you into public service.  I called you into ministry!"

No, He did not speak to me in an audible voice. It was much louder than that!  So from that point on, I have focused more fully on the pastoral ministry where I am called. I am an American and thankful for that fact, but my eternal citizenship is in a Kingdom - not of this world.

That ministry, however, does not keep me from exercising my franchise to cast my ballot when the opportunity arises.  When I registered to vote (about 100 years ago) I registered in WV as a Democrat.  Dad was a Democrat. My grandfathers were also.  About EVERYBODY in WV was at that time.  As time passed and I began to realize that my civil duty of voting should be influenced fully by my Biblical world view, I began to realize that the platform of the National Democratic Party was not compatible with some of my core beliefs, By the time I moved to Kentucky in 1980 I felt that it was a good time to change parties. I registered Republican, since the national party's platform was more in line with my social and fiscal conservative viewpoint.  Ronald Reagan led the party, and I bought into the "morning in America" thing. I took an active role in local politics and supported candidates (usually Republicans) whom I believed to share my values. Only one time in my life did I ever vote a straight ticket - but that is another story for another time.

Eventually  I became a bit convicted that a Pastor should be more careful even in the political realm of life.  I minister to people who belong to both major political parties. We seek to win lost people to Christ, and that involves EVERYONE.  While I still hold strong to my Biblical world view, I will not let partisan politics be a stumbling block to those I seek to win to Christ, or to those that I am responsible to shepherd in the local flock.  Knowing that Almighty God does not ride on the backs of Donkeys OR Elephants, I changed my voter registration to Independent.  Although I do have strong personal political views, I purposed to publicly stay away from endorsing political candidates in partisan races.  I have my opinion and I will share it, and debate (in a gracious manner) with anyone who would like to do so, privately.  I will not bring partisan politics into the pulpit.

Now that doesn't mean I won't address moral issues that have become politicized (ie. Abortion, Same Sex Marriage, etc) but I will address such issues from the Biblical standpoint - NOT to endorse political candidates.  So I walk a fine line between my interest in politics in general (as my wife can tell you) and my mission to proclaim the Gospel.

That brings me to the subject of our upcoming Presidential election this November.

For whom should I vote?

I have never faced a more challenging personal decision in the political realm.  It IS a matter of conscience to me, and at this point I cannot bring myself to vote for EITHER of the major party's candidates.  Certainly there is a third party option, but with Gary Johnson polling at about 10%, he is not likely a viable choice, and I really don't know enough about him at this point to make an informed judgment.

It really comes down to the choice between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton, and that is where I come to a screeching halt. With 300 million people living in this land, do you mean to tell me that THESE TWO are the best candidates we can come up with for the position President, the highest office in the land?

God help us!

Hillary Clinton's social and fiscal policies are abhorrent to my conscience.  Besides the flip flopping she has done throughout the years, the corruption and dishonesty, and absolute disregard for the truth that she has displayed goes beyond what I think that any person who shares my beliefs could possibly support. Her campaign and personal actions reflect the political crony-ism and corruption that one would witness in the "House of Cards" series on Netflix.  I cringe at the thought of  Hillary Clinton sitting in the seat of Washington, Lincoln, Truman, and Reagan.  Commander in chief of our military, and leader of the free world.  She represents so much of what is wrong in American politics, creating the backlash that has brought about the phenomena of Bernie Sanders and yes, Donald Trump.


Now, I know that some of my high profile pastoral brethren have jumped on the Trump bandwagon, if for no other reason than "He's not Hillary!"  But I have to take a stand otherwise.

"The Donald" is basically running on celebrity status, fear mongering, and name calling.  I admire his business acumen.  He inherited a fortune from his father, and although filing for bankruptcy several times in some of his companies, he has grown his fortune, and has employed thousands in his various business endeavors.  That being said, economics, business and jobs are not all that is involved in this election. There is the matter of morals. He criticizes the abysmal personal behavior of Mrs. Clinton's husband, when Trump, himself is a serial adulterer, and has bragged about it.

We long for someone of character to lead us. It's just not there.  Clinton is a proven liar, whose stand on the issues change however the winds blow. Her actions and those of her cronies have proven that she thinks she is above the law.   Trump is an amoral nightmare.  Other than "building a wall" and making Mexico pay for it" I have not heard a single specific idea he has advanced as to he intends to deal with the problems that face our nation and our world. His bombastic style and arrogance may appeal superficially to those who are disenchanted with the status quo, but folks, name calling, race baiting, fear mongering, and arrogance are not qualities I am looking for in a candidate for the highest office in the land.

I could go on and on, but it just comes down to this.  I cannot in good conscience, vote for either of the two major party candidates.

I will certainly go to my polling place at Charles Russell Elementary school this November and exercise one of my most valuable rights as an American citizen.  I will cast my vote for men and women (both Republican and Democrat) in local, state and national races, who I believe are people of character, and those I feel I can trust to faithfully execute the duties of their office in an honest and trustworthy manner.  But I cannot in good conscience vote for either of the two major party candidates at the top of the ticket. I'm not sure yet exactly what I'll do, whether I'll vote for the 3rd party candidate, or even write in the name of someone. But I cannot in good conscience push the button for Clinton or Trump.

It's a matter of conscience.  You do what you think is right, but it comes down to this for me.

The lesser of two evils - is still evil.

Happy Birthday USA!

Today marks the 240th Anniversary of the founders signing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

The world is vastly different than it was in the City of Brotherly Love on that hot Summer week in 1776. And yet in many ways it is very much the same. 

Different when it comes to conveniences, technology, and dissemination of information. 18th century communication relied on handwritten documents, rudimentary printing operations, and mail delivered domestically by foot and horseback, and internationally by sailing ships.  Today it is electronic, cellular, and satellite assisted.  News spread by word of mouth, then and by heralds in the public square. Now we have 24 hour news cycles, with events happening 12 time zones away being piped into our living rooms in real time.  Most of us carry small hand held communication and information devices that were not even dreamed of in those days.

Yep.  Different world.

And yet the same in so many ways.

People still long to be free.  Free to control their own destinies and to enjoy the inalienable God given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We detest tyranny and will only take so much until we rise up and overthrow the grip of tyrannical governments.  We are willing to pay reasonable taxes and share mutual responsibility, but will not bear unreasonable burdens. We desire a government that is open to and responsible to the voice of the people.  The Declaration of such to King George signaled the beginning of the "great experiment" that soon brought about the necessity of citizen soldiers to bear arms against the invading armies and Navy of our mother country. Farmers, craftsmen and business men, alike, put to risk their lives, property, and personal fortunes, to create a sovereign nation from 13 loosely connected colonies stretching north to south along the Atlantic coast of the great North American wilderness.

Eventually our new leaders forged a Constitution, a founding document designed to "provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity".  Our Republic was formed.  Consequently added amendments, allowed for ideas not addressed in the founding document. Clarifying and codifying such rights as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble, the right to keep and bear arms. Over the next two centuries other amendments were added as needed to clarify the freedoms and responsibilities shared by our population.

Our nation expanded in size, moving westward through the bravery of explorers and settlers. Our borders expanded with the Louisiana Purchase and the Doctrine of Manifest Destiny that led us to possess outlying territories reaching all the way to the Pacific Coastline.

American history is fascinating. It is ripe with stories of bravery, heroism and greatness. We have been called upon to send our sons and daughters into harms way to protect our own homeland, and to fight for freedom for enslaved persons in nations around the world.  Our history also contains shameful chapters such as slavery, a Civil War in which 600,000 Americans died, literally at the hands of their brothers.  There has long been the ugly spectre of bigotry and racial segregation, Even now the current American Holocaust continues, in which the innocent lives of more than 4,000 unborn Americans are snuffed out every day inside what should be the safest place on the planet - their mother's womb.

Alexis de Toqueville once wrote "America is great because America is good.  When America ceases to be good, it will cease to be great."

I believe that God has graciously blessed the United States of America down through the years, but we have fallen far from where we once stood for general morality, and an inherent desire to follow the principles taught in what we call the Judeo/Christian ethic.  I don't labor under the delusion that America was ever a "Christian nation", but I do know that we were founded with a reverence for, and a desire to follow the ancient teachings of the Bible.

Those days are gone. It is no wonder that America is no longer great.

I pray that there will be a resurgence of that spirit in our nation, but alas, as a nation we have generally forgotten God.  I believe we are living in a post Christian culture here, and apart from a mighty movement of God, our nation will likely never return to those original parameters of belief, and to the principals laid out in our founding documents.

My ultimate citizenship is not of this country, nor even of this planet.  By Grace, I am a citizen of God's Kingdom.  During this life I have been blessed to have been born and have lived in the greatest country on Earth.  One day I am moving to my eternal home.  Until then, I am praying for my temporary home, the United States of America, to return to the lofty goals that were signed onto by our founders 240 years ago.

My prayer could be expressed in the words of Irving Berlin:

"God Bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her,
Through the night, with a light from above.
From the mountains to the prairie
To the oceans, white with foam.
God bless America. My Home, sweet home."

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

Redeeming the Time

After the rush of the Christmas season, as the last week of the year rolls around, it is our wont to look back and take inventory of the past 12 months.  We note the things accomplished, and rue tasks and opportunities that have been left undone.  We often make resolutions and plans for the coming year, and the cycle continues.

As of the time of this writing, the year 2016 is halfway gone.

I propose that we, as a church family, take a moment right now to take inventory of the past 6 months, and prayerfully consider where God may lead us in the remainder of this half gone year.

I rejoice in the fact that we have witnessed the baptisms of 9 new believers in the past 6 months, and have received a number of other new members during that time. We had a successful Upward Basketball and Cheerleading season, and incorporated several of our members into service in that important children’s ministry.  We have reached several new families as a result of that program.

We completed another year of Good News Bible Club at Central City Elementary, impacting the lives of 26 children with the Gospel of Christ every Thursday afternoon.  We have seen a year of growth in our Children’s ministry unparalleled in a number of years.

Several of our members have been involved in pro life activities, planning for the October Life Chain Sunday, and others volunteering at the New Beginnings Crisis Pregnancy Center.

WE gave to outside missions through the SBC Cooperative Program, and also financially supported church planters in Toronto, Huntington, Barboursville, and Negros Oriental, Philippines.

We performed funeral services and ministered to the families of six precious souls who have departed us in this life.

As far as facilities go, we have been blessed by God to complete the parking lot project, upgrading of our heating and cooling system, install security cameras, and make some other necessary repairs.

In addition to the above, we have done 6 months of other “churchy” things.

Where do we go from here?

The first thing I am looking forward to, and praying about is the selection of our new “Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Student Ministry” I am praying that this additional staff member, who God sends to us, will serve as a catalyst in reviving our nearly dormant youth ministry. He will work as a resource person and provide guidance for the faithful volunteers who teach and work in our Children’s and Youth Ministries.  He will be our contact person in the local schools.  He will lead the entire discipleship ministry of our church – evaluating, tweaking where necessary, and bringing new discipleship ministries into our work here. He will be responsible for recruiting and training new teachers and workers in our Discipleship ministry.  He will also fill the pulpit on occasion, both in my absence, and on other scheduled times.

Our church will have a presence at “Westmorelandpalooza” on Saturday, July 16^th at Westmoreland Park (formerly known as Corbin Park). We’ll be there to meet our neighbors, share the Gospel, and pray with those who wish us to do so. This will serve as a great tipoff for Vacation Bible School which begins the next day.

VBS will take place July 17-21, providing fun, refreshments, and Bible truths for children, from preschool to high school.

A visiting Mission Team from Florida will join us the week of July 24 as we intend to “Crossover Westmoreland”, seeking to make contact with every resident in our part of the city. We will meet new people, get to know our neighbors, share the Gospel and offer prayer to those who desire it.  Our people from Westmoreland Baptist will team up with the Floridians to cover pre planned mapped out areas of our community.

A three night revival service will also be held here at the church that week, with the visiting pastors from Florida bringing the messages.

School will be starting shortly after these activities.  We plan to do something special for the Teachers on the first week of school.  We will also be prayer walking around each of our schools just prior to their opening. Prayerfully, WBC will have a greater presence in our local schools than any time in recent memory. Fifth Quarters and other youth activities will abound this Fall, and we plan to host our annual Fall Festival on Trick or Treat night.

Upward Sports will continue for the young ones, but we are also planning a more competitive league for the older children this year. Planning meetings are beginning now.

I also look forward to planning a Church Leadership Retreat to take place in late October.  More on that to come.

To sum it up, time is passing ever so quickly.  We cannot literally buy back a single day. Therefore let us “redeem the time” by purposing in our hearts to heartily do whatever God places in our hands, and to do it expeditiously – not for our glory or to our credit, but for His purpose, His honor, His glory.

As one old preacher said many years ago, we should plan our activities and our work for the Lord as if we knew we had a hundred years to work, but to work with such urgency as if we knew Jesus was coming this evening!

One day, He surely will come.  Let’s get to work!