Random Thoughts From Southern California

I have flown in and out of LAX airport several times over the past 20 years. Other than a night spent there after a missed overseas flight, my time spent in California has only amounted to a few hours at the airport or walking between terminals. This summer gives me opportunity to spend nearly a week on the ground here in Southern Cali.

So far Albert Ham
mond has been right.  

"No rain in Southern California"!

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The weather here in Anaheim has been beautiful, and (to me) surprisingly cool most of the week.  I did not bring a jacket or sweatshirt, but thankfully I did bring some long sleeved shirts with me - since I am here for the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. It has been downright cool here in the mornings and evenings. What a contrast to what friends and family are experiencing at home, with temps in the mid 90s!

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The people here are more friendly than I would have expected. It's not like the folks in the tri state of course, but fairly friendly.  Not at all like I have experienced in New York City and other areas of the northeast.

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We have encountered several Calif natives in conversation who indicated they would like to get out of here and move to Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida etc.  My guess is that it has something to do with the crazy politics of this state and the high cost of living here. Surely not because of the weather.

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Our SBC annual meeting was interesting. We are a convention divided over many things - but I have still been impressed that even though we have had some bad stuff to deal with, and even though there is always a group who just want to be contentious - we are still a people of The Book, and we are united in the determination to carry the Gospel to the Nations. Our outgoing president, Ed Litton, and our parliamentarians did a great job of keeping order and decorum during business sessions.  The preaching we heard was outstanding, the fellowship with old friends and meeting of new friends was sweet. And the worship times were terrific!

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We are made up of 47,000 autonomous churches.  Each is unique in it's own way.  Each with its own personality and worship styles. There is no hierarchy that hands down orders from above, but the highest institution is the local church. There are some "megachurches" with thousands of members who meet each Sunday, and there are the "little white churches by the side of the road" that make up a huge portion of our convention of churches.  There are "celebrity preachers" whose names are easily recognizable and are often seen on television.  But the majority of pastors are us "average guys" who may not even be well known in the next town.  Guys who would be considered "nobodies, but "nobodies who are laboring to tell everybody about Somebody who can save anybody".

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I thank God to be part of an imperfect convention, of imperfect churches, made up of imperfect people, who have, since 1858, sent out over 25,000 missionaries to the ends of the Earth with God's message of grace, forgiveness and salvation.  Any group who desires and labors to take the Gospel to everyone - around the corner and around the world - is going to come under the attack of the enemy.  The SBC has it's faults and many critics, but I have never come away from one of our convention's annual meetings, without feeling a true sense of Revival in my heart and a desire to get back in the trenches and attack the Gates of Hell with a squirt gun.

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I'm so thankful to have had Linda come along on this trip. She is suffering from a torn tendon in one of her legs, and I am stumbling along with a big knee high walking boot on the foot where I had the partial amputation and a trauma boot on the other foot from an infection I have been fighting there!  We are the walking wounded, but have had assistance in the airports from the wonderful personnel of American Airlines, and have had the blessing of a borrowed wheelchair here for the convention meeting and going to and from the convention hall.  I do not know the name of the lady who owns the chair, but she is a member of Saddleback church here in Orange County.  She had seen a tweet a week ago that Jay had put out there asking if anyone might have a wheelchair that could be used at the convention - since there were none available in the convention hall. She responded to him with her gracious offer and it has been a real blessing. We will be making arrangements to get the chair back to her on Saturday evening as she will meet us at the airport before we depart for home.

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And speaking of the airport here, it goes by several names. Santa Anna airport, Orange County airport, and officially, John Wayne Airport.

Yep, John Wayne Airport! After all - we ARE in Southern California!

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Linda and I will be flying back overnight on Saturday evening. Somewhere between here and Dallas Fort Worth Airport it will turn to Sunday Morning, June 19th.  That is the day that marks our 51st Wedding anniversary.  We look forward later in the day to get together with our Kentucky family to celebrate Father's Day and 102 years of marriage (51 for me and 51 for Linda!)

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It has beeen nice spending time and "rooming" with Jaay, Michelle and Canon. We do miss Quint who is doing Fuge Camps again this Summer, leading worship for a team that will serve several camps across the midwest.

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Considering some of the medical and physical challenges we have faced in the first half of this year, 2022 has been a little tough, but hasn't really been all that bad. We've made it to our 70s, we have the Lord and each other, and a wonderful family. Too blessed to be distressed!

 

 

PLEASE STOP SAYING THAT

 

Those of us who have been around for a few years are often asked for advice from younger people or other friends who are dealing with important decisions.

For years I have heard well meaning people, often followers of Christ, give this advice to the one asking the question,

“Follow your heart.  Follow your heart and you will never go wrong.”

PLEASE STOP SAYING THAT!

That is some of the worst advice you could ever give anyone.

Why?

Consider what the Bible says about the heart of man.

Jeremiah 17:9  “The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

If the Old Testament reference is not sufficient for you, then consider the words of Jesus in:

Mark 7 ²⁰ And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

²² Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Considering what the Bible tells us about the condition of the Human heart, we should NEVER advise anyone to “Follow their heart”!

Some might say, “Well. A Christian has Jesus in his heart so that should be ok for a Christian.”  And the resounding answer to that would be another big NO!

We who follow Christ have a basic human sinful nature in this flesh but we also have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  The Apostle Paul acknowledged that in Romans  7  and tells us of a spiritual warfare that goes on in our bodies between the flesh and the Spirit.  ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.   ²¹ So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. ²² For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, ²³ but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  .(ESV)

To follow our hearts would still be wrong but to follow the Holy Spirit is Just what Jesus would tell us.  Look at what He told His Disciples (and us) in John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

So the Christian answer to the questioning person should never be “Follow your heart:.  It should be “Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  If you do that you will never go wrong!}

On a personal note, I think I gave some pretty good advice to the 1991 Graduating Class of Ashland Paul Blazer High School in their Baccalaureate Service at Putnam Stadium. I shared with the graduates the wisdom of Solomon from Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (certainly better than “Follow Your Heart”}

My Special Marker of God's Grace

Anyone who knows me, knows how I delight in my five Grandsons. 

The oldest, Caudle Jerry V (or Quint as we know hin) is  ready to graduate from Loyola University with a music performance degree with specialization in Jazz. that's perfect for a young man who grew up in New Orleans Besides graduating from the Patrick Taylor Academy for Math and Science, he also graduated from the New Orleans Center for Cultural Arts.  He is an ordained Baptist minister, and is a music composer and performer and leads worship in churches and special events.

Grandson number two (Will Adkins) is a college athlete.  He is a quarterback for the Glenville State Pioneers and he is also on the spring golf team at Glenville State.  He is also an outstanding student.

Grandson #4, Asher, is a sophomore basketball player for The Ashland Tomcats, the most winning team in the history of Kentucky High School Athletics. The Tomcats have a record of 55-5 since he has been dressing with the varsity. And they finished in the Final Four at Rupp Arena in last year's Sweet 16 state tournament. Like all the others, Asher is an A student as well..

Their little 10 year old brother, Nathan, (grandson #5) has followed in the big brothes athletic prowess.  Having those two older brothers who have cut him no slack, he excels in multi sports from Little League Baseball, to football and basketball,

That brings us back to grandson #3, Canon Josiah Adkins (Pictured here).  Canon is also an accomplished young musician in New Orleans. He is a junior at Patrick Taylor, but also excels at NOCCA, where he primarily plays trumpet, but also excels at guitar and keyboards. He is also taking college credits at UNO with Pat Taylor, He also has his own "second line Brass Band" that plays for many events.

This brings me to the purpose of this post.

Today is (third grandson) Canon's 17th birthday. That's a big deal in itself and I am so glad we could do thanksgiving and his birthday with the part of our family here in NOLA.  

Seventeen years ago today Linda had come down to NOLA to help out around the house for Jay, Michelle and Quint with the birthday of this new BIG baby!

Long story short, after Linda had left for New Orleans, I ended up in the former Our Lady of Bellefonte hospital in Ashland, KY for tests to see why my hemoglobin was reading out as less than 7.  Several medical tests were run, and a large tumor was found in my right ascending colon. Turned out it was malignant and that it had spread throughout my liver. Linda rushed home  for my surgery to remove 3 1/2 feet from my Colon.  The diagnosis was "Stage 4 Colon Cancer. Incurable but possibly able to respond to some treatment."  The average survival; time for that diagnosis was estimated at 18-22 months. Research showed that people with my situation had a 15% chance of surviving 5 years.

It didn't look good. Some said it was "time to put my affairs in order." But obviously God had other plans for me.

That's where Canon the birthday boy comes in.

Every birthday of his is a silent reminder and a marker of God's grace in my life, My cancer was discovered the week he was born.  Look at him now!  Look how good God has been to me,

It has been a 17 year road filled with lots of bumps and potholes.  Three surgical procedures.  A full year of rough chemotherapy etc.  But by God's grace I have survived. 

I've survived to see grandsons 4 and 5 come along and grow up.  I have survived to celebrate our 50th anniversary with my dear wife. Survived 17 more years as the pastor of the finest faith family anywhere. Survived to preach and teach the Word of God with urgency and renewed fervency.  

Three years ago there was another major bump in the road with the diagnosis of Merekel Cell Carcinoma, which has brought about a couple of surgeries, numerous radiation treatments and three years of immunotherapy, which I am still taking every other week,  Yet I remain active, and seeking to make full proof of my ministry. God has truly been good to me.  

Like my late friend Veda Young told me about 17 years ago, "I am not going to spend the rest of my life dying!"

I'm thankful to spend this day, my cancer diagnosis  anniversary and Canon's 17th birthday, with this grandson and his family,  I love all five grandsons tremendously - but this one is my Special Marker.

Happy birthday Canon! And praise be to our God.  Great is His faithfulness.

Join Us For A Golden Milestone

 

I never cease to be amazed at how God chooses to put people together. 

I met Linda Bowling in October, 1969 just before my 19^th birthday.  To say I was smitten immediately would be an understatement.  This month we will celebrate 50 years of marriage.  Who would have thought it?

We were born four months and 29 miles apart in the coalfields of southwestern West Virginia.  Me in Logan County, she in neighboring Mingo County.  Our fathers and grandfathers were all coal miners at one time or another.  Our dads were WWII vets.  Mine in the Navy, hers fought under General Patton in North Africa and Sicily in the Army.  Their fathers were both Doughboys in WWI fighting the Kaiser’s troops in France.  Our mothers and grandmothers were stay at home Mom’s (as were many in the early 50’s).  I was the oldest of 3 boys and she was one of the middle children in a brood of six.

I grew up in Huntington.  She was raised in Pike County, Kentucky.  I was a city boy and attended a large grade school.  She was a country girl who attended a one room school for her first eight grades. I graduated from Huntington East High School in 1968 and enrolled in Marshall University with a joint major in Political Science and History.  She graduated Belfry High School a year later and moved to Huntington, going directly into the work force.  She found a job in the credit department at Anderson Newcomb Department Store working for a beautiful lady named Elsie Singleton. (That in itself is another interesting twist of Providence.)

In October, 1969 I was in attendance at a revival meeting at the Thomas Memorial Free Will Baptist Church in Huntington. Melvin Sanford was an evangelist from Florida and the church was filled to capacity nearly every night.  It was somewhat of a “bapticostal” church and the worship style could be considered exuberant.  Near the close of one particularly emotional service, I caught a glimpse of a “new girl”. She was tall, beautiful, wearing a black dress, and her eyeliner was smeared from shedding tears in the service. Looking back on it now, I was kind of like the cartoon character whose eyeballs pop out of his head when he views something amazing.  I didn’t know who this young woman was but I was captivated. Turns out she and her older roommate were temporarily staying with Dorla Hagley, one of the young married ladies in our church, waiting for their apartment to be ready to move into. 

The service had been over for a while and I stood on the sidewalk talking to an old friend, Jackie Black. As he and I talked under the lamppost there on Buffington Street, Dorla’s car rolled up to where we were standing and THE GIRL was in the passenger’s seat!  We walked over as she rolled down the window.  Their question was about the age of our Pastor’s son.  My first words to my future wife were, “Don’t tell me you’re in love with him too!” All the girls in the church seemed to be. “No!” she replied quickly.  “I’m trying to find out for my roommate.” 

My pursuit began.  I wanted to know everything about her.  She began attending our church and was always with some of us older youth.  I wanted to know everything about her.  Who was she?  Where was she from? Where had she been all of my life?  What was it about her that made me forget all about several other girls I had been dating?  If she was from Matewan, and graduated from Belfry, what was that big ring with a “P” on it, all wrapped with yarn?  There was just a lot to learn – and I set out to win her over.  She didn’t seem to like me so much at first, but I am a persistent character.

 As we began dating and getting to know each other better, I began to realize how different we both were. 

She was kind and considerate. She was outgoing and she always saw the best in everyone. She was outgoing and made friends quickly with people her own age and even with many of the older and middle aged women in the church.   I was cynical and  sarcastic by nature – emotional and quick tempered. Fiercely loyal to close friends, but standoffish with strangers.  (I know you can hardly believe that, but it’s true!)  I came to realize that along with my mother and grandmother,  that she was one of the best human beings I have ever known.  How could two people so different end up together?

As I said, strange how God, in His Sovereign plan, puts people together.  I had previously been fairly seriously dating a young lady in our church.  One of the older women told us at one time, “We were a match made in Heaven”.  Turns out, God did have a match made, but it wasn’t what Rema White had in mind.  He had another plan.

Linda and I exchanged vows on June 19, 1971 in that same church building where I had first laid eyes on her 20 months earlier.  My Dad performed the ceremony.  Her sister Violet Bennett, two cousins, Brenda Huddle and Joyce Pope, and her friend Lois Vallance were her attendants. Standing up with me were Doug Goolsby and Larry Gunnoe (both college buddies) and lifelong friends, Phil Cheek and Donnie Smith; along with my brother, Bruce.

50 years have passed.  We have lived in Huntington; Nashville, TN; Willow Wood, OH; Gwinn, Michigan; Biloxi, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and for the past 41 years in Ashland, KY.  She has stuck with me through college, Air Force, sales management, two decades working in our Insurance office, and 50 years of Pastoral ministry in six churches. 

On Saturday, June 19th we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our wedding.  Linda and I would love to have you join our family between 1 and 3 PM in the Westmoreland Baptist Church's Multipurpose building for a celebration of our 50 years of marriage. We request NO gifts other than the honor of your presence with us. Refreshments will be served and you may feel free to come and go at your leisure.  If you are in the area and can spare the time, we would love to see you there!  The Church is located at 3401 Hughes Street in the Westmoreland Community of Huntington and the Multipurpose building is just behind the Worship Center and Education buildings.  

Ya'll come!

 

Jerks For Jesus

Next month will mark my 50th anniversary in 
pastoral ministry.  I have been blessed to serve six churches over that time. In the first of the six I was associate pastor. In the next four I was a bi-vocational pastor in single staff churches. Then for 18 years I have served as a full time senior pastor in a multi staff church. Suffice it to say that it has truly been a learning experience - and believe it or not, - I am still learning.  I'll probably write more about that later this Spring.

 So as the son of a pastor/evangelist, and with 50 years in pastoral ministry myself, and a lifetime spent in Baptist Churches, I have a somewhat unique perspective.  Sometimes I feel like the guy my old friend and ministry colleague, Doug Virgin, was fond of quoting - "I've been to five county fairs and a goat roping and I've seen some stuff!"

I have a rough, unedited manuscript of a book I hope one day to have published. It's a compilation of many of those experiences, both good and bad that I have had as a PK and as a pastor, myself. I try to share Biblical truth and sprinkle in some humorous stories along the way. Unfortunately, there is nothing funny about some of those experiences.  In fact, some of them are downright heartbreaking and ugly.  Some of the instances show folks who claim to be followers of Christ as absolute jerks, and judging from the fruits they exhibit, likely unregenerate. 

My son and I have joked that there seems to be a large, but unorganized group of individuals who pop up in almost every church, and across all denominations. We call them "Jerks for Jesus" and there seems to be at least one or two in every church.  But it is really no joking matter.  One chapter of the coming book bears the title "Jerks for Jesus".  Don't worry - the names have been withheld to protect the guilty - but they are certainly known to our Heavenly Father. The truth of the matter is that they are not "for Jesus" at all.  They're just jerks. 

I can honestly say that the vast number of individuals in the flocks I have served are people whose lives have been changed through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians are certainly not perfect, but they do have the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in their hearts and they are seeking to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet no matter how hard we try, there will always be one here or there who have "slipped in unawares" and their true un-Christlike character eventually shows through.  Sadly, one of the excuses some people give for not attending church is because of "the hypocrites" who may be there.  Sometimes the offenders are open and their behavior is there for all to see. But sometimes the Jerks are more covert and insidious.

Most pastors I know have received some sort of hateful communications from anonymous sources at one time or another. The critics are quick to point out their grievances but too cowardly to sign their names.  Those of us who have been around for a while understand that this behavior just comes with the territory and is an occupational hazard. With most pastors, unsigned hate letters usually end up in the trash.  But there are times the hateful types of communications are directed to other church members - and that is truly sad.

In one church I have served, a member once showed me a letter they had received in the US Mail. It regarded a family member of the person to whom the letter was sent.  The letter referenced the family member who had earlier offered a solo in a worship service at the church. The writer was cowardly enough that he or she did not sign the letter.  The person who received the letter showed it to me - so I am not going by hearsay. I actually saw it. The message was hurtful to say the least. I noticed that the letter was printed, so the handwriting would not be able to be identified.  Here is what the text of the letter said:

(addressee's name)

          I hope (relative's name) is feeling better. It sounded like (he/she) was in pain.

          BTW - ask (him/her) what they did with the money (his/her) mother
          gave (him/her) for singing lessons.

          I know of a good ENT Doc if (he/she) is able to go see him.

                                                        (unsigned) 

I'll let you be the judge.  Is this the type of communication a brother or sister in Christ would send to another member of the Church family?

I think we can all agree it is not!  

Jesus tells us it is "from the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks".  Someone who's heart is right with God would never think of being so cruel to "one of these little ones". The sender may have thought it was cute, and obviously intended it to be hurtful to both the recipient and the subject. Even though the sender was such a coward that he/she didn't sign their name, an omniscient God knows not only who wrote and sent it, but also knows the evil intent of their heart.  

I don't know if the writer was a member of that church or not, but they had obviously been there when the subject sang.  One can only pray that the individual who penned such a brief but hateful epistle has since come to know Christ as Savior.  

C'mon Man!

 Let me say unapologetically that I am a sports fan.  Not like I was when I was a kid, of course, but still one who loves the spirit of competition and teamwork.  I no longer idolize the pro sports stars like I did as a young Cincinnati Reds fan in the early 60s but I still enjoy watching them play.  The big money and spoiled millionaires of today's professional sports leagues have turned many of us off.  I have gradually become more interested in the college football and basketball than the pro variety.  And, having a grandson who is a college football player and another who is a high school roundballer, naturally I have a strong interest in their endeavors. I follow their teams and teammates and consume all the information I can on their opponents.  I love it when athletes play hard, give it all they've got, and "leave it all on the field (or court)".

Being a Christ Follower and a Pastor, I am always encouraged when a well known athlete, be it pro or amateur, publicly profess their Christian faith. Christian role models are great thing in sports or any other endeavor. It's refreshing to all of us to see a Tim Tebow or Steph Curry with a scripture verse printed under their eyes or on their shoes.  However one thing that really rankles this old pastor is when they adorn their shoes or uniforms with Philippians 4:13.  Most of us are familiar with that verse.  " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (NKJV)  Now that is a direct quote from God's word. It is powerful and encouraging. So, one may ask "why would you have an objection to an athlete giving honor to Christ and quoting scripture?"  Because that verse is NOT about sports and athletic competition!

Nor is it about being able to accomplish great feats or reaching desired goals.

The old saying in the real estate business is that the three most important factors in the marketability of a property are "Location... Location... Location".  

Likewise, when reading, studying and quoting scripture, three of the most important factors are

Context...Context...Context!

According to Merriam Webster, context is a noun that refers to "the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in term of which it can be fully understood and assessed".  If we are to rightly divide the Word of Truth when it comes to this  verse, we must consider:

* The Human Author
* To whom it was first penned
* The circumstances surrounding the writing
* And the theme of the passage - using verses that come before and after,
* To understand the true message of the passage

The setting here is that Paul the Apostle is in prison in Rome.  He is writing this letter to the church in Philippi, which was born on Paul's second missionary journey.  The first believers in Europe were saved in that Macedonian city.  They were dear to Paul's pastoral heart and the theme of this letter is one of Joy. Interesting that he writes so eloquently about joy when he is a prisoner of Rome for no other reason but his faith and and testimony of Christ.

After encouraging the Philippian believers to meditate on things that were "Just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy" he reminds them that the resulting inexplicable peace of God would "guard their hearts through Christ Jesus".  Then Paul gives them personal thanks for financial support that the church had sent to him.  Remember, that prisoners in that setting were not given adequate supplies, clothing, etc as prisoners in our jails are today. The brothers and sisters in Philippi had sought to help him. Later on in verse 16 he acknowledges their previous support for him when he was in Thessalonica. Paul rejoiced at their love and generosity, but now look what he says in verses 11 - 13 as he gives them his perspective regarding his material needs.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Paul reveals here the secret of his contentment. He says in verse 12 that he has lived in various financial situations. He has lived humbly and has also lived in prosperity.  He has been both hungry and full. He has lived in great need and has also been abundantly blessed.  Question would be obvious.  How could he be content when experiencing all of the ups and downs of his life?

The answer - " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

This is a powerful message of the sufficiency of Christ for His children.  It has nothing to do with making touchdowns or three point shots.  It has everything to do with the contentment and peace that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is sad that such a beautiful message of God's Grace has been cheapened to a sports cliché or someone's idea of "magic words" that enable you to accomplish the hard stuff.

Never forget Paul's admonition to the young man, Timothy. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)

What does the Bible say about itself?  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) 

So, by all means read the Word, memorize scripture, quote it whenever you can, but PLEASE remember context, context, context!

Mission Accomplished!

Last week the Executive Board of the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists voted to call Eric W. Ramsey to serve as our new state convention's Executive Director/Treasurer. The vacancy occurred when our former State Exec,  Dr. Bill Henard answered the call to a pastorate in his home state of Tennessee.  

The official announcement of Ramsey's background and hiring in a recent Baptist Press article can be read here. 

As background, according to the State Convention's Constitution, the task fell to the Administrative Committee to appoint an Interim state exec, and a search committee to seek out a candidate to be Dr. Henard's replacement.  The Administrative Committee met at the end of July to begin the work. Cledith Campbell, pastor of Altizer Baptist Church in Huntington was appointed to serve as the Interim State Executive Director. Cledith is a godly man of integrity and goodwill. He is an exceptional undershepherd to his flock. He is well respected by his peers, locally and around the state.  He has been pastor at Altizer for 46 years and has worked with every State Convention Executive Director in its 49 year history.  Cledith did an excellent job as our interim, providing a smooth transition for our new Director.

The Admin Committee recommended 15 people to the Executive Board to serve as a Search Committee to seek out, and make recommendation to the Executive Board, a qualified candidate to serve as State Executive Director. The Search Committee is mandated to be comprised of a Pastor from each Association in the State Convention "and other persons as shall give representation to various areas and interests" of the WVCSB, and "shall be knowledgeable of the Executive Board and the State Convention".  The Admin Committee nominated the following individuals who consist of Pastors, a Youth Pastor, Association Directors of Missions, and a Pastor's wife who has previously served on the Executive Board, and who has been very active in State Convention activities in the past.

The Executive Board approved each of the following individuals, with no dissenting votes.  Six members of the original Search Committee were the members of the Administration Committee, and two of them, Dallas Smith and Paul Harris later resigned from the committee. The following is a list of the final roster of the Search Committee, approved by the State Executive Board:

• Allegheny Association - Dennis Cherry (Allegheny Association Director of Missions) and Randy Spurgeon (Anstead Baptist)
• Coalfields Association - Rick Gannon (Borderland Baptist)
• Greater Huntington Association -  C.J. Adkins (Westmoreland Baptist & 2nd Vice President)
• Immanuel Association - Jim Messenger (Faith Baptist, West Union & State Recording Secretary) and Lynn Sommerville (layperson & pastor's wife, Southside Southern Baptist)
• Monongahela Association - Jim Strawderman (Southern Baptist of Philippi) and Don Knotts (Salt and Light Church)
• Mountain State Association - Kevin Howerton (Covenant Church, Princeton)
• Pioneer Association - Mason Ballard (Resurrection Church, Charleston, and now President of the WVCSB)
• Potomac Highland - Nathan Ertel (Old Fields Baptist & State Convention 1st Vice President) and David Duckworth (First Baptist Fort Ashby)
• Tri-County Association - Bryan Dugger (Westview, Martinsburg)
• Upper Ohio Valley Association - Ed Goodman (UOVA Director of Missions & Jim Higginson (Temple Baptist)

At our first Committee meeting in Flatwoods, I was elected chairman of this group. Ed Goodman, DOM of Upper Ohio Valley Association was elected Vice Chair, and Jim Messenger served as our Secretary.  I was humbled by their confidence and I considered it an honor to serve our State Convention in this way.  For the purposes of this blog, I just want to say thank you to this lady and the other gentlemen who served faithfully on this committee. It was not an easy task and it required a good bit of time and travel to serve.

Having worked closely with this group, I want to assure the Southern Baptists in West Virginia that they were well represented in the Search Process.  Each member prayerfully approached this task with no personal agendas.  There were no pre-concieved favorite candidates brought to the table.  We met seven times (six in person and one by conference call) and considered 19 resumes received via email through a system set up by our State Convention Communications Director, Cleve Persinger.  We appreciate Cleve's valuable assistance in this task. The Committee considered each resume carefully. We had a number of excellent candidates and it was difficult to narrow them down to six "semi finalists".  We interviewed what we deemed to be our top four and then came to the difficult task of selecting one candidate for recommendation to the Executive Board.  Eric Ramsey was selected by an 80% vote of our committee and he graciously accepted our recommendation. 

I am thankful that the Executive Committee voted to call Eric and I am truly excited to have Eric and his lovely wife, Gaye coming to join us here in the Mountain State. He needs our support, as challenges lie ahead for him. He is up to the challenges, and knows that "With God, all things are possible". I hope each pastor and every Southern Baptist in West Virginia will pray for and support Eric in his work of helping to lead us in accomplishing the Great Commission - starting here in "Wild and Wonderful" West Virginia, and reaching around the globe.  

In my next post to "For What It's Worth" I will share what I believe were several positive lessons we learned during this search process.

20 Year Old "Letter to My Newborn Grandson"

I am thankful for Jay Adkins posting in SBC Voices the "Letter to My Newborn Grandson" that I wrote 20 years ago on the birth of our first grandson.  Read it here   His post brought tears to my eyes.  I am thankful for what that grandson, Caudle Jerry Adkins V, is doing for the Lord now and I can only imagine what the future holds for him.  Happy birthday Quint.  I am proud of the young man you have become.  He is the first of five grandsons. I am thankful that all of them are followers of Christ.


 #BlessedBeyondMeasure  #ProudPapaw

Thank God and the Insurance Company!!!

On November 27 about 4:45 PM I was sitting at my desk in my study which is at the far west end of the educational wing of Westmoreland Baptist Church.  The secretary and youth pastor were both gone for the day.  I was trying to wrap things up so I could get home to help Linda start preparations for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  But that is when the phone call came.

Our neighbor across Hughes Street was on the line. She said,"I wasn't sure if anyone was there or not, but did you know your column is out in the street?"

What???  I ran out the door at the Welcome Center at the far west end of the building and could hardly believe my eyes.  One of the four huge 20 foot columns that had graced the front of our building since 1956 had actually blown over!

It had been a wild day to say the least.  We had been warned by Tony Cavalier (the News Channel 3 meterologist) that it was going to be a day of high winds. Boy oh boy!  That was an understatement. The wind had howled all day long blowing from the west to the east.  Some gusts were going to be as high as 65-75 mph Tony had warned us.  That is near the threshold of hurricane force. I was worried about my roof holding up back at the house, and fearful that some more of the siding would be blown off the side of my home.  Losing one of those massive columns was the last thing I expected that day!

For several months large cracks in the surface covering of two of the columns had been noted by several of our folks.  One of the long time members who had long been involved in church maintenance activities assured us "I've always been told that there are steel beams inside each column and the columns, themselves, are only decorative."  Our Stewardship Committee (who were just finishing up their proposed budget for 2020) had noted the need for repair work on the columns. Due to the size of the things, and our limited budget, it went on the "wish list" for 2020, knowing that eventually we would need to take care of the problems.  We had no idea that it would jump from the wish list to the "gotta deal with it now" list at any time so soon.

With the column down - as can be seen in the upper right photo, it was easy to see there was NO steel beam inside as was once thought. Understandably there is no one at the church now who was old enough to be involved in the construction of this building back in 1956, so the steel beam theory turned out to be mythology.  Knowing this, it put a much higher priority on the badly cracked column next to the fallen one - and the one on the far west of the portico, which was beginning to show some cracking, itself.

It turns out that the wooden columns had begun to deteriorate from standing water trapped inside them. Drain holes had been calked up at some time long ago when the columns had gone through a painting project. Now - nearly rotted out at the base, the columns had actually "dropped down"  - not enough to be visible to the untrained eye - but enough to weaken the fallen one enough that the high winds just knocked it over.

Having worked as a Nationwide Insurance Company agent for 22 years - I had little hope that we would get much help from our insurance company due to the nature of the damage. "Call Church Mutual" I advised our Trustees and we need to get someone to get in here quickly to secure it from further damage.  Ryan Smith (our bi-youth pastor and contractor, himself) suggested Classic Construction Co, with whom he had previous dealings.  He said, "They would be equipped to handle something of this scale". So we gave them a call and they were there the next morning to shore up the portico roof with scaffolding and steel beams for a temporary fix.

The Christmas holidays were coming up quickly and it was going to take a while for the adjusters and the construction company - which had several other jobs in progress - to be able to get much done before the end of the year.  The area was secured and protected from further damage, but it was certainly unsightly as well as inconvenient.

We knew that the security work was going to be costly, but what really concerned us was how we would ever be able to afford to replace the down'd column, as well as how we would be able to replace or repair the others.  Estimates began to come in and the prices were frightening.  The estimated cost to replace the columns would be about $25,000 and we were looking at three more who were in bad shape.This was going to be a huge undertaking for an average sized congregation.

We didn't break out into a panic, but the trustees and stewardship committees were frantically discussing what possible options we might have.  We had inherited some money from an estate bequeath several years ago, but some of that was in a trust fund and some was in bonds that had not yet come to maturity.  Would we have to go into heavy debt after getting out from under our mortgage just a few years ago.  We still hadn't heard back from the insurance company and every day the concern got a little greater.  My head was telling me that we had a real problem here, but there was a strange peace in my heart that things would be ok.  I urged our congregation to be in earnest prayer for the situation and to remember the promise of Philippians 4:19, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory, through Christ Jesus."

Well, to make a long story shorter, let me cut to the chase.  When we finally heard from the Insurance Company, it was in a letter that said they had mailed us a check in the amount of $109,000.  This would actually be enough to pay for the replacement cost of ALL FOUR columns! That was wonderful news. However, we knew that there would be other expenses, not the least of which being the emergency work that had been done immediately following.  In just a couple of days we got another letter from the insurance company stating they had recalculated and another check was on the way.  In the final analysis, the cost of replacing all four columns were covered by our insurance. Furthermore, the new columns would have almost identical capstones and bases as those which graced the old columns since I was a six year old!

Now I can hear you saying, "Well, that's what insurance is for". But I'm telling you that from my experience, that with our situation I was basically hoping that the insurance might pay for debris removal and emergency work but I truly had doubts that it would be much more than that. But thanks be to God (and Church Mutual Insurance Company) the new columns have been ordered and should be in place by Easter!

The Benefit of Affliction

Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.

I first discovered this verse (buried deep in the longest Psalm) about 15 years ago, when I was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for Stage 4, “incurable” Colon Cancer.

On first blush, one might think that the great poet, shepherd, and King, David must have been out of his mind to think that affliction was a good thing.  After all, for years he had been threatened, hunted, and intended to be killed by the God rejected King Saul. But during his time as a fugitive, David learned some valuable lessons. One of which was there are times that it us good for us to be afflicted.

Dr. W. Moodie has enumerated some of the benefits of affliction as follows:

I. THEY AWAKEN US TO SERIOUS THOUGHT. When, by reverse of fortune, we are deprived of the means of pleasures in which we had too profusely indulged; when the companions of our happier years forsake us; when pain and disease unfit us for tasting our wonted comforts, and forewarn us of death; on a sudden, the enchantment is broken; our conduct, to which we had not hitherto attended, rises in review before us; virtue and vice are exhibited in a light in which we had not viewed them before, and our souls, awakened from the dream of dissipation, commune seriously with themselves.

II. THEY SERVE TO MODERATE OUR ATTACHMENT TO WORLDLY OBJECTS.

III. THEY SERVE TO EXERCISE AND DISPLAY OUR VIRTUES. It is the storm that tries the strength of the vessel.

IV. THEY HAVE A NATURAL TENDENCY TO IMPROVE OUR PIOUS AFFECTIONS. When the fabric of our felicity falls, we perceive whose hand it was that supported it, and whose hand it is that alone can rear it anew. We feel our dependence on that Providence which, before, we had neglected to acknowledge, and seek, in communion with God, the consolation which our sufferings require.

V. THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO ENLIVEN OUR HOPE OF IMMORTALITY. The doctrine of a future existence is no longer regarded as a subject of cold speculation; it addresses itself to the tenderest feelings that can arise in the human breast; your minds are prepared to yield to the evidence by which it is confirmed, and you cherish it as your support under afflictions which admit of no other consolation.

As I mentioned earlier, I had come across this verse during a very difficult time in my life. The cancer was aggressive and considered to be incurable. I was only 54 years old. I had only been pastor here for two short years and was still on my “honeymoon” period with the congregation. Our sons were just getting their own families established, and we had three little grandsons whom I had hoped to watch grow up.  We had mortgages on three pieces of property that I dreaded leaving for Linda – along with all the medical bills that would be left behind! And naturally, I was hurting due to the disease and the vicious treatments that we hoped might give me some “extra time”.  I could see no blessing in any part of this dark time of affliction.

But God intervened. I didn’t die like “I was supposed to”.  After a period of two years of treatments, surgical and other related procedures, I went into remission from that cancer with no recurrence of it still today!

Looking back, I began to understand some of the ways in which “it was good for me that I had been afflicted.  When I was first called to WBC a neighboring pastor told me I might be making a mistake.  “They are not very good to their pastors” I was told.  “It’s a revolving door”, he said.  But, I was also told by GHBA Director of Missions, Doug Virgin, “There are good people there. They just need someone to love them and lead them”. I set out to try to do that.

During my first two years at WBC I sought to minister to the people.  I ministered to a lot of hurt.  But then after two years I was stricken with the malignancy, and for the next two years, the church ministered to me!  God used my illness to help bring our church closer together as a faith family.

That time of affliction gave me a stronger and deeper love for this congregation. Having gone through such a trial enabled me to have more empathy for others (who were suffering, themselves) to whom I was ministering.

That time of my affliction drove me deeper into the Word of God, for instruction, for comfort, and for answering my questions as to why me?    After all, remember, David wrote “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”

That time of my affliction drew me closer to my family and friends, burning into my heart the blessing of having them all in my life! Life was more precious.  The grass was greener, the sky was more blue, and people, in general, became more precious to me.

That time of affliction brought me closer to God.  I learned to truly trust Him, and that everything He brought my way was either for my good, or His Glory, or BOTH! I began to more fully understand His peace that surpasses all understanding, that I had preached and talked about for decades.

I learned to identify with what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Over this past year and a half, I have been facing some new physical afflictions, with a new cancer, one for which there is not a good chemotherapy. More recently a wicked infection has caused me to lose more of my right foot.  It’s been a rough 18 months – but the lessons learned years ago regarding affliction remain strong in my memory, and I still claim the ancient promise of Psalm 119:71 still today.

I love what Charles H. Spurgeon said about this verse: “Trial is our school where God teaches us on the blackboard. This school-house has no windows to let in the cheerful light. It is very dark, and so we cannot look out and get distracted by external objects; but God's grace shines like a candle within, and by that light we see what else we had never seen.”

The late Veda Young, who was suffering from an inoperable brain tumor back in 2004 told me, “I’m not going to spend the rest of my life dying”, and she didn’t.  I have tried to make that philosophy my own.

 

As we approach Thanksgiving, let us not only remember to thank God for our blessings but to even be thankful for the blessing of affliction!

An Update for West Virginia Southern Baptists

This will be my only public communication on this subject,  as we begin our work as a Search Committee,  I thought it important to pass along this information to our brothers and sisters across the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptist congregations.

As we all know, our former State Convention Executive Director, Bill Henard, has resigned that position to re-enter the pastorate.  Bill did an excellent job during his tenure here in the Mountain State, and we wish him the very best as he assumes his new position in Tenessee and this next chapter of his ministry..

The task of filling the vacancy is a process that begins with the State Convention Administrative Committee. This committee  consists of the four elected officers of the State Convention, the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, and two members at large from the Executive Board, elected by the Executive Board. Our State Convention constitution spells out the procedure for filling a vacancy in the position of Executive Director.in Article V, Section 2, Subsection C,  Paragraphs (2)a. & b.

The first action of the Administrative Committee was to choose an Interim Director to serve in the office until a new Director is selected by vote of the Executive Board.  After some deliberation, the

Admin Committee chose Cledith Campbell, who after a couple of days of prayer and consideration, agreed to accept the position.  Cledith is a Godly man. A man of integrity and one who has served Altizer Baptist Church in Huntington as pastor for the past 46 years!  Cledith has served the State Convention and the Greater Huntington Baptist Association in many capacities. He also served the Southern Baptist Convention as a Board Member of the former Christian Life Commission (now known as the ERLC).  He is a man who holds a high view of scripture and has pastored the same church for 46 years of the 50 that our State Convention has been in existence.  All of these factors, plus his ability to work well with others, to understand and work within budgets, and the fact that he lives within 35 minutes of the State Convention office, and his willingness to commit to being in the office three days per week made him an ideal candidate for this temporary position. This puts a quality man in this interim position, and allowed the Admin Committee to proceed with the responsibility of appointing a Search Committee to make recommendation for a permanent Exec.

The Admin Committee recommends 15 people to the Executive Board to serve as a Search Committee to seek out, and make recommendation to the Executive Board, a qualified candidate to serve as State Executive Director. The Search Committee is mandated to be comprised of a Pastor from each Association in the State Convention "and other persons as shall give representation to various areas and interests" of the WVCSB, and "shall be knowledgeable of the Executive Board and the State Convention".  The Admin Committee proposed the following individuals who consist of Pastors, an Association Director of Missions, and a Pastor's wife who has previously served on the Executive Board, and who has been very active in State Convention activities in the past.

The Executive Board approved each of the following individuals, with no dissenting votes:

• Allegheny Association - Dallas Smith (FBC Fairlea) and Randy Spurgeon (Anstead Baptist)
• Coalfields Association - Rick Gannon (Borderland Baptist)
• Greater Huntington Association - Paul Harris (Abundant Hope Baptist and State Convention President) and C.J. Adkins (Westmoreland Baptist & 2nd Vice President)
• Immanuel Association - Jim Messenger (Faith Baptist, West Union & State Recording Secretary) and Lynn Sommerville (pasor's wife, Southside Southern Baptist)
• Monongahela Association - Jim Strawderman (Southern Baptist of Philippi) and Don Knotts (Salt and Light Church)
• Mountain State Association - Kevin Howerton (Covenant Church, Princeton)
• Pioneer Association - Mason Ballard (Resurrection Church, Charleston)
• Potomac Highland - Nathan Ertel (Old Fields Baptist & State Convention 1st Vice President)
• Tri-County Association - Bryan Dugger (Westview, Martinsburg)
• Upper Ohio Valley Association - Ed Goodman (UOVA Director of Missions & Jim Higginson (Temple Baptist)

We met for our "organizational meeting" this past Thursday in Flatwoods, WV.  By secret ballot, I was chosen chairperson and Ed Goodman as vice chair.  We asked Jim Messenger to serve as recording secretary.  As I said at the top of this post, this will be my ONLY public communication regarding the make up and the work of our committee, but I want our fellow Baptists to understand what we, as a committee, have discussed and agreed upon as we begin our work.

• We are a Search Committee, NOT a "Hiring Committee".  When we complete our work and come to an agreement on a proposed candidate, that individual's name will be forwarded to the Executive Board for their consideration.  The Search Committee hires no one.
• Each member of our Committee is one voice among fifteen equals.  Each member will be respected by each of the other members and, obviously, their opinions are of equal value.
• We have agreed upon confidentiality until our task is completed. (that is why I say this will be my only public comments on this committee)
• None of us have any personal or hidden agendas.  None of us have committed to, or are in support of any potential candidate for the position.  Our only agenda is to seek out that individual who God has for West Virginia.
• We have agreed to bathe every activity in prayer, seeking wisdom from God, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• We are committed to do everything honestly and with transparency of motives, and "by the book" Two of us were privileged to have served on the previous Search Committee and we are committed to the integrity of this committee.
• We will accept resumes for the position for a period of two months, once we officially launch our activities next week.
• A Job Description already exists, and when we meet again in Flatwoods on Thursday, August 22 we will agree upon Qualifications and Characteristics expected of candidates for the position, and we will officially launch our search.
• At that point, Cleve Persinger, in our State Convention office will release the Job Description and Qualifications in various media sources, with directions for submission of resumes

I am honored to serve with these individuals as we serve our State Convention in this important task. Also, I am humbled by their confidence in selecting me to chair the committee. I pledge to do my best to prayerfully lead our committee to be faithful to our mission.

Sadly, at least one person has publicly questioned the appropriateness of our State Convention President serving on the Search Committee due to the fact that his wife is a State Convention office employee. We do not take this accusation lightly, but this should not be a concern due to the following reasons. First, he has been elected for two terms as 2nd Vice President, two terms as 1st VP, and was elected last fall as our State Convention President.  His wife being a convention secretary did not exhibit a problem in any of these elections.  Secondly, there is nothing in our State Convention Constitution that prohibits the President from serving on the search committee. This is not without precedent. Our last Search Committee (the one which recommended Dr. Henard) included the then serving State Convention President as a member. Finally, consultation has been made with the West Virginia State Ethics Commission, (the public body which oversees ethical questions in our State Government). Their representative advises that due to the fact that this is a Search Committee, and not the entity who will make a hiring decision, that there is no breach of ethics here, nor, under their definition, does this situation equal nepotism. It is customary for search committees to consist of individuals from various segments of communities, including persons who may serve under the individual who may be recommended for hiring. 

So, having said all this, please know that we take this responsibility very seriously, with malice toward none, no agendas at hand, and committed to integrity to the task, let me ask every church in West Virginia, and every individual to join us in prayer, that God would lead us and we will be attuned to the guidance of His Spirit.