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2013 Presbytery Minutes
Presbytery Minutes 2013
The Presbytery of the Mt. Union Association of General Baptists convened in regular session, Friday night, September 20, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Mt. Union Association Tabernacle in Macon County, near Westmoreland, TN. Song service was conducted by Rev. Matthew McGuire, Rev. Gary Sullivan, Rev. Doug Carter Jr., and Bro. Troy Adcock. Bro. Harold Brown played the piano. The songs selected were “Where the Soul Never Dies” and “Jesus is Coming Soon”
The Vice-Moderator, Rev. Steve McGuire, conducted the devotion. Scripture selection was John 14: 1-6. The body then met in prayer around the alter following prayer requests being taken. After prayer, the moderator, Rev. Terry Howser called the 138th Presbytery meeting to order and invited visitors to a seat in council. Rev. Donald Key and Rev. Glenn Jenkins from Portland Association were recognized.
Bro. George Wilson, the Reading Clerk, then read the Rules of Decorum.
Presbytery clerk, Bro. Freddie Fuqua Jr., then called the roll of ministers and deacons. All non-ordained were then asked to dismiss themselves because this is a closed meeting.
The reading clerk, Bro. Eric Latimer, then read the report from the Petitions and Requests Committee. Motion was made and seconded to accept the report as read. The Presbytery approved the motion.
At this time, the Curriculum Committee report was read. Motion was made and seconded to accept the report. Motion carried.
The Credentials Committee also gave their report. Motion was made and seconded to accept the report. Motion carried.
Motion was made and seconded for the Moderator, Rev. Terry Howser, to appoint the Vice-Moderator for the upcoming year. Motion carried. Rev. Willie B. Lyles was appointed.
Motion was made and seconded to retain Bro. Freddie Fuqua Jr. as Presbytery Clerk. Motion carried.
Motion was made and seconded to retain Bro. Jonathan Thurman as Presbytery Assistant Clerk. Motion carried.
We then moved into the examining portion of the service.
Bro. Daniel Greer of Martin’s Chapel Church was examined by the Examining Committee and by the Presbytery. Motion was made and seconded to ordain Bro. Daniel into the full work of the ministry. Motion carried.
Bro. Raymond Summers of Bethpage Church was examined by the Examining Committee and by the Presbytery. Motion was made and seconded to ordain Bro. Raymond as a deacon. Motion carried.
Bro. Joseph Brown of Mt. Union Church was examined by the Examining Committee and by the Presbytery. Motion was made and seconded to put Bro. Joseph under the watch care of the Presbytery as a licensed minister for one year. Motion carried.
Motion was made and seconded to discuss Bethpage Church’s request to place Bro. Chase McCloud under the watch care for a year. He was unable to attend this Presbytery meeting due to Bro. Chase being hospitalized. Motion carried.
Following discussion, a motion was made and seconded to have a called Presbytery meeting regarding Bro. Chase McCloud’s examination within 90 days of this meeting, if possible, called together by the current moderator. The purpose of this called meeting will be to examine Bro. Chase by the Examining Committee and by the Presbytery in order to be licensee him for one year and place him under the watch care of the Presbytery, due to the fact he was in the hospital and unable to attend the annual Presbytery meeting. Motion carried. (Moderator's note: since the time of our meeting is was decided by the current Moderator not to call the meeting and meet with Bro. McCloud.)
Motion was made and seconded to honor the request of Oak Dale Church and have Bro. Billy Brawner dropped as a deacon. Motion carried.
Motion was made and seconded to allow the Moderator to fill the vacancy on the Curriculum Committee left by Rev. Jeff Keen. Motion carried. Rev. Jonathan Marsh was appointed.
Motion was made and seconded to nominate Rev. Donald Huntsman to fill the vacancy on the Examining Committee left by Bro. George Wilson. Motion carried.
Motion was made and seconded to allow the Moderator to fill the vacancy on the Petitions and Requests Committee left by Bro. Kirk Wix. Motion carried. Bro. Eddie Woods was appointed.
Motion was made and seconded to allow the Moderator to fill the vacancies on the Credentials Committee left by Rev. Gary Sullivan and Rev. David Simmons. Motion carried. Bro. Hillas Walrond and Bro. Jerry Williams were appointed.
We then moved into New Business.
There was no new business at this time.
The moderator for the coming year, Rev. Steve McGuire, announced that Rev. Matt McGuire will be preaching the ordination service in 2014.
A motion was made to accept the minutes as read, after a second the Presbytery approved the motion. A motion was made to adjourn, after a second the Presbytery approved the motion.
Rev. Terry Howser- Moderator
Rev. Steve McGuire- Vice Moderator
Bro. Freddie Fuqua Jr. - Clerk
Bro. Jonathan Thurman – Assistant Clerk
Curriculum Committee
(Rotating) (Term Expires)
Rev. George Talley, 2014, Rev. Joe West, 2015 Rev. Johnathan Marsh, 2016
Examining Committee
(Rotating) (Term Expires) (Subject)
Rev. Lawrence Gilliam, 2014, Moral and Social Issues
Bro. Curtis Marlin, 2015, General Baptist Doctrine
Rev. Donald Huntsman, 2016, Bible Knowledge
Presbytery Petitions and Requests Committee
(Rotating) (Term Expires)
Rev. Matthew McGuire, 2014 Bro. Troy Adcock, 2015 Bro. Eddie Woods, 2016
Credentials Committee
(Rotating) (Term Expires)
Rev. Kenneth Sullivan, 736 Stovall Rd., Scottsville, KY 42164 (270) 622-6758 [2014]
Bro. Steve Howard, 9144 Bowling Green Rd, Scottsville, KY 42164 (270) 622-5200 [2015]
Bro. Delane Dyer, 3327 Holland Rd, Scottsville, KY 42164 (270) 622-7218 [2015]
Bro. Hilas Walrond, 800 Sylvian Dr., Lafayette, TN 37083 (615) 666-3346 [2016]
Bro. Jerry Williams, 4277 Oakdale Rd, Westmoreland, TN 37186 (615) 688-3671 [2016]
Curriculum Committee Guidelines
The committee will consist of three members of the Presbytery, one member should rotate off each year. The chairman of the committee to serve for that year will be the member that has served the longest on the committee.
The committee should meet with the candidates at least six months prior to the Association, and if necessary met with the candidates again. The chairman is responsible for calling together the committee and candidates.
The candidates must answer at least 80% of the outlined question, before the committee will request the Presbytery to examine the candidates for ordination. Once a candidate has met the requirements of this committee, he is not required to meet with the committee again, if called together.
Ordination Service 2013
The Presbytery of the Mt Union Association met in open session with the Mt Union Association of General Baptist for the purpose of ordaining Ministers and Deacons. Rev. Daniel Greer (Martin's Chapel) was a candidate to be ordained as a Minister, and Bro. Raymond Summers (Bethpage) was a candidate to be ordained as a Deacon.
The service convened Sunday morning, September 22, 2013 at 10:00 AM with congregational singing led by Rev. Matthew McGuire, Rev. Kenneth Sullivan, Rev. Eric Latimer, Rev. Doug Carter, Jr., Bro. Barney Scruggs, Bro. Mark Graves, and Bro. John Marsh accompanied by Bro. Kyle Eden on the piano. The songs selected were: "I'll Fly Away" and "That Glad Reunion Day".
Rev. Terry Howser, the Presbytery Moderator, welcomed everyone to the service. Rev. Steve McGuire conducted the devotion, with his scripture reading from Romans 10:1-3. The congregation shared numerous prayer requests before altar prayer.
The Mt Union Tabernacle committee came next and received a freewill offering for the Tabernacle upkeep while the congregation sang "O I Want To See Him".
The Mt Union Associational Choir, directed by Bro. Jeff Gregory, came forth and sang 3 special songs, "Wonderful Grace Of Jesus" accompanied by Sis. Kim Marsh at piano, a medley of "When All of God's Singers Get Home", "That Glad Reunion Day", and "Won't it Be Wonderful There" accompanied by Sis Reba Walrond at piano, and "His Blood Just Keeps on Cleansing" accompanied by Bro. Jerry Shaw at piano.
Rev. Terry Howser introduced the above candidates to the congregation, then introduced Rev. Don Rhoads to preach the ordination message and give the charge to the men approved by the Presbytery. I have had a long time to deliberate on what I am going to say; I have forgotten all that. I am totally dependent on God this morning and that is the way it should be. We need to serve God and do his will than trying to meditate and plan something out. God’s plans can’t be beat. You know I’ve made a lot of plans in life and some of them panned out pretty good and some of them didn’t work so well, but God’s plan always comes out good. We are gathered here this morning and it is a special occasion. Brother Daniel and Brother Raymond; they are being ordained this morning. Brother Daniel is being ordained as a minister and as Brother Terry has already said, he is a blessing to me. To look down and see him this morning. See I was there when the Lord saved his soul. I didn’t have anything to do with it. The Lord did it, but I got to be there. That’s worth it all when you see the ones you have been in contact with taking a stand for the Lord and willing to step out and do the Lord’s work. Brother Raymond, we have not met him that much, but we were here the other night during the examination. He seems like a fine young man. I’m looking forward for the job he does for the Lord.
As I was studying to preach this morning, I realized that probably the majority of the world doesn’t understand church at all. They don’t have a knowledge of church or how the administration of a church works. They think we are silly for being here today. I notice a lot of our church members are the same way. This morning we could use a few more here. They are not here, but we are glad you are here and I need your prayers this morning that I may be able to do God’s will. As soon as I get rid of these butterflies and get settled down just a little bit we will try to preach this morning. I’m just glad that I am Christian today. You know we could not be, but by the grace of God, He has reached His hand into our lives and hearts and called us and knocked on our hearts. We have submitted to Him and we are Christians today and I hope that you are. If you are not, you can be. The Bible says whosoever will let him come. So today if you are here, this is God’s service. We may just have revival while we are here today and get two jobs done. God knows what we need and when it is needed. He knows just exactly what to do when the time comes.
Today if got a bunch of children up here and ask them what they want to be when they grow up, I don't think any of them would want to be a preacher or a deacon. They would want to be doctors and lawyers. Have you ever heard what God thought of doctors and lawyers? I wouldn't want you to be a doctor or lawyer today but it would please me if you said you wanted to be a man of God. God needs more people to step out as these two have stepped out. He needs more to take a stand because the world is dying in sin up to their neck. I want you today to encourage these two men for being willing to do God's will. The apostle Paul wrote to "pray always". Men, I want to give you some advice. I've been preaching a few years now and I found out I can't preach without praying. I can't do His will without being in contact with Him. You communicate with God through prayer and supplication. That's the way you start out the ministry. Letting God call the plays. Everybody knows how ball games work. There is somebody that's not on the field that's calling the plays. I want you Bro. Greer to remember that God is still calling the plays. We're limited but He isn't. My limitations can be overcome by what God can do. The bible says "Through God all things are possible".
People have been shown so much today that it's so hard to prove our point. Bro. Greer your going to be called out, so you need to know what the Word of God says. And you'll find out that the bible is as it says it is: It's quick, powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. It's able to give you the knowledge and wisdom to lift up the name of Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you to step out and don't be afraid.
People are going to ask you why you believe this. Bro. Greer your going to need to know why you believe everything you believe. Let it be according to thy word and preach the truth. Preach the word, nothing else will do the job. We must understand exactly why we believe what we believe.
We need to make a charge on the enemy and let me tell you something, He's ever present. I work with a guy that is a Mexican. He told me something one day in Spanish. Just exactly what did you tell me? I told you the devil is not smart because he’s the devil, he’s smart because he is so old. See the devil has been around a lot longer than any of us. He has seen the way we act and the way we operate. He’s got all kinds of cunning devices to bring out in front of us. Without the Word of God we’ll be caught defenseless. Because the devil is a cunning old bird. I’m sure today he’ll tell me before I get home what a mess I’ve made. I would be disappointed if he didn’t. See if he told me I had done a good job, I know I would be in trouble. I don’t want to discourage you, but there will always be a battle to fight. The devil isn’t going to lie down. He’s never going to sit still and let you get the upper hand on him. He’s going to fight back. That is why we call this the charge. There is a battle going on in every one of our lives because we are Christians. Satan does not want us to have any kind of peace in our lives. The church today needs good men to step out. The church has went into a mode of discouragement. You see, we all look at the former glory of the church and the revivals of yesterday. We look to that and say we used to do this or we used to do that, but we don’t do that anymore. We have become discouraged and we forget that we can do all things through Jesus Christ. He’s still the same. The only thing that has changed is right here. That is the only thing that has changed. God has not changed one iota. From the time that Paul preached until the day when I started preaching, Jesus Christ is still the same Jesus. He is the same Jesus that is coming back in power and great glory.
Prayer is a good way to start your ministry, Brother Greer. It’s a good way to start being a deacon, Brother Raymond. It’s a good way to start your life and your day. It is good to pray before you do something. Pray while you are doing it and pray when you get it done. That would be a good way to work.
Our churches would pick up wouldn’t they? If everybody started praying all the time. See people don’t realize what prayer can do. Prayer will lift you up when you are down. Prayer will give you what you need in times of trouble and prayer will do what you can’t do on your own. Because that is how God operates. Why pray? Because God said pray always. Pray without ceasing. That is what God said. He told us that in His word and I believe it. We don’t have to argue with that.
But we kind of bask in the former glory of the church. Let me tell you the church can be what it was, but we have got to do some praying. We’ve got to do some laboring. Remember the parable of the sower. I bet both of you have read the parable of the sower. They sowed the seed, some of it didn’t do too good. But some of the seed hit on good ground. We’ve been sowing bad ground long enough. We need to start sowing some on good ground. You know how you sow on good ground? You sow all the ground. You sow it all. Sow it to every creature. The Bible says preach the gospel to every creature. You preach it to everyone. You know there are ears that will still hear it. There are a few that still want to hear the gospel. A few that are still looking back for some hope. As the army would charge they would line up and there would be someone that would step out and he would give a discourse on what was fixing to happen. He would tell them about the victory they were about to win. Why would he do that? He would do that because when we are discouraged we can’t live up to half of what we are able to do. A discouraged army is already defeated. I do not want us as a church or these two men to be discouraged today because we still serve the one who has never lost a battle. He never has been defeated and never will be defeated. And in the end we are going to be on the winning side.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. Moving out of the realm of who we are; we spend too much time in the realm of being a human being. We’ve got this thing aching; we’ve got that thing aching; we’ve got all kinds of problems, but very seldom get beyond ourselves. We’re caught up with ourselves and we very seldom humble our hearts to God and begin to pour out what is in here. You know there may be something good in your heart today and you have kept it in forever. God’s been dealing with you to witness to somebody and you just been putting it off because my little finger has got skinned place on it; just the least little old thing we use for a flimsy excuse. The spirit is indeed willing for you to serve God and do his will. Let me tell you brother, God has got a spirit that is able to lead you and guide you and direct you and keep you on that straight and narrow way.
There is a lot of ways to go but only one straight and narrow one. A lot of people are on the broad way. A lot of church members are on the broad way today. I hate to say it, but that’s the way it is. I won’t pull any punches. A lot of church members are caught up in the world. In other words the world takes the place of God. They are not in the spirit, they are in the world. Don’t let yourself get in that situation. The world is like a vacuum cleaner. It’s sucking in so many preachers it isn’t even funny. Some of the best preachers I have ever heard have fell by the wayside. The devil would like nothing better than for you two guys to fall by the wayside. But through the spirit of God and holding on to him; you can overcome. You can overcome all the world that would drag you down. I’ve been preaching for a few years now; trying to pastor; not really good at anything; don’t pretend to be; but you know Brothers, I have found that God is able to fill in the gap that I am falling short on.
Depend on God through his spirit. You can do God’s will. Many souls can be won by you and your witness; if through the spirit you are guided. Now the world will take you on some alternative routes. That’s really what’s happen to the church today. Satan has provided some broader pathways. There’s only one straight and narrow way and few there be that finds it. That’s what the Bible says. The rest of them are out there on the outer edge. They are running through the muck and mire. If I read my bible right in the end times; on the outside, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I want to be on the straightway and the narrow way. The weeping and gnashing of teeth; I don’t want to be there. I want to keep you from going there. That’s my point. That is why I preach the gospel; to try to warn people; there is a hell. I tell you the Bible says there is one. Where the fire is not quenched and the worm dieth not. All those who are not born again will get to spend eternity there. That big book over there on the other side will be opened some day; got my name in it. Praise the Lord; praise the Lord. Got it written on it many years ago. I was about eighteen; I got my name wrote on it. They’ll thumb through that book; they will find my name. A lot of people’s names will not be in the book. Why won’t their name be in the book? Various reasons; might be because we have not done our job. Let me tell you brother; you have a responsibility to God; you’ve got a responsibility to people; you’ve got a responsibility that God has called you out of darkness to light for a purpose.
The word of God is the most wonderful thing in the world. It really is. That’s the only place you can find eternal life. They have been trying at all of the hospitals forever to come up with some kind of “you are going to live forever” drug and they got all kind of this you can try. The more you take the more they grow old; the more they grow closer to home every day. Nothing has ever worked. Do you know that God is calling men out of the darkness like these two; Brother Greer and Brother Raymond? He’s calling them out to recommend to the world a fountain of youth. A place where they can live forever and ever a place where there won’t be any wheel chairs; won’t need any IV; won’t be any cancer; won’t be any blind people or cripple people. A place of joy and a place of peace. Let me encourage you today. You need to tell people God loves them. That he provided a way on the old rugged cross and the blood that was shed. You need to tell them about forgiveness and mercy and you need to warn the world and do the part that God has called you to do. It’s a wonderful thing. I love doing it, don’t you? I love telling people they can be saved today. I love giving the invitation. I read a story in the Bible about a guy that sent out invitations to a wedding and he sent them out and sent them out and he still had room. And after all the invitations were sent out he still had room. He told his servants to go out into the highways and hedges and bid those that are halt and maimed and have them to come in that my house may be full. I love inviting people to come into the house of God and telling them about Jesus. My goodness today, I have been blessed for what God has given me in life. There is no doubt about it. I give him praise and honor; but I’ve got the best payment on night in a revival that I’ve ever got. I was standing about right here and there was a little read headed girl that came through the door. She came up and fell down crying on the altar. She stayed there a minute or two then she looked up with the prettiest smile and said, I am saved. That’s the payment that God gives you. Let me encourage you today; that’s worth it all. That’s worth it all to see someone give their heart and life to Jesus. He’s my joy. He’s my strength. He will be your joy and your strength. He’s the only hope this world has through Him we can do all things.
Men, I appreciate you today; Brother Daniel and Brother Raymond. I appreciate that you are not ashamed to stand for God. The Bible says, if you desire an office of a bishop you desire a good work. I’m glad, Brother Daniel, that you desire to do a good work. Because the world is full of evil works. It’s nice to know that somebody wants to do a good work. But we are going to have to be committed. Let me tell you about commitment. Commitment means you will be there no matter how bad it hurts. God needs people that are committed. Someone that will put church and God’s work above themselves. It’s probably the hardest thing we do is finding people that will commit with their whole heart. See, the Bible says where your treasure is there will your heart be also. If your treasure is in God, you heart is going to be in God. So commit your heart and life to God this day. As Joshua said, choose you this day who you will serve. Choose this day that God is going to be the ruling and reigning force in your life and that you are committed to do his will above your will. That is the type of commitment it takes to be men of God.
Praying always; in prayer and supplication; in spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance. Perseverance; that would be a good thing to talk about this morning. Today all it takes to get someone out of church is to say something to them. They don’t have any perseverance to them, do they? They can’t hand in there very long because their feelings are on their shoulders. I’ve been a tool maker all my life. Do you know how rude and cruel a bunch of men in a tool shop are? A lot of people cannot endure it. Been in it all my life. We just ridicule one another just for the fun of it. Anybody new, they can’t hardly stand it because they think we are mad at them or something. We aren’t mad at them; that’s just the way we are. But a lot of people in church take the attitude everything is going to be the way I think it ought to be. That’s not right. Everything is going to be the way God wants it to be. That’s the way it ought to be. It may not be that way. But that’s the way it ought to be. But we need to endure a few things. Listen men, if you pastor the church or you are a deacon of the church you’ll probably be enduring a few things that you may not understand and you may not like. Do your best to stand for what God has said in His word and you’ll be alright. Stand on God’s word. If somebody says do it this way and God’s Word says do it that way, go with God’s Word.
I’ve always heard the story about the church that was going to do something one of the deacon’s said the Bible says we should do it this way and the other deacon said, I don’t care what the Bible says, we’ve always done it that way. That’s the way the world is today, they want it their way. I want God’s way today in the service. I want God to be pleased. I want his spirit to be on all of us. We need to be dedicated men. Dedicated means that you are there no matter what. You know the postal service used to say in the rain, the snow, gloom of night; the mail is going to go through. Let me tell you, you need to be better than that. For God, you need to be better than that. There will be things that will come your way that when God has got something for you to do; Satan will have something little to try to hinder you. I guarantee it. The more you do for God the more Satan will throw at you. He knows our weakest point. That’s when he always comes. He comes at our weakest time. We’ve got to persevere some hardships and supplications for all the saints.
Pray for one another; wouldn’t it be good if we prayed for one another? This morning just got down on our knees and got right with God. A lot of times we get down on our knees and we don’t get right. I’ve done it; you’ve done it. If you say you haven’t done it; you need to be on the altar. I’m a realist. I know the way people are. I know how I am; sometimes we don’t get where we need to be. But when you get down and get right with God, God opens the door and that prayer starts going through. That’s when God begins to move in your life and heart. He begins to be able to use you. I don’t know what God has spoken to you, but go ahead and do that. Do what God has told you to do. All through the Bible I read about men God has spoken to. He told them to do something. Noah build a big old boat; don’t you know that was a job? He didn’t even know what that was, but he had to build a big boat. God gave him the dimensions and gave him what it needed to be and how it needed to be done. Noah did it. God blessed him and God took him through the storm. You want to get through the storm; get down on your knees and pray and get God’s will and ways for your life. Follow through with His orders and He will see you through and He will bless you for it. That’s how you receive the blessings of God if you are obedient to Him and He will bless your ministry. He will bless your life.
Paul went on to say to the Ephesians; Pray that utterance may be given unto me. Do you think that you should pray that God would use you and give you words? I would have hated to come this morning without asking God to help me. I told the Lord this morning whatever He wanted was fine with me, and it is. That’s the way that I am. I know that God sometimes wants to say something. I don’t want to say it. So I just give myself to Him and He just takes care of that. I go home and say, I don’t believe I said that.
Paul said, pray for him that he might have utterance given to him that I may open my mouth boldly. When you’re preaching something comes over you. They call that the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. Something gets a hold of you. You become somebody you are not. Thank God he called me to preach and not to talk. But something comes over you. God beings to use you. That’s because you’ve become submissive to Him. Without being submissive to God you will do your own preaching. I don’t like that either. Preachers, I know you know what I am talking about. When you aren’t right. Try preaching when you aren’t right. I’m glad I’m right. I’m glad I’m where I need to be that God might use me. Paul said that he may open his mouth boldly.
Paul said, I am not shamed of the gospel. Don’t ever be ashamed of the gospel; don’t be ashamed of the cross of Calvary. Don’t be ashamed that we believe that blood cleanses from all unrighteousness. Don’t be ashamed to tell the world that I’ve been born again. By the grace of God, don’t be ashamed that I’m an old time Christian that believes in the old time knee route way. Don’t be ashamed of that. That’s what we believe. We believe you got to get down on your knees and ask before you can be saved. Nowhere in our doctrine does it say you can be saved any other way. The doctrine we have says we are fallen and depraved and have no ability that resides in us that’s able to extract us from our lost and fallen condition. There is nothing within us that can save ourselves. Our obedience to God is the only thing that can save us; submitting to the gospel and being saved. Don’t be ashamed to tell people that they need to be born again. Too many people are ashamed of who they are. If they ask me at work, I will tell them what I believe. I believe that Christ died for the ungodly. I believe the blood that was shed on Calvary was enough to cleanse the whole world. I believe you are not saved until God says you are saved. I could have ten thousand documents you could sign; you could sign every one of them and it won’t write your name in Heaven. Don’t be ashamed to tell people that. Don’t be ashamed of who you are; you are God’s chosen people. God has called you out. You can’t come to God until God draws. A lot of people says, I’ll get saved some day; that sounds good to them at the time. I’ll tell you when you’ll get saved; you’ll get saved when God draws you. When God’s dealing with your heart, that’s when you’ll get saved. You won’t get saved when you get ready. You’ll come to God when He is dealing or you won’t come. A lot of people say they will wait until their death bed; going to live it up until then. God is a merciful God and I’m not going to say you can’t get saved on your death bed. Let me tell you, God is a merciful God and He gives the invitation every Sunday morning throughout this country. He is calling people to come unto Him and be saved. If on your death bed God has the mercy to extend to you the invitation, you might be saved then. Don’t put it off. Don’t be ashamed to tell people; God draws people. No man comes to Christ till God draws him.
Paul says that I may open my mouth boldly that I may make know the mystery of the gospel. Probably if we went around today and took a poll, not too many people would know what the mystery of the gospel is. Because the Bible is a mysterious book; that is what most people think. They think it is mysterious. I tell you; study it. It will not be as nearly mysterious to you. Get the dust off the Bible and open it up. I wish I could get the world to do that. Get the dust off the Bible. Just about everyone has one but does not use it. The mystery of the gospel is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of believers. That’s the mystery that the world can’t understand; because it is not carnally discerned; it is spiritually discerned. The world can’t understand that. They think you are crazy. They think something is wrong with you. There is something wrong with me. I’ve got the spirit living in me and I want to tell everybody about it. I love Jesus Christ and I love his cause.
Men, remember the cause of Christ is the reason you are sitting where you are sitting today. David went down to the battle. His brothers were down there fighting. David goes down there and he finds the giant. Goliath comes out and spews out all his threatens. His brothers are mad at him and David looked at him and said is there not a cause? Let me tell you, men, there is a cause today. The cause is little children that are being raised in homes where they don’t know God. They are beaten; they are tortured. They are mistreated; they are starved. Let me tell you the world needs you to tell them about Jesus Christ. Because that’s the cause that we are all in this thing together for. That’s the cause that we need to tell the world about.
We are going to encounter some things along the way. It is a good life. The lord has blessed me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I first started preaching, I said what have I got myself in to? But the Lord has blessed me so many time. I give Him praise and honor today. I am not anything; He is everything. We need to realize we are going to have encounters through life as men of God. The devil is going to throw things at us that is hard to get around. He going to try his best to distract you. He’s going to try to put deterrents in the way where you just can’t get God’s work done. But go around it; rebuke him. Rebuke old Satan; that makes him so mad. Say get thee behind me Satan in the name of Jesus. Get behind me; get him out of the way that you may work the work of God. A lot of things get in our way. Old Satan will sometimes shipwreck you. Paul encountered that, but he prayed. What was the first thing I told you to do? Pray; that is what Paul did. When you get shipwrecked; start praying. When the devil has got you down and you can’t get up; start praying.
You need to study and show thyself approved; labor in the Lord; do the full work he has called you to do and be available to Him. When God has something that He needs done, be available.
I want to encourage you, men. It is a good work you have chosen to do. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know that the life sometimes is not easy. We go through things but God is able to soften the blows; brings us through them and sits us back up on level ground. Jesus Christ is the rock that you need to base your life on. Base your ministry on Jesus and you won’t go wrong. Base your service for the Lord on Jesus Christ; hold Him up.
Sister Cassie, Bro. Daniel is going to need you throughout his ministry. Be a pillow that he can lean on. Be someone to hold him up when he is down. Say all that you can to encourage him. Satan is going to do everything he can to pull him down. It is a good work you have chosen; it will help others. Through his ministry he will see many souls saved, if he will just do what God has called him to do. Bro. Raymond, you just hold on to God; study his word; help your pastor in any way that he needs help. Do the work that the church needs done. You do all that you can for the building of God’s kingdom. That is what you are called to do; be a servant of the church. Just be happy as you do them.
There is joy; the Bible says, unspeakable and full of glory in Jesus Christ. It is found in the work that we do for Him. Be happy in your labor, no matter how tough the going gets. Hold on to Him. Look up to Him. Give Him praise. Give Him honor. Give Him glory in all things that we do.
The ordination prayer followed the message and was led by Rev Don Rhoads. After the prayer, Rev Rhoads and the Presbytery, with the assistance of the Presbytery Clerk, Bro. Freddie Fuqua, Jr., presented Rev. Daniel Greer with a Bible, a General Baptist Usage and Doctrine Handbook, and Ordination Certificate. Bro Raymond Summers also received a General Baptist Usage and Doctrine Handbook, and Ordination Certificate. The Presbytery was asked to proceed with the laying on hands on the brothers as God's Word instructs, while they remain kneeling, to encourage them in their work. The remaining congregation then came forward extending a fellowship of love and support.
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