Marriage Conference

Tonight we began another marriage conference! I believe this is our tenth (10) or eleventh (11) year hosting Partners for Life. It has been challenging as well as rewarding. We are honored each year because it has continued to grow, with new couples as well as returning couples. It is a pleasure and a blessing to be able to be transparent during these times. It is both helpful and healing to both the attendee and to Janice and I. I can’t help but thank God each and every year for the privilege to do what we do. Looking back on the turbulent years, only God knew what would become of us. But here we are nearly 20 years later, high school sweethearts serving in ministry together and God has chosen to use us to build stronger marriages.

God always has a plan and a purpose for everything. He has taken all the ugly and nasty details of our marriage and turning them into a ministry. So in the morning we’ll begin this year’s journey to encourage, strengthen and bring hope to each and every couple. Father, thank You for being so wise and patience, You had every right and reason to give up on me. You have guided my life in ways I never thought possible. Help me to stay focus. Protect me from my enemies. I will always praise You for the gift You have given me in Janice. Help me to be as good to her as she is to me. Amen!

CONGRATULATIONS SON

There was another first in the Gaddis household, our oldest Son graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma. We’re proud of him! I know that it was tough for him with basketball and a wife and children, he did a remarkable thing. He’s my son and that more than he can handle at times. I’m pushy and very strong willed and he’s tough as well which doesn’t always make for a happy relationship. He almost never agrees with me and is determined to do thing his way. I’ve never really told him but he’s just like his daddy. I think that’s why he irritates me so much. I want what’s best for him and his idea as to what’s best is a lot different that what daddy wants.

I remember taking him to work with me many Saturday afternoons, he wanted to be just like me. I would pick my briefcase up and he would get his and jump in the car and head to the office. He would say “when I grow up I want be a preacher just like you.” Nothing does a father’s heart prouder than to hear a son utter those words. Well, my prayer is that one day God will grant that prayer but the prayer has become my prayer rather than his. I’m not saying I would want him to become a preacher [that’s God’s call] but it would be a blessing to have him working along side his mother and me in ministry. What an awesome thought!

He’s a good kid and I’m believing God to help him to grow and mature into a great man of God. He’s married and he and his lovely wife Shay and together they have blessed us with two adorable little girls who has stolen Big Poppa’s Heart. I couldn’t have picked a better daughter – she’s a beautiful woman and a gift from God. The other day was one of the proudest days for us as we saw our first son walk across that stage, wearing that black robe and hear the announcer call his name as a graduate of the UCO Class of 2006.

Congratulations Son – I Love You!

23 Years of Ministry

On Thursday, May 4th I quietly celebrated 23 years in ministry. It was an unusual day because I reminisced by thumbing through the memories that have been stuck back in the recesses of my mind all these years. Isn’t it strange how the human mind works, there are times when you can’t even remember where you put the car keys and then there are time you can remember things you didn’t even know you even took in mentally.

It was a Wednesday evening at the Fairview Missionary Baptist Church, we where gather in what we called at the time the “fellowship hall” a small gathering room. The regular prayer warriors are being pressed by those who have only come to see what this boy is going to do “will he pass or will he fail,” that the question on every ones heart. What they didn’t know was that was also the question on the boy’s heart as well. Barely 18 years old, shy and timid [wearing a lavender sport coat, white shirt, pants, shoes and a “juicy curl”] he stands behind the pulpit reads Proverbs 3:5-6 and asked the question “Where is your faith.”

NOBODY BUT GOD ! I could not tell you what I said in that message that night but one thing has always stayed with me…I didn’t understand it then but now it is an all too familiar feeling. It is the Spirit of God working through this frail vessel. God has given me the privilege and honor to preach in many places and there have been times when I’ve only been a spectator. I wish I could profess that this happen every time but if I did I would be lying – not because the Spirit is not willing but there have been time over the life of my ministry “frankly” that the flesh has been weak.

I’ve grown so much during the 23 year of ministry and would like to just rehearse some of the names of people that I thought about during my quiet refection on my years of ministry. My childhood pastor Dr. J.A. Reed Jr. who took a chance on me and has been with me all the way and I affectionately call “Pop.” My uncle Elder James Booker who has always been one of the most spiritually men I know. The late Dr. H. B. Charles Sr. who God used to answer every question I had as I ended the four year struggle with accepting my call to the ministry. My friend the late Dr. C. C. Cooper who saw in me, sowed into me, and pulled out things that I didn’t know was there [I miss my friend]. He took me under his wing in the twilight years of his life and taught me about ministry and marriage. My long time friend Pastor Jeff Mitchell, who for many years struggled together with me as we both tried to figure this thing out. I can’t forget my counselor Dr. A. G. Woodberry, who is a wealth of knowledge in both life and ministry. The Fairview Church family who I owe [literally I should pay them], there are some names I could call that would consistently attend during the evening services that we had the opportunity to practice. The Greater Bethel Church family that allowed me to grow first as a preacher, then a teacher and then a pastor – God worked together for the good. The BEST for last, my wife Janice who have endured every sermon, lesson, lecture, country church, long drive, long hours and always being the last to leave…she is the wind beneath my wings.

Father, thank you for just using me, I am honored to participate in your work and realize that for many of those 23 years it was in spite of me. But today I say “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give. All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow, Make me Savior wholly Thine, Lord I give myself to Thee. All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all. In Jesus’ Name! Amen.

MY ADDICTTION

Today is Monday and for the second Monday in a row – I'm not scheduled for any meetings and so my day off is really a day off. I know that sounds strange but I realized that even my day off isn’t really a day off. I’ve conditioned myself to think of Monday as my one day off a week but even my Mondays have been working days but today I’ve just decided to simply do very little in the area of work. I promise my very understanding wife that I would take her on a date today and we chose a movie, this should be a great time. Watching movies is one of my favorite things next to taking my grandbabies to “Chuck E. Cheese's.”

Over the last few weeks I’ve had to fight off this very familiar mood that if I’m not careful leads to a big bad attitude. I have this “addiction!” I’m totally addicted to churches, over the last seven or eight years I’ve studied churches. Not necessarily the preaching of the pastor but the structure, operations, ministry, beliefs and strategy of particular churches nationally and locally. I’m seeing a trend that I struggle with. Why are many of the newly started ministries apparently moving ahead of the churches that have been around?

As a pastor that is dedicated to his assignment and people, I sometime “admitting so” am guilty of desiring and sometime maybe even on the verge of coveting. Not in a sense that I’m hating on anyone – matter fact as part of my research I pray for the Pastor, the leadership and members of those church. I admire the work I know that it takes for churches to do what they do. I understand the dedication and commitment that leadership must have to move and grow a church and most importantly I am aware of the ministering heart of a congregation that grows through evangelism. So you might be asking so what is your problem? My issue is why can’t we get there. Why can’t we step up become passionate about ministry and ministering? Why do we always have to settle? Our children deserve a safe, wonderful and exciting place to learn to love God and His church. Our teenagers deserve a place of acceptance, care and love; and a place to discover themselves and God, an alternative place to hang-out and be themselves. Our people should be introduced to the latest tool that can and will enhance our worship but more importantly help reach those who we bring to our worship experiences.

Now, let me be clear on this none of the above mentioned is the end-all, they are simply tools that would help in reaching the lost. The message of Jesus is the only thing the church ever needs. It is not about completing with the world but it is about equipping the church to reach the community.

We’ve made progress don’t get me wrong. I’m just a bit impatience [and that’s the understatement of the year]. God is working on me and I praise Him for the work He has done and the progress I see in myself. I simply want the BEST for our congregation.

I know that this is not a complete thought but I really don’t know if I have the complete answer. I’m working my way through this it’s been a very long time and I don’t know if I’ll ever have the entire answer. I’m trusting God!