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.
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.
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