tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756825175923091912024-03-12T17:37:32.783-07:00The Real Reverend BillThis area of cyberspace illustrates my views regarding preaching, family, and a number of other interests. It is my prayer that the insight provided will give the reader a glimpse into the mind of one of God's servants.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-73291462227040017402012-09-25T07:58:00.000-07:002012-09-25T07:58:27.929-07:00It has been over two years since my last posting and I am thoroughly shocked at my inability to articulate my thoughts despite my myriad of frustrations. Well I figured now was as a good a time as any to rekindle my fire. So I was sitting around doing a little observation and I came to a plausible conclusion of what is wrong with western civilization. Materialism and hedonism. Two words that define the character and perspective of so many people. Our culture is so item driven and not ideals driven. There is a constant passion to pursue more while we relax or even relinquish our morals. Who made the rule that technology is the order of the day and that there has to be a continual pursuit of the latest and greatest? Is it really necessary for manufacturers to produce a new gadget or trinket every year? I realize that some things need to be updated as they become obsolete, but things do not instantly become antiquated. The nature that God made is not obsolete. Matter of fact, the things He created our more than sufficient eons after they were made. Fish still swim, birds still fly, plants still bloom, sun still shines, moon still reflects, reproduction still takes place, and the Earth is yet spinning oh her axis. Nevertheless, we slip a little further every day into the abyss of degradation. Meanwhile, the least of us suffers more because of the self seeking pleasures of a select few. Am I stating that we should deny ourselves some luxuries or privileges if we have worked hard to acquire such things? Certainly not!!! However, I do know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God has no pleasure in finishing runner-up in His pursuit of our love, loyalty, and adoration. Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and all these OTHER things shall be added unto you!Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-83019950259561361522010-07-02T07:32:00.000-07:002010-07-02T08:07:17.871-07:00Where has the time gone?Where has all the time gone? That is the question most often asked when he needs that have went unmet, tasks that have failed to be completed, or desires that have went unfulfilled. Where has the time gone? My last blog post was in October 2009 and I have found myself asking this very question. Never mind the fact that my wife and I had twins on March 31st, bringing our brood to a grand total of six. Never mind the fact that I restarted my college education that I put on hiatus 7 years ago to pursue other interests. Nevermind the fact that we have a family business that has just surpassed its infancy stage and consumes a large portion of our time, talents, and treasure. Putting myself in a position to move higher in God and ministry has definitely taken much of my time. That's not to mention the seemingly one hundred other things that I do in a day or week. Coach little league football. Help my handicapped father in law. Take care of church duties. Give piano lessons. No wonder I haven't had time to blog! My time has mysteriously escaped me. Lord knows what will happen when I am given charge at one of His houses of worship. If some of these other outstanding brothers have time to tell the world about their lives and the happenings thereof, surely I will be able to write something. I just hope I will have time, LOL!Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-63614254362628522352009-10-11T23:03:00.000-07:002009-10-11T23:16:35.502-07:00The right response to powerful preaching<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9zBdMCzlLkM/StLJg8ELeXI/AAAAAAAAAAw/HDLeeaykCU4/s1600-h/Me+and+Juan.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 156px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391593271632558450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9zBdMCzlLkM/StLJg8ELeXI/AAAAAAAAAAw/HDLeeaykCU4/s200/Me+and+Juan.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I had the opportunity and privilege to preach for my good friend, Dr. Juan P. Barrientez II for he and his wife's 1st Pastor's Appreciation at the First Baptist Church of Douglas in Luther, Oklahoma. Hopefully, this message was edifying and will be encouraging. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://fbcd-lutherok.org/online/wp-content/uploads/The%20Right%20Response%20to%20Powerful%20Preaching.mp3">http://fbcd-lutherok.org/online/wp-content/uploads/The%20Right%20Response%20to%20Powerful%20Preaching.mp3</a></div>Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-75926341808099227312009-10-02T12:08:00.001-07:002009-10-06T09:09:32.465-07:0011 Questions that Associate Ministers should ask their Pastor<span xmlns=""><p>Although there have been some individuals who have served in the role of an Associate Minister and Assistant Pastor longer than myself, I believe that I have developed a sense of what exhilarates and invigorates those who serve in an understudy capacity as well what disturbs and discourages them. The last 11 years have provided some mountain highs and valley lows for me in regards to ministry due to the fact that I absent mindedly went along for the ride without finding out where my ministry was headed within the larger scope of the overall ministry of the church. Therefore, I have 10 questions that I would instruct Associate Ministers to ask their Pastor and maybe one day the Lord will see fit to provide me with Associate Ministers to train.<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Am I called to Pulpit Ministry? </span>"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Eph. 3:13). Let's face it; Everyone is not called into pulpit ministry. That does not mean that God does not have a place for you to function because as the Apostle Paul said, "We are one body with many members." Therefore, all are needed. Your pastor cannot select <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">FOR YOU</span> whether or not you are called into pulpit ministry, but through careful observation and discernment, the pastor should be able to help associate ministers better understand their call and help them interpret if God has really called them into this <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">particular</span> area of ministry. All of us have a car to drive; we just need to make sure we are in the right lane.<br /><span style="color:red;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Am I right for this church?<br /></span>Sometimes you may find yourself as a contemporary worshipper in a church that is staunch traditionalists. Before you throw in the towel and take your Bible home, you should ask the aforementioned question. Why? Well the fact of the matter is sometimes we as Christians may have a hard time seeing the forest for the trees. That staunch, starchy sanctimonious group may just need your contemporary, casual character to make the church relevant to those who would otherwise not give the church a second glance.<br /></p><span style="color:red;"></span><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Can <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">my</span> gifts be used here? </span>Let's face it; we all have different gifts that edify the whole body of Christ. Some are administrative geniuses. If I can help in this area, will I be allowed to? Can I turn my gift for gab into a benefit for the church in terms of evangelism, visitation, or calling chair? Some have called me a Maestro and I do in fact have an affinity for music and also the credentials to serve in the music or fine arts ministry. Can I serve there? Maybe I may have a gift that will take the load off of the pastor and other areas of the ministry. I just want to know if I will be able to use it.<br /><span style="color:red;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Where do I fit in?<br /></span>Can the church be complimented by what I have to offer? Can my God given gifts and abilities help the church become more successful in what it is trying to accomplish? Will I be infringing on the rights, roles, or responsibilities of others with my gifts? Does someone else already do what I would like to do and is there room for another hand and mind in that arena? How do others feel about me in this role? Do they feel I will help or hurt the overall ministry by being in this place? (This question is relegated to those who are sincere and pure in heart; not those who may be vindictive and just don't want anybody else to steal their shine.) Is there room for another willing worker even if you have a full team already working in that area?<br /><span style="color:red;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Am I allowed to preach?<br /></span>This is not relegated to the local church alone, but also in regards to invitations to speak at other houses of worship. The precipice for this question really lies in the invitations to preach. Is your pastor willing to grant you the chance to be away from the church if it is a morning service that you have been asked to speak at? Some pastors are not flexible when it comes to being away from home on a Sunday (Saturday for SDA and other Sabbath observers) because they feel that there is something for you to learn, while others are liberal and encourage the associates to preach as much as they can, even if it means missing worship services at home.<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Will you help me learn?<br /></span>You may not ever be called to pastor a church and you may not be called by God into that ministry in the first place. However, it is not a bad thing to learn from your pastor if he/she is willing to teach you about pastoral ministry. Or for that matter anything that relates to ministry in general. Also, is he/she willing to help you attend learning events or school to further enhance your knowledge base? Are they willing to help you by the way of financial assistance or recommendations to resources? If the pastor is bi-vocational, he/she may not be able to directly help you financially, but they may be able to point you in the right direction for resources.<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Will you keep me informed?<br /></span>If there are opportunities available ie. vacant churches, continuing education, or missions excursions, will you share your findings with me? Some pastors are willing to share all available opportunities, particularly those which will be most beneficial, while some pastors are a little more reluctant to provide assistance. It is all in the individual and the associate minister should not feel apprehensive about breaching the subject. You are not trying to force your pastor's hand, but trying to find where he/she may stand if given the opportunity to relay information.<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Can I tell you everything?<br /></span>If I am unhappy with a certain aspect of ministry life, can I share that? Can I tell you how I am having a problem with lusting after the sisters or that I am unhappy with my home situation, can I tell you? If I am wondering why my friends all seem to be moving up and I am getting upset waiting for my turn, can we talk about it? As a person who has previously stood where I am standing, are you willing to remember how you felt and figure out a way to give me wise spiritual counsel as well as sound practical advice? Can I just be me or do I have to put on a façade to be around you?<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Must I always agree with you?<br /></span>Are you willing to let me have my own opinion or are you just looking for a "mini-me"? Healthy discourse sometimes derives from vigorous disagreements and we must be willing to have the ability to understand one another's opinion without sacrificing the rich relationship and fortuitous fellowship that we now share. My spouse and I do not always agree on matters, but that does not mean we are not capable of maintaining a positive, fulfilling, and loving relationship. At the end of the day, prayer for unity in the spirit should trump all of our own personal agendas when it comes to God's work.<br /></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Will you bless me when I leave?<br /></span>When it is time for me to leave, will you be appreciative of our time together and grateful for the efforts I provided to the ministry or will you be seething with rage because you feel I am abandoning ship and disrupting the continuity? Will we be able to have an amiable, friendly relationship or will you despise me to no end? Even if I am commissioned to leave to go to another church, will you graciously allow me to leave or will you heap hot coals on my head because you feel betrayed? The fact of the matter is that people leave churches all of the time and an associate minister is no exception. Some leave for the right reasons, while others vacate for reasons that may seem right to them, but may be unfounded in the grand scheme of things. Regardless to the reason why someone chooses to leave, is the pastor willing to let them leave and pray God's best in their lives? Hopefully the answer is a resounding YES!<br /><span style="color:red;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"><span style="color:red;">Do you consult God about me?<br /></span>Quite simply, do you consult God about me and my situation or do you just rely on your expertise and the advice and counsel of your peers, colleagues, and friends? I don't mind being the topic of conversation at the pastor's meeting, but can I also be a heartfelt memo passed along to the only one who is capable to handle or hinder every situation? Allow me to be a subject matter in your discussion with the Heavenly Father. Trust me, I don't mind.<br /></p></span>Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-65324537623949791512009-09-23T12:16:00.001-07:002009-09-23T12:16:56.284-07:00I need friends!<span xmlns=''><p>At the risk of sounding too desperate, I have found myself wondering why it is so hard to find Christian friends in general and preacher friends specifically. I have made friendships over the years that burned with inferno intensity in the beginning only to watch it die out like awful ash. Not that we had any major disagreements or disputed the accuracy of God's word, but we just somehow drifted apart. I was somewhat of a recluse during parts of my childhood and I determined that in my adult life I would have many friends. When I started preaching, I vowed that I would have just a few close friends and maybe a good number of casual friends, but much to my chagrin, it has been difficult to receive either. As previously mentioned, we started out like we were going to break some friendship records, only to end out not finishing the race at all. Unfortunately for me, everyone is not so quick to gravitate to you if you are from something different than they are. I have found this to be especially true in churches where many of the people grew up together in local churches, districts, and conventions. Many times they are more comfortable dealing with those whom they have dealt with for a long period of time and not so quick to become acclimated to someone outside of the circle. Herein lies my problem because most of the time I am not a part of the long established crowd. I often get a "Man you sure can preach" or a "Doc, we didn't know you could do it like that" but I have yet to receive a remark that says you are now endeared to us; Let's just share with each other every so often. I'm not talking about a trading preaching dates type of friendship, but rather a friendship where I can come and cry on your shoulder because I didn't get the church or my child is acting unseemly and you don't belittle me. Exchanging preaching engagements is a natural part of preaching, but I want friends that I can just contact and say let's go to lunch and have a good time. Lord knows I need friends!</p></span>Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-10031868186403925182009-08-11T22:02:00.000-07:002009-08-11T23:15:47.145-07:00I miss being BaptistThere are some things in life that certain people see as irrelevant and some things that other folks would be willing to die for. I honestly believe that denominations is one of them. Most of us who have had any part in life within the Baptist church have heard the old "Baptist born, Baptist bred, Baptist dead" jingle at some point and now I am even hearing people replace the word Baptist with COGIC. For me it is not necessary to categorize yourself SO stringently that you practically shun and ostracize others for not being a part of your group. Now don't get me wrong; I fully believe in knowing what doctrine is vital to the establishment of your church. However, I don't feel like one should avoid fellowshipping with others over minute principles. I actually have relatives who will not talk to or worship with their kin due to denominational differences! How sad! Such rich interaction lost because of revelation, interpretation, and translation. Being one who has been a part of three different denominations (Baptist, COGIC, and Church of the Living God), I can honestly say that our similarities far outweigh our differences. With that being stated, I really miss being Baptist (or at least a part of the Baptist church)!<br /><br />I was born into the Mt. Elam Baptist Church in Oklahoma City where Rev. Scottie Hudson was the pastor. Some time after that our church was graced with the placement of the Rev. Dr. T.L. Turner as pastor. According to many accounts, Dr. Turner was quite the preacher, but not so in tune with administration which led to the folding and disbanding of our church. It was at my home church that I actually realized my call to preach at the age of 7, but I had no one to talk to reaffirm the feelings that I was having. I am quite certain that I would be in a different sphere of preaching had our church remained intact, but God knows what His time and will are. Nevertheless, I miss being Baptist. I was in another family church that was Baptist in doctrine after Mt. Elam and when my family stopped attending church while I was in the 7th grade, I started attending COGIC congregations with my friends. All I knew is that I wanted to go to church and my friends were going. Eventually I was led to the Church of the Living God congregation where I have been for the last 17 years. It was here that I actually confessed my call to the ministry, preached my first sermon, received my license, received my ordination, and eventually became the Assistant Pastor, a role I have served in for the last 8 years. Despite all of these occurrences, I miss being Baptist. I did not realize how much until I came back around the brethren after I started preaching. There may be riffs and disputes that take place in various circles, but for the most part, Baptist pastors support one another. Not that they don't support others from other denominations, but they really try to support like mind, like character. Many people have talked about my lack of loyalty to my church because I spent so many years going to The Greater Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Oklahoma City for the early morning worship. They often said that I should start a service at our own church if I wanted to be in an early service. However, what they failed to understand is that I needed to go heard Dr. Woodberry to remember who I am. I love being able to tell people that my cousin, Rev. Dr. Eric A. Mayes Jr., served as the original pastor of Unity Baptist Church in Oklahoma City for over 40 years and that I hope to one day be able to be so fortunate to serve my congregation for prayerfully a long time. I love being able to tell people that my maternal and paternal great grandfathers were both Baptist pastors. I love being able to go to the BMA meetings and being able to sit and glean from the great minds of Dr. John Reed, Dr. James Tucker, Dr. Major Jemison, Dr. John Peoples, and so many other great pastors who can share the triumphs/trials, pleasures/pains, and satisfaction/sadness of preaching and pastoring God's people. I miss being Baptist, but I enjoy myself when the brethren welcome me back even for just a little while.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-47450020018272547022009-05-01T09:26:00.000-07:002009-05-01T09:31:34.283-07:00Impressed with blogging pastorsWhere do you pastors find the time and material to post blog threads so often? I am known in many circles, both sacred and secular, as a writer and I just do not possess the capabilities to blog to the capacity that some of these wonderful pastors do. Maybe I need a more exciting life. Curious minds want to know. That is all.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-7461952652361588562009-05-01T09:03:00.000-07:002009-05-01T09:24:06.999-07:00Life is as life doesLife is as life does.... This was a statement that I recently gave to my brother when he exclaimed to me how busy life is and why he has no time to attend a local house of worship. He absolutely insists that he communes with God, but he doesn't need the fellowship of the saints. You live life and participate in those things which brings you joy. Many ask the question why I feel as if I need to support every church function that goes on in my local area and my response is always centered around the fact that this is one of life's pleasures for me. I do it because it brings fullness of joy to my life. In other words, LIFE IS AS LIFE DOES.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-29240973586287858592008-12-28T18:30:00.000-08:002008-12-28T18:30:00.880-08:00The Window of OpportunityThere was recently a discussion in sports talk radio here in Oklahoma regarding the window of opportunity for Assistant Coaches being hired for a Head Coach position. The conventional wisdom as the analysts put it, is that there is a window of opportunity for Assistant Coaches that will not always stay open. There was also the discussion of coaches having the opportunity to move to a "better" job. If the window of opportunity closes, then you may be subjected to toil in an area that is substandard for your talent and you may always have the tag that you could have done so much, but....<br /><br />After examining this conversation with some deep thought, I began to think about a conversation that I had with a senior minister in my community who has preached for over 60 years, but has never served as pastor. He has in fact served as Interim Pastor for several churches, but was never called as the Senior Pastor. During our discussion, he told me that he knew that God had called him to pastoral ministry, but he never seized the opportunities when God opened doors for him. From his perspective, it should not have been those small rural churches with only 15 members extending a call to him, but rather those urban churches that had a vast amount of members and resources and only needed that final piece of the puzzle: A pastor with a good relationship with Lord and the ability to lead his fellow man. Unfortunately for this great Man of God, it does not always work according to his plan. Therefore his advice to me was to better discern the voice of God and move when he says move.<br /><br />This leads to the original statement regarding the window of opportunity. Although I am only 30 years old, I have been preaching for 10 years and been extended a total of 10 calls, only to not accept any of them. I have always been under the belief that an Associate minister should get a blessing from his or her pastor to leave and I have never received that clearance. Not because he did not feel that I would be successful or that I was not ready or even called into that area of ministry, but more rather because he feels that the need for me to be at our church is greater than the need for someone else to have me at their church. Additionally, he has always had a thought that I would assume the pastorate there upon his retirement. It can get difficult waiting on your opportunities to present themselves with the right circumstances where everything seems to fall into place. Could it be that I'm too loyal? Could it be that I desire too much? Could it be that I am where I need to be? Could it be that others are telling the truth and I am just not listening? Or most importantly, Is God talking and I have somehow unintentionally pressed the mute button? To be honest, I am not sure what the answer is, but I am watching the window while the answer is being revealed.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-85060843615921429222008-12-16T07:35:00.000-08:002008-12-16T07:51:53.819-08:00The discouragement of "church"I recently had the opportunity to be involved in a church meeting at a local church in our community and I was very disturbed. The meeting initially had a positive direction until there was a discussion about some changes being made to the edifice to make it more attractive to visitors and more functional for the current and future members. One of the things that was absolutely disappointing was that the church needed new pews, but the older members were so attached to the old ones that they had worked hard to purchase that they began to beome intensely angry with the pastor for even mentioning that a change needed to take place. It even got to the point that one of the older couples in the church began to exclaim that maybe they needed a new pastor who would appreciate their old pews. How trivial of a matter! I certainly am not suggesting that we do not honor those who made sacrifices to get us where we are, but I am suggesting that they allow us to honor them by continuing to advance what they have started. It can be discouraging to youth and young adults to feel as if they have no say or part in what happens at their place of worship. This also happens to those who have served long and hard to make the church a beacon of light. The older they get, the less they are heard. A happy medium should be met and we must understand that we will not be excited about everything that takes place, but at least we can appreciate it if it benefits the overall ministry.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-85720025724967646542008-10-31T09:40:00.000-07:002008-10-31T09:48:19.623-07:00I've been awayLife has been treating me in a fair fashion over the last few weeks. So much so that I have been away from my blog for several weeks. Between the music ministry and the preaching ministry, I have been absolutely inundated and just void of free time. Thank God for the opportunity to remain busy! I've even been so busy that I haven't been able to watch my pitiful Dallas Cowboys move from the best in the league and Superbowl favorite to mediocre and on the verge of missing the playoffs. Just my luck, the 'Boys regained a little bit of strentgh by beating my Tampa Bay Bucs. That is so terrible that both of my teams had to play each other. I guess I was destined to win and lose on the same occasion. Nevertheless, I look forward to contributing to our blogging universe with my perspective of the faith. I've been away, but I am back now!Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-8062217922041589322008-10-01T21:54:00.000-07:002008-10-01T21:57:31.140-07:00Becoming an ice tray churchIn my first book entitled, “Church the way that God intended”, I have a chapter that brings us to the attention of how we should be as a church by focusing on something as simple as an ice tray. Here is an excerpt from “Becoming an ice tray church”:<br /><br />The dynamics of church as we know it is often so convoluted that we have simply over analyzed worship and the basic part that we play in it. While it is true that we are one body with many parts, the fact of the matter is that we are one body. God never intended for us to develop some splinter cell attitude where we are operating with an ‘us against everybody else attitude’. That is why God wants us to become an ice tray church. When you fill an ice tray with water, each individual compartment is its own entity. It starts out by itself and will become just one lonely ice cube. It, however, does not have to be this way because the ice tray is designed so that each compartment can share with another. As one gets filled with water to the point of overflow, water does not simply stop flowing, but it flows right over to the next compartment until the whole tray is filled. Does this mean that the water has to stop flowing? No! It can continue to flow as long as the person who is filling the tray chooses. It should also be noted that the more ice that is available, the better job it can do collectively rather than independently.<br /><br />After the tray is completely full, it is then given its next assignment which is to freeze. While the tray is freezing, it is imperative that it is not taken out too early because it will damage the developing ice. The ice must be developed properly because it is such a travesty to look for whole ice only to discover that the ice is partially developed and is not adequate for its intended use. This can also be stated of underdeveloped Christians; Nothing is worse than trying to search and find people who you feel are chasing God only to realize that they aren’t completely what they should be. Does this mean that we are not going to make mistakes? No, but when people look at us they should see ice and not Jello. We should be shaped in the image of our tray, but we should be solid and not wobbly, shaky, or flimsy.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-21894269818556917572008-09-28T19:31:00.000-07:002008-09-28T19:57:17.900-07:00A lesson in patienceLife, with its intricate twists and turns, has a way of sucking the energy out of us and leaving us nothing but a battered, empty shell. At least it seems that way sometimes. I have been bombarded with personal problems for about a week and sometimes it just seems that it would be easiest to call it quits. Compound that with the fact that it can be hard to serve as an Assistant Pastor while waiting your turn and it can be downright frustrating sometimes. As I gleefully watch the elevation of those around me, I can't help but have a sense of uneasiness from the perspective that my turn will not come. I would not have these thoughts cast off as jealousy, but rather I am just questioning the lack of movement in my regards. I hear from pastors that say I am long overdue, while there are some who say that it took them many years before they got a chance to exercise their call and I may just have to wait a little while longer. God's timing is essential in every move that we make, but when do we know that it is His timing and not our own? It is imperative that the minister places his/her entire trust in God and put no confidence in man. It may seem like a harsh statement, but life has a way of teaching you that not every person has your best interest at heart in the basic sense, but they will have heart for you if their heart is for God. So while I wait, I have learned how to wait patiently for I know that God will come through. Therein lies the message; God will come through. Meanwhile, I will let "patience have her perfect work."Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-52464669727191182882008-09-28T19:20:00.001-07:002008-09-28T19:31:04.448-07:00BOOMER SOONER!!!I am a diehard Oklahoma Sooner fan and I am proud to say that my team is once again the Number 1 team in the land! Now I would much rather be #1 at the end of the season, but I will take this as a start because we have not been #1 since 2003. Hopefully we will take home the crystal ball at the end of the season.<br /><br />On a somber note, my Dallas Cowboys didn't show up to Texas Stadium against those Washington Something-or-others. Nevertheless, my Tampa Bay Bucs won. Maybe both of them will win next week.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-83523328595426788842008-09-20T09:28:00.000-07:002008-09-20T09:37:03.221-07:00I'm so happy!!Today I took a pause to reflect on the goodness of God in the lives of his servants. I thought about the fact that some really awesome ministers are getting the opportunity to exercise their God given talents to lead His people as He chooses. Some are being sent to lands far from their upbringing, while others are moving just around the corner. Nevertheless, the Kingdom of God needs sincere ministers who are sound in doctrine to testify of the richness of our Lord. My wife says that I am a great encourager and I pride myself in that, not to be boastful or self centered, but because I truly love God's people; Particularly those who carry this precious treasure that he has given us - - -His Word. I am genuinely jubilant and ecstatic to see all of this hifting in God's Kingdom for the betterment of all.Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75682517592309191.post-88728463317346716712008-08-24T20:18:00.000-07:002008-08-24T20:25:48.701-07:00I'm finally here!After a considerable amount of inquisition from different people, I have decided to try my hand at this new phenomenon called blogging. I made it! It is my intentions to bring to light some of the concerns of the minister, particularly from the perspective of those who sit in the number two seat. I have served as the Assistant Pastor of my local church for seven years and while there are some who have served in this role longer than I have, I feel that God has given me some things to share. I pray that this "journal" will be a blessing to all who sojourns by!Elderbc2http://www.blogger.com/profile/13068571448251602772noreply@blogger.com1