Why This Story?

 

Confession.  To sit down and write about me, myself, and I feels altogether arrogant.  In fact, I have resisted this “holy nudge” numerous times over the past year because I felt afraid that others would consider me boastful and proud.  I don’t want to be self-promoting and I never want to be that annoying person at the lunch table that talks constantly about his problems, his political views, and his opinions on the current state of the world.  I don’t like that guy, and neither do you.  However, the Holy Spirit poked me recently with such force that I could no longer make excuses and put this project off.   God told me to write this…so here I go.

The Psalmist writes, “Give thanks to the Lord…Make known among the nations what He has done (105:1). Faithful followers of God have no choice in this matter.  We must testify.  We are called to pass on to others what we have seen God do in our personal journey.  In the Scriptures, this is called the μαρτύριον, the “testimony” of the saints.  As a preacher I have observed firsthand how potent a heartfelt testimony can be in the life of a worship service.  A sleepy group will perk up and pay attention when I share a personal story or when a sister takes the pulpit to tell of a miraculous answer to prayer.  Our hearts skip a beat at the sound of sincere sharing.

The testimony that follows is mine, but I am slow to call it my own.  This is actually an account of God’s greatness displayed not only in my life, but in the life of my wife and of the church I have grown to love with every ounce of my heart: Englewood Baptist.  As my predecessor, Dr. Jett, wrote recently in a very special email, “We both saw a God thing in 2007.”  I believe that he is right and my aim in the coming entries is to share with a greater audience just how good, perfect, and strong God proved Himself to be through the pastoral transition that took place in our church in 2006-2007.

I have several dreams for this short piece of literature:

  1. That Englewood Baptist Church be reminded in a fresh way of how sovereign and strong God has been in our history.  This month, we celebrate our 60thanniversary and this is a time to pause and to look back.  I pray that our members would read this piece of personal reflection and praise God for being Alpha and Omega in our lives.  He is the bookends and everything in-between.  We can trust Him. 
  2. That my four children read would this story one day and be reminded that God has a special, unique plan for each of their precious lives!  “In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Prov.16:9).  When I finish writing this entire story, I hope to print it, bind it, and place it my family’s journal box, the sacred wooden treasure chest in my study where we place special notes, words of reflection, and other warm fuzzy writings.
  3. That some other local church somewhere would read this account and be blessed with healthy transition as they glean from our story.  Englewood Baptist is not a model for all things, but transition is one area in which we have experienced much victory.  In the life of a local church, the “changing of the guard” is a critical and vulnerable season.  Few congregations maneuver through this well.  By God’s grace, may our victories lead one of Christ’s candlesticks to burn brighter and to experience “unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace” EVEN in the midst of change and transition.