For some time my family ministered and worshiped with the good people at Heritage Baptist Church. We have grown closer to God with them. We have made memories with them. We have laughed, cried, rejoiced and repented right alongside them. Today is my last Sunday as their pastor before we transition to a new ministry at Spring Creek Baptist Church.
How can you sum up a ministry in a few simple lines? I can't. So much happened. We experienced so much and built so many relationships. There is no way to capture all of that in this short post. I can't put the depth of relationships into a few sentences. I can't recapture encounters we all had with God in public worship so you the reader can feel the impact of those encounters.
What I can say is the Heritage flock has loved my family. They have supported us in word and deeds right from the very beginning. They have encouraged me. I have watched them serve and sacrifice. They are not a large congregation numerically but they are a loving church with a heart bigger than the attendance. I benefitted from that love in many ways. My family did also.
It is never easy to say goodbye. So what can I leave them with on this last Sunday? What special last message can I give? What do I want to leave them with this last time in the pulpit? For the whole summer I preached through the Psalms. On my last Sunday I will once again turn to the Psalms. One more time I want to leave them Bible truth and pray God plant it deeply in their hearts. One more time I just want to be a Bible preacher. One more time I want to communicate the truth of the scriptures. Just the pure unadulterated word of God served without fluff.
One of the things I love most about the people at Heritage is they love the word of God. They hunger for it. They listen eagerly to it. They yearn for more truth. They are eager learners. One more time as they come to the table to be nourished spiritually, I want to offer them the feast of God's truth, under God's anointing for God's glory. It is not about me. Not about my legacy. Not about my ability to carefully craft a sermon. No, it is all about God encountering His people through truth. Humbly do I present that truth again leaning on the Holy Spirit for help. May the Lord use it. May I finish my ministry at Heritage the same way I started by sharing His word. By expounding His truth.
Heritage I love you. May our last Sunday together be filled with glorious encounters with our God through the pages of His timeless truth.
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