Deserved Commendations
This morning I feel led to offer some well-deserved commendations for services rendered to good old PSBC and of course our Maker, God Himself. First, I think our interim search committee deserves a shout-out. Committee chair Randy McBride and members of the group Ben Brooks, Kerri Melton, and Heather Bryson did a superb job of securing a qualified, caring pastor for our interim. During a time when interims and pastors are hard to find our paths crossed with this compassionate…
Refresh… How?
As a rather new computer guy, I have found that I am somewhat limited in my interaction and activity on my laptop. I have realized I will be in trouble when I retire and will not be able to call Katherine in the Poplar Springs I.T. department when I find myself lost and confused in the world of computers. Kim is a former software programmer who worked with some small companies and eventually with IBM when I was in seminary.…
The Flay Carpenter Golf Tournament
I quit playing golf, I believe it was on October 13th, 1993 at the Pine Mountain Golf Course at approximately 2:58 pm. I had consistently played on two fairways that day for each hole. My best shot was a drive that landed in the middle of a body of water. I was just pleased that the ball left the ground. Drives were supposed to do this but instead mine often just left a flaming trail on the earth beneath the…
ADDRESSING THE DISCONNECT
Back in the early nineties, I decided to do a career assessment. I was searching for answers, and I was somewhat confused concerning Thee Almighty’s plan for me. I was a minister of miscellaneous, a generalist who did quite a few things, but none of the tasks were up to my self-imposed standards. At the time and I simply wanted to do one or two things well. I filled out numerous evaluations, reflections, and I think a few tests for…
…To Be Young Again
I first met my dear friend Paul back in the late eighties when he was a student at our own Gardner Webb University. Paul was a part of a group of students that were called a FOCUS TEAM. This group of seasoned 18-20-year-old students were the cream of the young Christian crop, sent out by the University as ambassadors of goodwill, exemplary champions for Christ, and just plain old good PR for our beloved GWU. They also provided youth ministers,…
Discovering Your Purpose in Hindsight
I have been doing evaluations of my call from God for many years now, often asking the question, “God, what was the purpose in that particular ministry?” I will be the first to tell you that I probably spent 20 of my 40-plus years of service to God trying to figure out if I needed to do something else. But He continually brought me back to church as I felt Him saying, “You may be done with organized religion and…
MISSION DIGNITY
Our own Rachel Hamrick has taken a special interest in Mission Dignity, a ministry that provides financial support to retirement-aged Southern Baptist ministers and surviving spouses who are experiencing financial difficulties due to economic hardships like medical bills and other unexpected expenditures. Many of these individuals served smaller churches that lacked the resources to fully cover retirement benefits for these pastors and spouses and families who ventured out in faith to serve these smaller congregations. Mission Dignity is an avenue…
Generosity
I believe it was William Barclay in his study of Jesus’s Sermon On The Mount who offered some tremendous insights concerning the importance of giving and generosity as it pertains to time, talent, service, material, and monetary possessions. He moves from preaching to meddling as he dares to venture into the realm of motivation. He talks about the objectives of some of us at times when we practice this much-needed and appreciated attribute today …. generosity. Why do we give…
A Blind Date Gone Good
My future sister-in-law, Pam, attended Appalachian State University with Kim Hodges who later became Kim Oliver. In fact, they were roommates for a period of time. It was Pam who arranged the blind date that led to our marriage three years later! It all started when Pam suggested to Kim, who had been in a rather lengthy relationship, that she might want to meet her boyfriend’s brother who was coming out of a serious two-month Myrtle Beach romance. She suggested…
Help Me
As you pass my office door do not see all the artwork as clutter. These are valued kids’ creations that I have come to cherish through the years. These are the masterpieces of our little ones here at Poplar Springs that I have plastered and hidden throughout my workspace. They remind me each day how wise, caring, and loving our children can be, not to mention how fun they are. As I did last week, I will try to preserve…