One Pastor's Perspective

A Stone of Help

Yesterday was (approximately) our 230th birthday. (I say approximately because it wasn’t on Feb 17, but work with me here.) We thought much about the history of our church and I pray we are thinking now about the future. But, anyway, an often asked question of me is the title of this blog . . .

If you read I Samuel 7, it tells the story of the children of Israel reaching a pivotal place in their life as a people. Samuel raised a stone and said this stone, this place will serve as a reminder of how God has helped us to this point. Eben is the Hebrew word for “stone” and ha-ezer is the Hebrew word for “place.” If you drop the “ha” (which is just an article anyway) Ebenezer literally means “stone place” and Samuel reminded them this stone would be a remembrance to God and His providence. Therefore, an Ebenezer is a stone of remembrance.

Yesterday, every person in worship had an opportunity to erect their own Ebenezer, NOT an idol to be worshiped, but a remembrace to God and His help. Do YOU take time to remember God and how HE has helped you to this place???

God knew how much I would need the conference last weekend for what I would face this week! There have been attacks from all sides leading up to the coming events of this Sunday. I think it is neat how I have no idea who nominated me for the conference, I signed up for it in August or September, and God knew exactly what would be happening at EBC when I returned. Without the boost from this weekend, I would be in rough shape right now.

I also know God is doing something good this weekend at Ebenezer, otherwise why would the devil work so hard to stop it????

Surrender . . Surrender . . But don’t give yourself away.

The lyrics of the Cheap Trick song “Surrender” are contradictory. True surrender is TOTAL. The word “surrender” has a negative feel because we are taught from an early age to be our own person, to take control of our own. But if Jesus Christ is your Savior, He taught us a different way . . . A better way . . . when He stretched out His arms and taught us what it really meant to “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.”

Do you get it????

You bet it is!!! I know because the devil is trying all he can to stop what God is doing. He is attacking, and we need to be aware of it and overcome him. I have seen it firsthand, and KNOW that your prayers are pulling me through!!! Thank you so much, Ebenezer!

PS – Don’t ask, because I won’t tell!!!! Just know that God is good and He is in control!

Everything about that great mountaintop experience this weekend is still fresh on my mind and heart, but yesterday was BACK TO WORK day!!! (Although, the conference I attended WAS a working conference. They almost lost me when the guy came into the room on Saturday afternoon and told us it was 71 degrees outside, and THEN STARTED TO LECTURE).

Ministry never stops . . . That is a good thing and a bad thing. Ministry yesterday literally took me all over Florence County. From Effingham to almost Quinby, and a thousand minutes on my cell phone, yesterday was a non-stop day. Pray for me today that I can get the work I need to prepare one of the most important sermons I will ever preach!!

I could not possibly write everything there is to write about this conference. Diana and I are with 30 pastors and their wives in a conference that is stretching and challenging our leadership styles. IT IS AWESOME!

This conference has brought together a group of pastors who are forward-thinking in leadership to talk about the church of NOW and the FUTURE. There is so much to say about this stuff and I am still processing. One thing that shocks me, however, is the current statistic that 70 % of the population of SC DOES NOT KNOW CHRIST!!

Church, you had better believe we are fired up and ready to get to work!! Hope you are ready, too!!

PS – If anyone sees Dwayne White tomorrow, how about grabbing some folks and going out to lay hands on his truck . . . He will tell you why!!!

I am now preparing to go to Hilton Head to a Kingdom Leadership conference sponsored by the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Several months ago I received an invitation to this conference of which I had never heard. Apparently you must be nominated for an invitation (and I have NO IDEA who nominated me). I had to promise NOT to bring my kids, to attend every session, and to stay THROUGH lunch on Sunday. Okay, easy enough.

What I did not know when I committed and paid my fee was that several months later (in January) our men’s ministry would want to put the Wild Game Supper on the calendar for this very weekend . . . Sorry, guys. Now one of the difficult things about being a pastor is the dilemma I am caught in: I need to go to this conference (the timing of it and what Ebenezer is facing is PERFECT) but I know there are folks that will be mad at me for not being there on Saturday. (This might sound ridiculous, but such is the life of a pastor.)

Pray for Diana and me this weekend. I know God is in this and I am excited!!! And pray that any of those fellows won’t get too mad at me 🙂

Okay, the New Facilities Proposal at Ebenezer IS OFFICIAL! I have just heard of the first person that said “If we vote this thing, I am going to stop giving money.”

That is really sad to think that any Christian would believe the right thing to do is to stop giving to God; to think that the right thing to do would be to punish the church because we are doing something this person does not believe in. I pray constantly that God will unite us in HIS plan on this thing, and I am still praying it. But for someone to be actively telling others of this intention, this is a passive attempt of influence.

I remember years ago when Ebenezer was about to vote on me as their pastor. It was unusual that this would happen, because Southern Baptist churches rarely call a pastor from within their current staff. I remember people saying if David Wike was called as pastor, they would stop giving or leave the church altogether.

They might have done that, but God is still in control. We have grown, both numerically and financially every year. NOT BECAUSE OF ME . . . Because of GOD. I believe He is still at work at Ebenezer and have often said WE are not building this, WE are not raising the money, GOD IS DOING IT. AND He can do it with or without us!!!