Twenty Years in the Ministry

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me

faithful, putting me into the ministry. 1 Timothy 1:12

It was June 28th, 1989. A crowd of about 300 people, including my wife, parents, sister and my grandmother sat in the auditorium of Trinity Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas. I stood at one end of that long high platform behind a microphone with my Bible in hand.

Seated on the platform were

five men; my Pastor, Dr. Bob Smith, Dr. Bill Slayton, then pastor of Central Park Baptist Church in Carrollton, Texas, where I had

been saved nine years earlier; Missionary to Indonesia,

Shelby Mayo, Bro. Jimmie Wallace, a former pastor from Michigan and Bro. Terry Ingram, then Missionary to Romania.

After about one hour of questioning, (properly referred to as the interrogation,) Pastor Smith preached a message just to me. That message is called "the charge." After that, the presbytery, (that is the Bible term for it,) performed the "laying on of hands." As I knelt at the altar, my wife at my side, these great men of God prayed over me, setting me apart to my calling as a minister and preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As of today, I have humbly worn that mantle for twenty years. Would to God I could say I always did the right thing. Would that I could say I have lived up to the great testimony of these men who laid hand on me twenty years ago; all of which are still serving God faithfully. But I can say that I stayed. The doctrinal positions which I held that day have not changed. I am glad I can say that. Yesterday, I knocked doors and handed out Gospel tracts for several hours. Today, I will stand three times and try to deliver the Word of God the the people I pastor. As to whether I have done well is for God to judge. I just want to make sure the Lord finds me still doing when He comes or calls me home. God has been so good. I love His ministry.

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Matthew 24:46