Ordination Service (Aug 24, 2009)
This weekend we celebrated the ordination of our high school supervisor, Stephen White. Stephen came to our church a little over a year ago after receiving two undergraduate and two graduate degrees from Pensacola Christian College and Pensacola Theological Seminary. He has been a blessing teaching math and Bible, as well as serving as academic and high school supervisor. His ordination council was very impressed with his thorough understanding of Bible doctrine and recommended him unanimously to Grace Baptist Church for odination. The service was held last night, and Dr. Johnny Pope, Stephen's pastor while growing up, drove up from Houston to participate in the service. It was a wonderful day. Dr. Pope, as usual, preached two phenomenal messages, which you can hear again by logging on to our website.
At the conclusion of the ordination service last night, Stephen and Brooke White had their fathers come to the platform and pray a word of blessing over their ministries. A great reception followed in Hodges Hall. It was a banner day!
The Lord blessed with good attendance yesterday. Sunday School attendance was 651 and morning worship was 690. We had 106 bus riders yesterday, with three accepting the Lord in the counseling center of bus church, while 212 soldiers attended our Fort Benning Bible studies with 31 standing to receive Christ as personal Savior. Amen!
In the morning worship service, we had a good number of decisions at the altar. Sam Vinyard joined our church by statement yesterday, and Shelton Averett followed the Lord in believer's baptism. Shelton had been led to the Lord by Stephen White and our associate pastor, Greg Powell.
What a privilege it is to see young ministers picking up the mantle and advancing the cause of Christ. May their tribe increase! And may God help me to spend the rest of my life encouraging the next generation of fundamentalists.