As a minister serving churches there are always moments that you just really appreciate. Often I have shared the humorous line that we pastor’s make our congregations happy 100% of the time. The punch line is that we make 50% of them happy when we come to the church and the other 50% happy when we announce we are leaving. One of the moments that pastors and ministers appreciate is the invitation to come back and visit with the church. Sometimes this invitation is to speak at a revival, a homecoming service or some other dedication or special event. This type of moment is appreciated because it allows us an opportunity to reconnect with individuals and families that we loved, serviced and share connections with because of the ministry.
This weekend, August 20, 2011 the Greenland Baptist Church located on the Falls Road in Corbin, Ky., will be hosting their Annual Wildlife Dinner at 6:00pm. Greenland Baptist is filled with folks who love the outdoors and hunting. They are also filled with folks who can cook, which makes for the perfect combination to host and sponsor a Wildlife Dinner. They have been working hard throughout this past year fishing and hunting to fill this event with food, food, food! Now I am not sure which church friend or member has gone out and killed the Bison, but I am confident that Buffalo will be on the menu and I for one will be excited no matter the method. I am leaning more toward the fact that the Buffalo meat may have just been purchased instead of a big hunting trip, but again, I’m excited either way.
Deacon Terry Akins is the guy who had the vision for this event. I really disappointed him while I was serving as their Interim Pastor. He had this idea for a Wildlife Dinner and he approached me with the thought and I said yes. I was thinking it was a great idea to bring new folks into the church, I was thinking it was a great idea to attract hunters and folks who love the outdoors, I was just thinking it was a great idea and didn’t realize I should have said in a “conservative tone” this is a crazy idea and churches don’t do this type of thing. Sorry Deacon Terry, but my youthful pastor nature had the best of me and I know that all the folks who have visited and enjoyed the churches hospitality and this event over the past years are glad I wasn’t thinking too….yes, I’m laughing and smiling big time right now! When churches think outside the box of what they have always done that is the time one needs to step out of God’s way and allow him to use people and to make a difference in all our lives.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which is lost and that you are I as Christians we are called to go into the highways, hedges and by-ways compelling them to come in. Not sure what your latest actions have been on the “search and rescue” course of God’s work, but I am fully confident that He is expecting us to have not just a plan with emergency equipment properly packed and stored, but He is expecting us to be in a 5 alarm status now using our resources today. The church is a light house and our light should be shining in all directions with the warning that God’s love is available and a decision needs to be made today. The Bible says that there is a broad road that leads to destruction and that many are traveling that road. Finding the narrow road of faith takes the helping hand of a good neighbor. Arriving safely at our journey takes the help of trusted friends who speak truth into our lives and are solid encouragements and examples of a life changed because of Jesus.
Greenland Baptist Church is sponsoring their Annual Wildlife Dinner August 20th and I am honored to be sharing the story of my “Big Hunt” that evening too. I want to invite you to come and visit with us Saturday, enjoy some great game and meet some new folks that I have discovered to be great friends.
Until then
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