Gary Ledbetter and I have been friends for several decades. I hold him in high esteem as a seasoned Baptist journalist. One of the things he is really good at is his capacity to assess a situation and accurately state the way things actually happened. When I read his column, I said, “This is what Pathway readers should know about Nashville.” I asked Gary if we could print an edited version of his column, and he agreed. (See his article below.) * * * * * “It’s been a … [Read more...]
Like a family, we’re in this together
Between our responsibilities at the Southern Baptist Convention, Sharon and I were able to attend the International Mission Board’s commissioning service in the Music City Convention Center. On the platform, behind a silhouette screen, was a couple briefly sharing their spiritual journey that led them to go to a nation without a gospel witness. They had counted the cost and were now willing to gratefully trust the Lord to be on mission through Southern Baptists. They were joined by 62 other … [Read more...]
The call, a testimony
One June day, several years ago, even before I met Sharon, I had a special moment with God and His Word. It was a warm day at camp where the Scriptures came alive to me. It was this moment in my history when I knew that I knew the Lord was calling me to surrender my heart and life to minister in His name. In response to that deep sense of calling, I responded to an invitation by my pastor, Gerald Davidson. He was pastor of the church where my family regularly attended, First Baptist … [Read more...]
Decoration day
While it may have started as an order from General John Logan in 1868, Decoration Day, May 30, was a day to remember those who died in military service. Some 5,000 people gathered at the military cemetery in Washington, D.C. They used flowers and streamers to decorate the grave markers of those who perished in battle. It was following a broken, divided time in the United States. Citizens were reeling from the impact of so much death during the Civil War. They needed to remember the fallen … [Read more...]
On potential
Less than 24 hours separates the birth of our oldest granddaughter, Briley, and our oldest grandson, Colten. And in the blink of an eye, they are both graduating from high school this month. When they were both babies, you could hold them in your arms. At that moment, you could envision the potential they both possessed to fulfill God’s purposes for their lives. When I see a new baby, or a student completing educational milestones, 2 Peter 1: 3-4 splashes across my mind: “His divine power … [Read more...]
On gratitude
Experts (whoever they are) tell us that one of the great challenges of Covid’s impact last year and its 2021 remnants is the issue of negative emotions. There are plenty of disappointments, changes, deaths, and losses to go around. Whether we articulate it or not, the result is that we all grieve at some level of loss. Some lost more than others. Some key milestones in life were cancelled. Some organizations will never be the same. But we all grieve, and if we choose to internalize our … [Read more...]
The missing ingredient
For a time, I was the reigning champion in my church for making scratch biscuits and gravy. Every month, when the men gathered for our leadership meeting, I would go early and, with the help of a good friend, provide biscuits and gravy for all. I was doing pretty well until one Saturday morning. I was putting my secret recipe in a stainless-steel mixing bowl and discovered I was missing one critical ingredient. In a panic, I substituted something off the shelf in the hope it would … [Read more...]
Finding discernment in all the blah, blah, blah
Ever been to the beach and swarmed by sea gulls? You look around and some guy three beach towels to your right is throwing stuff in the air and the gulls are having a party. He throws something in the air like bread or pretzel bites or chewing gum wrappers or left-over foil from the cook-out the night before. The gulls just swoop in and gulp down the item without thinking through the ramifications of what they have consumed or what it might do with their system. Reminds me of the … [Read more...]
Run toward, don’t cancel
Every month and again at the end of each year, the Yeats household reconciles its finances with the bank and credit union we do business with. As a matter of stewardship, we need to know what’s going out, where is it going and how does it fit with our family mission. Then we want our numbers to match with the institution’s numbers. It’s called reconciling. New devices and apps assist us with that process. We are grateful for the partnerships our family has forged with the professionals who … [Read more...]
Will we believe God for the impossible?
February sees winter roaring into Missouri and across middle America. Historic multiple days of cold and frozen precipitation, coupled with COVID-19 cautions, are like a perfectly planted gut punch in a boxing match for many of our churches. Missouri Baptist pastors, like their colleagues in many other states, have worked diligently and faithfully to help their churches stay on mission. Many of our churches are reporting upswings in baptisms and budgets. Yet, there are too many struggling … [Read more...]
Successful married couples have principles
A few years ago, I shared this story told by Zig Ziglar after his 44th wedding anniversary. One day his wife looked at him and said, “Honey, I wish I was younger.” “Why?” Zig replied, thinking about the adventure of four decades of marriage to the woman of his dreams. “If I was younger, I could be married to you even longer,” she answered. Amazing story about a couple that loved each other through some of life’s very deep valleys. Is this the kind of marriage relationship people only … [Read more...]
The fix begins with repentance
For more than seven decades, my dad has helped people. It has always been his nature to lend a helping hand, and it was always right on time. He had this uncanny way of knowing how to fix anything mechanical. When someone would ask, “Henry, I can’t get this to work,” he was super-motivated to help. Over the years, I observed there was nothing mechanically broken that he wasn’t willing to tackle. Read the instructions? Never! Most of the time, with some thought, some planning, some … [Read more...]
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