[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. It is our prayer that you'll be blessed by the preaching of God's Word.
[0:14] So glad to see every one of you here tonight. It's an honor to have Brother Chuck's brother and family, Stephen, right? Brother Stephen Littlefield. And he's with us.
[0:25] Hold your hand up, Brother Stephen and your family right there. They are all in a row, right? And that is your wife beside you, right? Because she didn't hold her hand up. I said your family and she didn't hold her hand up. Just checking if you was with somebody else's family.
[0:36] All right. Glad to have them here. And just all of you being here tonight, what a privilege and an honor. Tonight's a special night because as a church we want to recognize two of our men and recognize the work that God's done in their life and is doing in their life as they have been serving in our church.
[0:51] And we're going to name and set aside and ordain our first deacons tonight. Something I'm excited about our church being able to do and excited about these two men.
[1:02] And so I'm going to have a word of prayer. And in just a second I'm going to invite them to come up and to say a word of testimony. Give a word of testimony. Father, I love you. And I thank you so very much for the opportunity to be in your house tonight.
[1:14] And I pray that you would just honor your name and yourself and glorify yourself. I thank you, God, for raising up strong men. And I pray, God, for dozens more like them.
[1:24] And I pray, God, that you would help us as a church to be known for very strong laymen that stand for you, that honor you, that are full of the Holy Spirit, full of the Word of God, anointed, appointed, and set apart to bring glory to your name right here in our church.
[1:39] God, I just thank you for what you're doing. And I praise you and magnify you. And I ask you tonight, God, that you would be glorified. And, God, that our church tonight would take a step forward as we set these men aside.
[1:52] And I'll give you praise and honor for all you do. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Well, I'd like to invite, if I could, Brother Chuck Littlefield to come and give a word of testimony when he's finished, Micah. I don't know where you are, but anyway, you know, I don't like wasting time.
[2:05] So whenever, when he's finished and you're coming, right? And then right after that, we'll have Robert come and preach a minute. And then Brother Frick will come and preach. And tonight, I just want you to know these men and know what God's doing in their lives and excited that God would allow us to have men of this caliber here in our church.
[2:24] Brother Chuck. Jeremiah 33.3 says, Call unto me, and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. I was praying for a church, and the Lord led me to vision.
[2:35] And he has blessed me and my family since we've been here. I would have never expected to be standing here tonight and being ordained as a deacon. And I praise him tonight for that.
[2:46] I was saved when I was 16 years old. As I was giving testimony upstairs to the men, I was not raised in church. Stephen and I were raised under. It's tough having him here because I want to cry when he's here. We were raised.
[3:04] My father drank a lot of alcohol, basically an alcoholic. Him and my mother fought. They did not argue. I've argued before.
[3:14] Me and Lisa's argued. They did not argue. They fought. Literally. And daddy run people that come to our door wanting to share the faith and would run them off.
[3:26] Literally just run them off. In 1982, he was killed. He was hit by a car. And my mother was very devastated. He was the breadwinner of our family. Worked.
[3:36] She worked a small job but didn't make very much money. Didn't know what we were going to do. My sister, in the meantime, the Lord's always working. My sister heard the gospel when she was overseas in Hawaii.
[3:49] That's where she was stationed. Her husband was in the military. And she heard the gospel there and she brought it back to my mother. And witness to my mother. I remember they were in the apartment. And shared the gospel.
[4:00] And she started to a little church there in town called Memorial Lighthouse Baptist. She didn't pressure me and Stephen to go. And always my testimony is I got up one Sunday morning and said, hey, I want to go see if there's any girls.
[4:11] I went to check out and see if there was girls that morning. I can't remember what Gordon Pitter was preaching. But I remember when he quoted Mark 836. What will it profit a man if he gains a whole world and loses his own soul?
[4:22] And I went down there that morning. A gentleman by the name Arnold Wallace shared the scripture with me and I accepted Christ. And our family has never been the same.
[4:34] He has blessed my life. And I am looking forward. I love vision. I love everything the vision stands for. Reaching and getting the gospel out.
[4:45] Discipling people to share the gospel. And I look forward to the years ahead. And it is an honor to serve the Lord and to serve Vision Baptist Church.
[4:55] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am honored tonight to be being ordained a vision deacon here at Vision.
[5:10] I was saved at a very young age. I grew up in a Christian family. And my family was actually missionaries to Italy at the time. And all my brothers and sisters had been saved. And I saw that there was something I was missing.
[5:23] And I asked my mother to show me. And she did. And I was saved there in Italy. And then when we came back to the United States, some trouble came into our family. And I was involved in part of it.
[5:34] And I kind of went away from the Lord and was very angry with God, with church, with my parents. And was planning on joining the military. And Aaron Bayshore met me and told me to go on a missions trip with him.
[5:48] And I did. Or invited me. He didn't really tell me, but he invited me. And I was there for six weeks. And while I was there and while I was here the week before that, God really worked in my life.
[5:59] And he directed me to come here to Vision. And I went through the Bible school and everything, thinking that I was going to be a missionary to a foreign land. And take the gospel to the world.
[6:10] And I even started on the way to helping the Fulton Church plant. But then I felt God moving my direction away from that. My direction more to just be a regular church member in a church.
[6:22] Serving God and loving him. And I'm honored to be becoming a deacon. And I plan on staying here as long as the Lord will have me here. And thank you. Thank you.
[6:37] I'd like to ask you tonight to take your Bibles and turn with me to Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10, verse 35. I count it an honor to speak here. I think it's a historic event that we get to ordain some deacons tonight.
[6:49] And I would just like to talk three things, give you three points real quick. I guess Micah, Brother Chuck, everyone else out there. I just give you three points on biblical leadership. This is an office that you guys have been appointed to.
[7:01] And I hope this is a blessing to you as it was for me. The Bible says in Mark chapter 10, verses 35. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, that is Jesus, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
[7:17] And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said, this is James and John unto Jesus, Grant unto us that we may sit one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy glory.
[7:32] But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what you ask. Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with all the baptism that I am baptized with?
[7:43] And they said, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Indeed, ye shall drink. Indeed, ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of. And with the baptism that I am baptized with all shall ye be baptized.
[7:59] But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give. But it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard this, the ten disciples, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
[8:13] And Jesus called unto them and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them.
[8:25] And their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you. But whosoever shall be among you shall be your ministers. And whosoever shall be the chiefest shall be servants of all.
[8:36] For even the Son of Man came not unto you, came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give his life a ransom for many. The first thing I see here in this lesson on leadership is that God appoints leaders.
[8:55] Two men come up to Jesus and they say, Jesus, James and John, Jesus, I want the position. I want power. I want to sit on your right hand. I want to sit on your left hand. And what is Jesus' response? Well, look at verse 40.
[9:07] He says, but to sit on my right hand and my left is not mine to give. But it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. Christ is telling his disciples that it was God who has the right to set up those who have an authority.
[9:20] It's a biblical truth. In Romans chapter 13, verses 1, the Bible says, Let every soul be subject unto higher powers. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God.
[9:35] Brother Chuck, Micah, you've been given a position, a place of power. But I want you to remind you it was God that set up Moses to lead his people out of Egypt.
[9:47] It was God that passed the man along to Joshua when the children of Israel and Canaan. It was God that chose the 12 disciples. And tonight, it is God that has chose you to be in a place of leadership.
[10:01] Do you see the huge amount of weight in knowing that God chose you to help lead this church? It wasn't this church. It wasn't this pastor. But rather, it was God that ordained you that you should be in the position that you're at.
[10:14] But not only Christ wanted the disciples to know that leadership was chosen by God, but also he wanted to show them what their acts should be or what their character should be.
[10:26] In verse 43, he says, But it shall not be among you talking about the leadership and the way they act. Not like the Gentiles. We're not going to exercise our lordship over them.
[10:39] But whosoever is going to be great in his kingdom, they shall be ministers. They shall be servants. Your position, the place that you are, deacon, its meaning is servant.
[10:50] It is a minister. It is an assistant. And whosoever will be chiefest shall be servant of all. I like to remind you that your job, your actions, is to be a servant in Christ's kingdom.
[11:03] This is true for all God's leaders. In Exodus chapter 14, verse 31, it's a good lesson to learn, especially for people, for all God's children. Do you know what the children of Israel call Moses?
[11:17] Do you know what the people, that they realize that the Lord did something in Moses' life, you realize what they called him? In Exodus 14, verse 31, it says, And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians.
[11:30] And the people feared the Lord, and they believed the Lord and his servant Moses. Do you realize what the Bible calls Moses? It wasn't the leader Moses. It wasn't the great king Moses.
[11:40] It was the servant Moses. And so should you be. Servants. Servants. Chuck and Micah, this should be true for all that are in leadership and vision.
[11:52] We are servants. Don't ever forget that. This office is nothing more than, I am a slave. I am a servant. We don't seek praise. We don't seek power.
[12:04] We don't seek glory. But rather, we seek the king of heaven. And to serve him. You all know this because we wouldn't be recognizing you publicly.
[12:17] But the third and final lesson I just want to point out in this passage of Scripture is in verse 45. Notice what the Lord says. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
[12:31] You see, Christ never asked us something that he hasn't already modeled. I would like to remind you that it was Christ's life that exemplified a servant, a minister.
[12:43] This is who he was. You remember when he was born? The king of kings, the Lord of lords, the one that stepped out of heaven? He was born in a manger, in a barn.
[12:53] It was shown when he was washing his disciples' feet in John chapter 13. You remember that lesson? And it was even shown in his death. Philippians 2.8 says, In being found in a fashion of his man, he humbled himself, and he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
[13:14] Christ never asked you to do something, Micah, and Chuck, Robert, and everyone else, or to be something he hasn't already modeled. Now as you are a leader, you not only get to model, but you also get to challenge others to do also, to be a servant.
[13:31] Remember the challenge that Paul gave in Philippians chapter 2. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being a form of God, thought it not a robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in likeness of men.
[13:51] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Chuck and Micah, I know this is all old hat to you guys.
[14:04] I know that you realize that you are servants. You guys have been showing that for the past years. But I want you guys to know that God appointed you to this job.
[14:15] It wasn't this church. It wasn't a man. It was God that appointed you to this job. It's God, Chuck and Micah, that set you here. And it's God that gives you the power and the authority. Now our job is to go and serve.
[14:28] That's the job of the church. But especially you guys. You guys are the models. You guys are the examples. Go and serve. I'd like to have you turn this evening to 2 Timothy chapter 1 for our thoughts.
[14:53] 2 Timothy chapter 1. This is a great joy and honor for our church to now appoint, ordain two men as our start of a deacon board that our pastor hopes has great numbers.
[15:14] He would love to see it increase as he was telling us in our meeting. And so we anticipate this as just a great start for us. It is with fear and trembling that all of us embark on new endeavors, new activities.
[15:29] And I am sure that for these men, to some extent, there is a little bit of fear and trembling. Paul, as he wrote to Timothy, knew Timothy very well.
[15:39] He was his son in the faith. And he knew the strengths of Timothy and he knew the weaknesses of Timothy. And he sought to try to encourage him and build him up and remind him of things that had happened in his life that he could now reflect on and draw courage for that which he was called on to do in his ministry.
[16:04] 2 Timothy 1, beginning with verse 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.
[16:23] 3 Timothy 1, beginning with verse 3.
[16:53] Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
[17:23] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.
[17:42] In our meeting prior to this one tonight, one reflected upon the fact that the first deacon, Stephen, was stoned to death.
[17:57] And Paul says to Timothy, not to be ashamed of me, of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, verse 8, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.
[18:13] And so he's not inviting Timothy to be a martyr, but reminding Timothy that we are called to be partakers of the afflictions of the gospel.
[18:26] And so it is, even as deacons, we are not called to be weak and to compromise and to sell ourselves cheap and to recognize that sometimes taking a stand may be costly.
[18:41] Timothy, stand strong. And how and what evidence and what proof and what satisfaction can we gain to be able to give us that vision, to be able to maintain what God has called us to do?
[18:57] Paul says, verse 9, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works. We do not get saved by our works.
[19:10] We do not get called by our works. It is a holy calling. But according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
[19:27] God knew you before he ever created the world. God knows all things.
[19:38] The future is not a surprise to God. God knows the future as if it were history. And God is saying to Paul, and Paul is saying to Timothy, that God in his own purpose has given us this calling in Christ Jesus before the world began.
[20:04] Jeremiah was called to be a prophet. And the Lord said to Jeremiah, before I formed thee in thy mother's womb, I knew thee and ordained thee to be a prophet.
[20:17] God knew you before you were ever born. God knew you before the world began. And in that, he gave to us that gift of salvation, that understanding that we are saved and we have a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his purpose.
[20:39] For Micah and for Chuck, and I think for all of us, we have to look back on the fact, for the assurance of our salvation, for the assurance of our calling, that these things are not recent events to God.
[20:54] God knows things. Peter talked about it. He said for Paul's writings are sometimes hard to be understood, and sometimes maybe these things are hard for us to understand how God could have known us before the world began.
[21:11] The Bible talks and uses the terms elect according to foreknowledge. God foreknew who would accept him. Hard for us to understand, but for us it is an assurance, and Paul as he writes to Timothy, he is in trying to encourage him, don't be afraid and understand who you are to God, that God knew you before the world began and ordained you for this calling.
[21:40] And you can be able to reflect on that. Some people may say, what are you doing being a deacon? Pastors sometimes have people that wonder, how did he ever get in the ministry?
[21:51] Whoever ordained him to the ministry, how did that ever come about? Well, you can reflect back on the fact that it's God that does these things according to his purpose before the world began.
[22:04] I think that's assurance. Our preacher talked about this assurance of salvation on Sunday, how important it is for us to know. And one of the things that ought to be an encouragement for us is to know that God knows.
[22:19] God knows. Even before the world began, our salvation, not according to our works, but according to his knowledge. He knows.
[22:29] Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling. May this be something that for you encourages you to remember the fact that God is in this.
[22:40] God knows you. And he will not leave you or forsake you. He will not abandon his call. Lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. Stand with me.
[22:51] We're going to sing together. Worthy is the Lamb. Sing together.
[23:06] Thank you for the cost, Lord. Thank you for the price you paid.
[23:19] Buried all my sin and shame In love you gave And gave the place in peace Thank you for this love, Lord Thank you for your ill-pissed hands Washed me in your cleansing flow Now all I know Your forgiveness and embrace Worthy is the Lamb Seated on the throne Crown you now with many crowns You reign victorious Jesus, Son of God
[24:26] The King of heaven Have been crucified Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb Let's sing that again Thank you for the cross Thank you for the cross, Lord Thank you for the price, Lord Thank you for the price, Lord Buried all my sin and shame In love you gave You gave amazing grace Thank you for this love, Lord Thank you for your ill-pissed hands And washed me in your cleansing flow Now all I know
[25:28] Your forgiveness and embrace Sing, worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb Seated on the throne Seated on the throne Crown you now with many crowns You reign victorious High and lifted up Jesus, Son of God The King of heaven Lucified Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You may be seated Well, gentlemen, if you'll come forward
[26:30] We're going to take the offering It's always funny when you get nailed And I just looked back there And I forgot I turned my microphone on before I came up And then I got to singing And Andrew looked at me and let me know good and well He took care of me I don't know if y'all heard me singing But he goes So So Well, I'm embarrassed I think I might have told you I was I had a guy traveling with me When I was a missionary And he would go around And he I wore a mic like this And he would set things up And we were In some church And he told me He said, just leave your mic on I'll take care of it So when I prayed He recorded it And when I sang He recorded it And so I was standing there And I was praying And we got in the car And he said, would you like to hear What all you had to say tonight?
[27:15] And I said, if you recorded it I'll kill you He said, oh, I recorded it And so Thank you, Andrew For that But anyway, let's have a word of prayer And ask God to bless us offering Father, we love you And I thank you so much For your wonderful word Your sweet spirit These two men These two preachers that just preached And God, I just thank you for the opportunity I have to serve you I serve you Thank you for a church that gives Sacrificially Sends missionaries Around the world Raises and trains Their own missionaries I just thank you for everything You're doing here I pray you'll be glorified Use this offering For your honor and glory We praise you in Jesus name Amen A thousand times I've failed Still your mercy remains Should I stumble again Still I'm caught in your place
[28:17] Elastic, your light will shine When all else fades like a rain day Your glory goes beyond all fear Your will above all else My purpose remains The art of losing my soul In bringing you peace And lasting Your light will shine When all else fades Never ending Your glory moves beyond all fear My heart and my soul I give you control Consume me from the inside out
[29:19] Lord, let justice and praise Become my embrace To love you from the inside out Everlasting Your light will shine When all else fades Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fear And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise Praise from the inside out Lord, my soul cries out Lord, my soul cries out In your love In your love And all else My purpose remains The art of losing my soul In bringing you peace
[30:21] In your grace Is to bring you peace In your love Your light will shine Your light will shine Shine that all else fades Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fear My heart and my soul I give you control Consume me from the inside out Lord, let justice and praise Become my embrace Become my embrace To love you from the inside out Everlasting Your light will shine When all else fades Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fear And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise
[31:23] Praise from the inside out Lord, my soul cries out And the praise from the inside out Lord, my soul cries out Your light will shine When all else fades When all else fades Never ending Your glory goes beyond all fear And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise from the inside out Lord, my soul cries out And the cry of my heart And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise Your glory goes beyond all fear And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise And the cry of my heart And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise Your love Will open all else And the cry of my heart And the cry of my heart And the cry of my heart Is to bring you praise What a wonderful song as we look at two men tonight who live lives from the inside out.
[32:23] Tonight, as has already been mentioned, we are only going to joyfully acknowledge something that God has already revealed to our church, is that these are men that love Jesus and it's been revealed through their lives and testimony and through their service.
[32:36] If you'll turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter number 16 for a second. And I know that Brother Austin's worried if I'll leave any Bible for him when I get done.
[32:48] I'm just joking. I just share a couple verses with you for a moment. And just the wonderful verses I think about these men. And I'm a little disappointed, my brothers Chuck and Mike.
[32:59] I've had so many wonderful deacons jokes that I've been wanting to share. And with you guys becoming the first deacons, I guess I'm going to have to wait a little bit and see you before I get to use them. All right. I don't get to use my mother-in-law jokes or my deacon jokes.
[33:12] I got wonderful. We have wonderful deacons here at our church. Our wonderful mother-in-law. I'm not sure why I'm talking about my mother-in-law. Not even sure why I'm getting emotional talking about my mother-in-law. 1 Corinthians chapter number 16, verse number 13.
[33:27] Watch ye stand fast in the faith. Quit you like men. Be strong. Let all your things be done with charity. I beseech you, brethren, know the house of Stephanas, that is the firstfruits of Achaia, that they have, say this word with me, that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.
[33:45] So first it says, if you'll notice the house of Stephanas, the firstfruits of Achaia, that these people here are recognizing these are the firstfruits. These are some born-again people, the first people of that ministry.
[33:55] Tonight we have a joyful acknowledgement that God's worked in your life from the inside out, that he was doing something in your life, and as a church tonight we get to acknowledge what he is already doing, that we can't convey that over to you, we can't hand that over to you, but it's already happening.
[34:11] And it's a wonderful thing that inside of our church, the magnitude of our night, and we've already spoken about how wonderful it is not only that God would raise up men in our church like this, but inside of our church we would have ministry that would require deacons, a missionless church has no need for the office of the deacon because they're not going forward.
[34:30] A church that does not have mature believers inside of it would never have the discernment to go out and find deacon-like people. So tonight is a great night for every man in this church and for every lady in the church that God would allow this to happen.
[34:42] And so we recognize these people that are the first fruits of Archaea, that at some point in their life that Brother Chuck's testimony as a 16-year-old man and that happened, we recognize that to be true, even though we weren't in that city when it happened, when we look at you we see the fruit of somebody's ministry, and the same with our dear Brother Mike.
[35:01] And it says they addicted themselves to ministry. Brother Chuck has already mentioned that he's familiar with addictions. I grew up in a home familiar with addictions, and as you know, addictions is always a product of desiring something else.
[35:12] People whore because they can't let go of the past. They take drugs because they don't like reality. And these are people that have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints, first of all, because they love Jesus. They don't love the ministry in itself, but they love Jesus, and that love for Jesus has caused them to love the ministry.
[35:29] And what a strong word there. It says we recognize that these are people that have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. These aren't here deacon people. It isn't in Acts 6 or as we see in the Bible in 1 Timothy 3, but we see these are people that we should acknowledge.
[35:45] And this is how we're acknowledging these men tonight. We know of these two men. They have addicted themselves to the ministry. Then in verse number 16, it says, because they've addicted themselves to the ministry.
[35:55] Read verse number 16 with me. It says that ye submit yourselves unto such that everyone that helpeth with us and laboreth. I don't believe you helped me with that one, did you?
[36:05] All right. But these are people that we joyfully submit ourselves into because they addicted themselves to the ministry. Every man in here knows that in the relationship of a mutual submission and marriage, it's very easy to lead your wife when you're going down the path she wants to go on, right?
[36:22] You can lead her to the store to go Christmas shopping. You can lead her many places where she's going where you want to get, where if you're going where she wants to go, they're easy to lead. Inside of the church, because you've addicted yourselves to the ministry, and we are people that love Jesus, it's easy to submit ourselves to what you're doing, which is the ministry.
[36:39] It's a wonderful thing. The world's taken a word like submission and made it a horrible thing. People doing what they don't want to do and causing other people to do things they don't want to do is not submission. But you loving Jesus and leading in the ministry causes us to want to do it.
[36:53] And I speak the night as a church member. I had the opportunity to pray with Brother Chuck and Pastor on Sunday night in our prayer meeting. It was just a wonderful time, something I believe I'll never forget, and getting to pray with them.
[37:03] And as my name came up on the church membership, my heart was filled with gratitude. Not only do I get to serve here in the church with Pastor Oral to Stapp, but I get to be a member of this church. And I am filled with gratitude tonight to be part of a church that has these two men serving as deacons.
[37:18] Verse 17, I'm glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunas and Macchaeus, for they which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. These are people that just allow the ministry to go farther.
[37:30] They saw the need, they met the need, and they made it to go farther. And that's why they're addicted to it, they're helping, and there would be a joyful submission to them, a joyful acknowledgement.
[37:41] I don't know if you've ever been to the Walmart in khakis and a blue shirt before, or khakis and a red shirt and go to Target. I did that the other day. It's not a good idea to go to Walmart with a blue shirt on and khakis and being as young as I am.
[37:54] But everybody thought I worked there. And so instead of fighting it, I decided just to give in and start answering some questions. And I started directing people in different places. And the more questions I answered, the more people came up to me and found it.
[38:06] And men like this, as you continue to meet the supply inside of the church, Brother Chuck and Brother Micah, the more ministry that you're going to have. The more you serve, the more ministry you're going to get.
[38:18] And God has done something special in your heart, the fact that you want that to happen, that you're wanting to serve more people. And I thank you that God's done that work, because that's nothing that any church could do, no upbringing could do, but only a mighty work of God could cause somebody, could cause a man.
[38:33] Look at the example of the first men. Jewish men wanted to serve tables. No other religion creates men like that. Only a relationship with Jesus would cause men to look for ministry and to do that.
[38:44] And as a church, we joyfully submit to you in this way as you go about doing ministry. And we acknowledge that you are addicted to the ministry, that you are people that have helped us, and that we can joyfully submit in your work.
[38:58] Verse number 18, Tonight, we simply acknowledge ye them about these two men, that God has done a work in their lives.
[39:11] They meet the qualifications and that they have served, and I am so thankful to be part of this. I know you can't see this, Brother Chuck, but you know how overwhelmed I was when we saw somebody that was going to go to India, and how much that was a desire for the gospel to get around the world, and how I felt.
[39:26] And I'll tell you, the magnitude of the night for our church, this is as big as sending out anybody to any part of the world that God would give us. Because when a missionary decides that they're going to go to the other side of the world, our light will shine farther.
[39:39] But when men will step up and say, I'm willing to be that servant, then our light can shine brighter here, which allows us to do more around the world. And this is a wonderful thing. I've been looking for a group of people to blame my problems on for a long time.
[39:52] And so I'm so thankful for the life of our deacons. And to Miss Lisa and to your family, I thank you so much, because in the qualification for a deacon, it doesn't only speak of the man, but when the men looked at it in the night, we can joyfully acknowledge these lives.
[40:06] We had to look at your life and the life of your family and Miss Catherine, and we can say, based upon the scriptures, this is the type of family that we need. Miss Catherine, your hospitality and your love and your care for Micah, and the respect that you show towards him, allows us to amen and recognize how he is.
[40:22] As I say with Miss Lisa and then Luke and Lydia, still in the home, your submission to your father and the way that you allow him to leave that home allows him to do more ministry for Jesus that he loves.
[40:33] Hannah, you're a traitor, and your dad wanted me to tell you that, okay? All right. And so I thank you for that, knowing that this is a work of the Lord. So I just say tonight, how many of you would say with me, acknowledging them, how many of you would say tonight we recognize that these are hardworking people that we've seen fruit in their lives, that they are people that we can submit ourselves because they're already doing the work that we want to do, that they are people that are refreshing, as it says here.
[40:59] It says, refresh my spirit in yours. My pastor is refreshed by your service. I am refreshed. The whole church is refreshed to see this, to realize that this isn't a business, that this is God's work and that you would give your life over to it, and that you're addicted, and that you're helpful.
[41:14] How many of you in here would say with a hearty amen that we acknowledge this about these men tonight? Amen. Heavenly Father, I thank you so much of what you have done, a wonderful gift to our church that you would do this from the inside out to these men.
[41:27] Lord, their stories, the hardships that they've been through, and the wonderful teaching they've got, Lord, through different people, some from Sunday school teachers and some from painful experiences, but you have molded these men, Lord, and prepared them for this day, Lord, so that they can become servants to this extent inside of our church.
[41:45] Lord, we thank you for the wonder and the beauty of the church. Lord, we thank you for outlining us how the office of a deacon should be filled. And, Lord, we thank you tonight that you have given us some men that, as a church, we can acknowledge are these type of men that love you and, as a result, love the ministry.
[42:02] In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Bob, if you would. And let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 3, and let's just read that passage of Scripture, 1 Timothy chapter 3, if you would.
[42:13] And we will read this passage of Scripture about deacons. And let me just say a few words, and then we're going to pray over these men and ask God's blessings on them. And the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 8, Likewise, must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued.
[42:28] And that starts out in a chapter that's talking about who the bishops were, the people that were to be the overseers of the church, the office of a pastor or a bishop or an elder.
[42:41] And then in verse 8 it says, Likewise, must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith and a pure conscience.
[42:52] And let these also first be proved, then let them use the office of a deacon being found blameless. Use the office of a deacon. First be proved, then let them use the office of a deacon being found blameless.
[43:09] Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
[43:22] For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchased to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. The word likewise in verse 8 kind of lines a pastor up, a bishop, an overseer, ruler.
[43:38] An elder, whatever word you want to call him, up with these deacons. And what is interesting is the qualifications are nearly the same. It is true that, Catherine, you do not have to be hospitable.
[43:52] Because Micah pointed out Sunday that, or last week I guess it was, Micah pointed out that pastors have to be hospitable and deacons don't. And it's not in the list. And so you do not have to be nice to people in our church.
[44:05] Micah's pointed that one out to all of us. It's amazing how you find what you want in the scriptures, isn't it, Micah? Amen. But I am honored.
[44:15] And let me just say to you, I gave this message upstairs because I knew that I would run out of time. I want to talk to you as a church just real quickly and let you know something. I believe we need deacons.
[44:28] I believe we need deacons because we need as strong a church here as anything we do around the world. So I believe Brother Frick alluded to the fact that I'd like to see deacons. We have 18 missionaries.
[44:38] I think they said they're members of our church and going out. If we had 18 deacons, I'd be as excited as I could be. There ought to be as many strong men here as there are men that we send anywhere around the world.
[44:49] We need men who will hold the truth and hold things right. I don't really want to be a part. We've been a church now almost seven years in March. We'll be seven years old.
[45:00] We've been, we're a church and ought to be a solid foundation laid for the times when I step aside as a pastor someday when Betty gets that old and I have to retire and take care of her.
[45:12] Amen. I mean, you are a lot older than me. And, uh, you know, Betty's six months older than me in case you didn't know. And I'll have to be taking care of her. No, her mother's 91 and still takes my mother's in a nursing home at 77 Betty's mother's 91 and still drives to stay off the road when she's doing so.
[45:30] Amen. But, uh, I want a strong church. I want a long lasting church. And I want you men to know that we need men here that we honor and respect as much as we do any missionary that we send out.
[45:44] I want a church that will stand with the pastor, but I want a church that will stand with Jesus before they stand with the pastor. I want a church that has men strong enough to take a stand.
[45:55] I want a church that has men that are strong enough to take a stand. Even when a pastor steps where he shouldn't step. I want to see us have a church that we realize we're on the same level.
[46:07] There is no anointed appointed pastor who makes him somebody special and touch not my anointed. I want us to be a church where we know that there are men of God all through the church.
[46:19] I dream of the day that there'll be dozens, if not hundreds of men in this church who stand strong and straight and true. And who will be here long after I'm gone and long after you're gone and until Jesus comes, they'll hold the, hold this church there.
[46:35] And so I'm excited. I'm excited about that. There's some truths that are often lost in our churches, lost in our churches. They're called Baptist distinctives. The only place young men study them is in Bible college and they don't put them in practice.
[46:49] One Baptist distinctive that's taught greatly as the priest of the believer that God speaks to and leads and directs every man. And every man has access to God and can talk to God and hear from God.
[47:01] And I don't have the corner on being the spiritual one in this church. That's something that's not really thought of much through our ranks. And the other one would be that we have just left me.
[47:16] One of you preachers tell me. Yes. Thank you. See, I'm old. I'm retiring next week. Betty's reminded me individual soul liberty. And that is that you, uh, you decide to choose to serve God and honor God.
[47:30] And there is a, that, uh, no one ought to force you what to believe. And no preacher ought to beat you over the head and no preacher ought to have that position. We need strong men.
[47:41] I dream of the day that this church is so full of strong men that it will stand straight and firm until Jesus comes, no matter who comes in as leader. So I'm excited tonight.
[47:51] I'm excited, Micah, of what I think you can be used of God to do. I'm excited, Chuck, of what God can use you to do. And I'm excited that within the next year, we'll pick out three or four more and we'll just keep adding to and growing and seeing God do great things in our church.
[48:05] Let's have a word of prayer. If we would, father, I thank you for the privilege of being here. I thank you for men that I can honor and respect and look up to and men that I can serve and men that can serve this church and men that can serve with me.
[48:18] I pray God that you would do a work in their life. I pray God you'd show your power. I pray you'd be glorified and magnified. And God, I'll give you praise for all that you do and ask you to continue to work in our church.
[48:30] In Jesus name, I ask all this. Amen. Amen. Well, I want to ask, Ed's going to have some music here with some of the people and I need a chair set over here if I could and a chair set over here if I could.
[48:41] And we're going to have all the ordained men in the church. That includes deacons or pastors or gospel workers or whatever you call that.
[48:53] I want to ask you to come and pray over these guys. So, Mike, if you'll take this chair and Brother Chuck, if you'll take that chair. And I know that Jeff Mize has been ordained. All you preachers, would you come this way?
[49:05] You know I know who you are. I know Brother Jeff's been ordained. I know John has. So, I'd like to ask you men to come. And we'll stand. They're going to sing and do some different things while we pray.
[49:15] Would you pray with us for these men? And, guys, when you pray, just pray one by one. Just like you would ordain a preacher. When you pray over that side, just move over to that side and don't run into each other while you're doing so.
[49:26] And let's pray for these men. Go ahead, Brother Tyler, and you can start over here, Wayne. Let's pray for these men.
[50:00] When all of a sudden, I'm unaware of these affections, it is by glory.
[50:11] And I realize just how beautiful you are when your affections are for me. Oh, how He loves us.
[50:29] Oh, how He loves us. How He loves us. How many ways.
[50:54] To end and mercy When all of a sudden I am unaware With these afflictions Eclipsed by glory And I realize just how beautiful You are in town When your affections are full Oh, how He loves us all Oh, how He loves us How He loves us all How He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves
[51:59] Oh, how He loves us We are His prize Trained to redemption By the grace of His eyes If His grace is an ocean We're all sinking So, how He loves us He's a cloud He's a cloud And I'm not seeing this My heart turns wide inside my chest And I don't have time to fade in these regrets When I think about the way He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Yeah, He loves us
[53:02] Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us Oh, how He loves us
[54:06] That promised joy in life Had led me to the grave I had no hope You would own a rebel to me And if you had not loved me first I would refuse you still But as I ran my help on grace Indifferent to the cost You looked upon my hopeless state And led me to the cross And I beheld His love displayed You suffered in place
[55:08] For the wrath served for me Now all I know is grace Hallelujah All I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my right I know that I will be yours and mine And live so warm and safe The strength to fall And the hope of things And never come over me Oh Father you I have some life in any way
[56:10] I choose And let my soul Will ever be My only boast is You Hallelujah Hallelujah All I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my right Hallelujah All I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my right Lord So if I have is Christ
[57:22] Our heart Our desire is to see the nations in motion.
[57:37] How you cry, how you pray. Is to sing your praise to the ends of the earth.
[57:49] That with one, my dear voice. Every child and child will rejoice.
[58:03] Our heart, our desire. Is to sing the nations in motion.
[58:14] Your love. Heaven is forever. Your mercy showers. Dilled upon all people.
[58:28] Every race upon this earth. May your spirit pierce the darkness. Break the chains of death upon us. Let us find an honest worship.
[58:40] To declare your matchless word. Our heart, our desire.
[58:52] Is to sing the nations in motion. Our heart, our desire. Our heart, our desire.
[59:04] Our desire. Our desire. Our desire. Our desire. To the ends of the earth. God, my blood. My dear voice.
[59:18] Every child and son. Rejoices. Jesus. O Lord. Jesus. All your heart. God, your desire.
[59:30] Our desire. Our desire. Our desire. To the ends of the earth. There is no power You have fallen out here You cannot stand the greatness Of your world and times of faith In all of your possession Breaking down in every heart You'll know you're born in pain Our hearts, our desire Is to sing nations Where you share How we write, how we pray Is to sing your prayers To the ends of the earth
[60:33] And with one mighty voice Every giant tongue Bejoices How we rise Our desire Is to sing the nations Worship me Our hearts, our desire Is to sing the nations Worship me Did I time that right Or did you just quit?
[61:32] I timed that right Wow All right Could I get all you guys That just laid hands on them Would y'all come here Would you two fellas Come on up here too Let's just get Miss Lisa While we're at it And Miss Catherine If y'all would come And stand with your spouse It is a great honor And if you men haven't signed This piece of paper I have no idea If you have or not All you men signed The certificate Any man who hasn't signed A certificate Speak now Or forever be shot All right And this says Something here Certificate of ordination Micah Chuck Micah and Chuck Chuck's name was actually Carlos Sanchez Daryl Little Phil I think But anyway Did you know that Brother Stephen That's what they told us Earlier today And I don't know If that's a man Of good report That would tell a story Like that On the day he's Getting ordained Having been chosen One of good report
[62:33] Full of the spirit And of wisdom And capable of using The office well Was set apart As deacon By authority And order Of Vision Baptist Church Of Alpharetta Georgia On the 12th day Of December 2012 And so For brother Micah And brother Chuck A certificate From our church And then A bible Here And they misspelled Your name Micah No they really didn't And I did tell that lady That she said That wasn't very nice And brother Chuck And we are honored As a church That God has allowed you And I'm excited To get to serve with you So how about Could we get the two of you To step up here With your couple With your couple With your couple With your pareja And guys Would y'all just Gather around here Where is our There she is And would you Document this For history In 300 years I look back And say Man they had Ugly men back then And I'm so excited I get to serve With all these Great men here You got everybody In there Did she say something
[63:34] I don't know I'm deaf What'd she say She's good Okay Thumbs up See I understand Sign language How about a How about a strong Amen for these two Men and their wives All right You can give them A round of applause To We don't want Deacons in name Only here And I don't ever Want to be a pastor That thinks he Runs everything And I don't want Any pastor to follow Me to ever think That I want us To know that we Have a church Full of strong Men I'm excited That tonight Was a first For our church And I look Forward to doing That over and Over again As we get more Men Before Trent Comes to the Announcements Let me just ask You to be praying For Alicia Miller You probably Haven't seen her Some of you Might not remember Her she's been Gone for quite a While her dad Was in cancer And praying that He would be healed But he died And I think Tomorrow is the
[64:34] Funeral Am I right Tomorrow is the Funeral And then Paul Talby's grandmother Also died So we've had Two deaths In our church Family Within the last Few days And so be praying For them And pray for Alicia Especially She has been At the side Of her dad All this time A wonderful Young lady Some of our People have Gone there I know that Phillip Laurie Sonia Is that it?
[65:03] Yeah I thought Kristen was going For somehow But you didn't Go because You're here Unless you Got a way Of being a Double Okay and So huh We say Woman Are you Going tomorrow And please Don't confuse Me woman Everybody's Watching Everybody's Watching All right How many of You've enjoyed Tonight say Amen Boy I'm Excited I'm going to Tell you Something I don't Want us To be a Church That's strong For sending Out missionaries I want us To be a Church That's strong To not Missionary That has That many Or many More Maybe two Or three Times that Many men That are Just as Spiritual Know their Bible just As much Serve God Just as Much That stands Strong and True here This church Will never Be what It ought To be If all Of our Men go Overseas And we Don't keep Strong men Here That doesn't Mean they Shouldn't Go It just Means All of Us Step Up Amen And we Don't need Deacons Here to cut The grass They cut The grass Beforehand And everybody Ought to be Doing that We don't
[66:05] Need deacons To do all The menial Jobs We need Men That just Will stand True And keep Our church On a Straight line Serving the Lord Jesus And I'm Excited about That Brother Trent This message Was recorded At Vision Baptist Church In Alfred Georgia For more Information Log on To www.visionbaptist.com Where you Can find Our service Times Location Contact Information And more Audio and Video recordings