Pastor Brent Givens has been in New Orleans for 12 years planting a church in one of the poorest counties and states in our nation. He preached at the National Church Planters Conference that we attended a couple of weeks ago in Oklahoma City, and in the sermon he told the story of his call to ministry.
While in the U.S. Navy, he attended a church off and on until his pastor, Roger Cebril, as him two pointed questions:
“Are you saved?”
“Yes sir, I’m saved.” Brent replied.
“Well, then,” Pastor Cebril continued, “WHY AREN’T YOU IN CHURCH?”
Just like that.
I like his tactics! I’ve got to start doing that!
Brent Givens started taking his family to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, and the Word of God began working on his heart. He was deployed shortly after that, and while overseas (in Iraq, I believe), God called him to preach!
He came back to the states, enrolled in Bible college, graduated around the same time I did, and then went to the heart of paganism in our country—New Orleans—and planted a Baptist church! People are being saved and lives are being changed. What a story!
God did that.
And God does that still.
Let the Bible change you. To do that, you’ve got to be listening to it.
If you can’t make it to the evening services (Sunday nights and Wednesday nights), that at the very least participate online. Here’s a sneaky little secret—I often think the night services are better than the mornings! Boy… last Sunday night we were feeling the pressure from God, and that’s a good thing!
“Are you saved? Then why aren’t you in church?”
It’s better than Netflix, I promise! See you tonight.
-Pastor Ryan