September 20, 2019 (Friday)
At Bethel Baptist Church in Ingleside this weekend the church will welcome a prospective pastor. It is a “get acquainted” weekend as he meets the people and discovers the church and community. He will preach this weekend but the church will not make a decision about whether to call him as the new pastor until the following Sunday, September 29. If the church extends a call, he may continue to seek the Lord’s will in the matter, or he may give the church an answer right away. It is a matter for prayer by all concerned.
Last January I asked the church to elect a pastor search committee. It is unusual for an interim pastor to remain in a church for an extended period and I have been interim during this term since December, 2014. I had been experiencing a few falls now and then (not injured), I have a few health problems, and I took a good hard look at the calendar which told me that in 32 months from that day I would be 90 years old, if the Lord wills, and in all probability it is time for the church to call a permanent pastor.
The committee was elected and has been serving diligently, going through a process of finding possible pastors and narrowing the list to one person who will visit the church this weekend. They will recommend him to the church and the church will vote on September 29.
I believe all of us, including the prospective pastor and his family, been seeking the Lord’s will in this matter. Let us all pray for His Will to be done.