PREACHING/TEACHING/PASTOR: FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, ALTOONA, KANSAS 1980 - 1996
CHARITY WHISNANT, AND ERIC AND BECKY AND CHAD IN 1980.
I have already written several posts about our ministry in Altoona, Kansas. I was thirty two and Charity was 31 when we came. Eric was nine and Becky was four. Chad was born in July of our first year, and Kyle was born in December 1984. I still remember that first Sunday we came to preach. I can remember meeting with the men about the possibility of us coming to pastor the church. I did my best to get out of coming, but they answered all my question with a "yes." And Charity was praying that I would say no, and the church would say no. The church wished they had said no after the first month! But as the Lord would have it, He said "yes" and we came and stayed for sixteen years.
Charity and I loved the ministry and the people. Eric and Becky and Chad and Kyle loved the ministry and the kids. Today we still love the folks who were in the church when we were there. It's really great that we can still have long distance fellowship with them today.
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- Footnote: I love this new scanner that the kids bought me for Father's Day, making the photos possible. Thank you for this great gift! I love you all and appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity.)
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Photo: Charles, preaching in 1982 I think. But we had remodeled the building. That in itself is a good story to tell. We also moved from the house into our remodeled house in Dec 1984. That also is a great story. Right Kurt Nunnenkamp?
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From Topical Preaching to Expository Teaching
I also have addressed this issue as well. We began in 1983 to teach the book of Matthew on Sunday Morning and Romans on Sunday Evening. And four hundred sermons later we finished both books. HOW LONG SHOULD ONE PREACH OR TEACH? I am addressing this issue presently. If I had taught 29 minutes, the church might have been full and overflowing. But fifty five minutes of teaching from one verse or two, took a lot of discipline on the part of the folks. I still have those sermon manuscripts on Matthew and Romans. And we also have those old tapes. Goodness. I am going to scan those too. Boy, you might be questioning the gift the kids gave me before long.
