Charles and Charity Whisnant Looking Back a Few Yearsd

Charles in 1965 I was at youth camp.  I also was the teacher of the teenage class

Pastor in 1971 at Madison Missionary Baptist Church Minford Ohio

 

Bible Baptist Seminary, in 1967  Arlington Texas

Now I am in the back second to the left

 

 

Our wedding in June 1969

Charles, Charity, Debbie, Don, Lelona, Pauline and Ellen

 

 

 I am preaching at FBC in Altoona, Kansas 2015

 

 

Theology and Ministry An Interview with John MacArthur Selected Script...

Who Am I and What Is My Worth?

 In 1964 I became a teacher in our Teenager Class in Roanoke Va.  I became a preacher when I was in the 11th grade in Jefferson High School. And preached or taught a youth class every since. 

I have been a pastor in  Madison, 1971-73, First Baptist 1980-1996,  Lusby Mills 1999,  Second Baptist 2000.and  Rivers of Joy Baptist 2008 to present 2013.

•  3.5 + 16.3 + .6 +.6 +5 = 26.0 years.

Education:  Bible Baptist Seminary 1966-1970, Hyles-Anderson 1978-1980 and a lot of training over the Internet from 2003 to present.  Training by Video through Liberty U. and training by the Shepherd's Conference in Sun Valley CA. And Bill Gothard, Seminary and All Day Ministers Seminar for 15 years. And NANC Counseling Training.

Assoc Pastor - Youth Pastor - Roanoke,  Southall, West Handley, Wooster, Victory, FBC Haltom City, Mansfield, Calvary, Portsmouth: (Bus Director at Gideon) Building Supervisor/Teacher at Ashland)

• 2.3+ 1.0+1.0+1.4+1.6+1.0+3.0+1.0+1.3 = 12.6

From 1964 to July 1996, I was either a Youth Pastor, or Pastor or Assoc.  32 years.
For two years July 1996-1998 I did not have any position.
From 2004 to July 2008 I went to several churches but did not have any position.

But at the same time from 1966 until 2010 I worked in a secular job.

• In 1966 at Seminary worked all three + years.  
• In 1970 at Wooster worked a job
• In 1973-1978 at Perrysville, Mansfield  OH worked 
• In 1979 in Crown Point, IN I worked.
• In  1980 to 1996 in Altoona KS worked
• In 1996-2000 in Lexington KY worked 
• In  2001-2003 in Portsmouth OH worked

From 1969 to present I have been a husband and in 1971 became a father. Married in 1969 to Charity, 1971 Eric  was born,  1976 Becky, 1980 Chad, and Kyle 1984.

So the question is: WHO AM I ? How do I view myself, and whether or  not I feel successful? What does make me feel or know I have been successful in life?

Do I say I have been successful in ministry?  Can I say I was successful in my secular jobs? Can I say I have been successful in my marriage and family life?

I have been saved by the grace of God since November 1954, that is 58 years as of July. Can I say that I have been faithful in my love for Christ and can I say that my relationship with Christ has been one that I feel has been good?

How do I want to be remembered as? As a Secular Worker?   A Preacher/Teacher?  As a Husband?  As a Father? As a Grandfather? As a faithful Christian ? As a Christians who has had a wonderful relationship with my heavenly father the Lord Jesus Christ?

How often have I in the last few years heard of those who felt so bad in living life that they killed themselves. They felt failure in their work or even in ministry.  How do you get that way in the first place? 

First I have not always been a faithful worker.  There are times I have just quit. I have never really liked working in the secular field.  But I hope that in most cases I have worked to to the best of my ability.

Second: I have loved been a husband now for 44 years.  I have loved been a father to by children. How they view me is their story to tell.

Third: I have loved every church I have been in for the most part.  I can honestly say, and my conscience is clear, that I have been faithful to perform to the best of my ability the work that I was ask to do. Too often too good for the pastor, and often ask to leave.   To the churches I have pastured I have put forth the best effort that I could.

Fourth: To the Lord?  I have never wanted not to be a born again Christian. The Lordship of Christ has been my desire from the get go back in my youth. I don't every think you can do enough or love the Lord too much for the Lord.  I don't think you can pray enough, read the bible enough to know too much.  I want to get closer to the Lord more and more each day. 

Fifth:   Since we have become property owners I have had a whole lot of enjoyment in working on the property. I have  teased that I am a lumberjack, landscaper, painter, lawn mowing mower, Is that were success and worth comes from. Hardly, but its been hard work and seeing the results has been great.

Sixth:  Ellen my sister got me my first website GrowbyLearning.homestead. That has been great to do. Then in 2005 I got this blogger, and have put over 2100 posts publish.  That has been really good. Then there are the others websites that I have maintained now for a few years.  The success is not how may people read them, few I am sure, but that is not the measure of what I call success, or what is me?  While all these are who I am, its not all that I am. 

So while I want to be the best in any area of my life, my most desired goal is to know that I love the Lord and our relationship is the best it can be has a sinful sinner as I am in the old flesh. And to love Him is to know that I have tried to learn to know Him with all my heart, soul, body and mind.

I want most of all that people will remember me as one who loved the Lord and wanted to tell others about His wonderful salvation, and then that I loved my wife and children  and their family.

WHAT IS PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD, NOT ALL PREACHING IS.

 

Well I once said if I could teach with my head not showing that would be good, because people would hear  what I side rather than look at me. Well I did cut off some of my face. 

It seems that I am always evaluating ministry. I have from day one of ministry.    What kind of ministry does the Lord want our church to have?  I have spend my entire life as a servant of the Lord wanting to do the work of the Lord the way the Lord would be most pleased. 

From the first position that I had as a Youth pastor/teacher at Dad's church in Roanoke VA, when I really didn't have a clue what I was doing at age 16 to 18, pre- college days and still in High School. But what I did want to do was teach the Word of God. 

My Dad Everette Whisnant

Goodness, 1982 at FBC in Altoona, Kansas

C

Charles at Roanoke Baptist Temple in 1965

I loved teaching Revelation, and Colossians, and Psalms those 27 months that I was the teacher of the youth.   We had such a wonderful time in working with teens our own ages.  I had just a great time doing so many wonderful things, but the main thing was teaching the Word of God. 

 I wanted the Word of God to be the primary reason why they came to church and to come to Christ was to learn Christ and His righteousness.

I wanted people to come to our class to learn the Word of God so that they could live a holy life pleasing unto the Lord.  Matthew 5:20 I believe.  For me getting a person to get saved was not the motive. My motive was to see a person seeking to know the Lord and wanting to known Him and be like Him.  And the best way was in my mind to do that was  to teach the Word of the Lord.  To know Him is to learn about Him.

I didn't want to spend my time trying to get people to be holy by methods other than teaching them the Word of God.   I have come to realize the way people are saved and live a holy life is if they are drawn by the Holy Spirit of God.   As a preacher, I have realize that if I try to draw them into any kind of living a holy life the change will not last.  If the Word of God doesn't draw them then into holiness than the life will not be pleasing to the Lord.  I used to believe I was  to draw them into change by my methods other than the teaching of the Word of God.

Unless the Lord changes our  hearts from the inside out we will not change.  Where God is doing the persuading in our life to be like Him,  then there will be genuine change and holiness.  The best way in my mind is to teach the Word of God, as I have mention in the lesson Wednesday night.  

So what is meant by "Teaching or Preaching the Word of God."  May  I say, not all those who say they "preach the Word of God," are preaching the Word of God.

Evangelist and Pastor in Partnership: Alan Harris

 Sometimes we as Pastors forget that the Lord has called Evangelists.
 

What I have learned as a Pastor is that I need someone to come to our church for special occasions and present the Word of God in a manner different from the way I do.

                                        It's called a  Partnership.


 When  I was in Altoona, Kansas, Alan Harris would come every year to our church.  It seemed that someone would be saved each year, and that person would continue to come and be baptized and join the church and become a faithful Christian. Even today after 20 years those who were saved in our church are still serving the Lord.

And more than this, those who were Christians were given a new joy about their salvation.

Now I will be honest.  I am not an evangelist.  I am not what you would call a soul-winning preacher. I am primarily a teacher of the Word and exhorter to serve the Lord.  I gave the people the Word of God, and then Alan would come in for a week of revival to stir the people up, and get them  to put the Word that was in their mind into action.

 Alan and Angie in those early years would have small skits that would illustrate a biblical principle.  Each night they would have a skit. (Which I might add was very good, and the young people loved it) Then they would sing, Alan is a Gospel Southern style singer and this singing comes from the heart.
 
Alan is as good a preacher as he is a singer.

 

 Andrew and Angie and Alan Harris  Singing He's Still Working On Me Rivers of Joy Baptist Church June 24, 2012

Then in later years after they had three boys, Alex, Anthony and Andrew have been a part of the ministry.


What Charity and I have observed over 30 years of their ministry is their total dedication  to the work of the ministry and the desire to help churches and pastors accomplish the purpose of the church.

Charity has been amazed how well Angie has been an evangelist's wife. They  raised three boys while traveling the United States in a home on wheels, home-schooling all three while nightly serving in local churches.

It is true they are not perfect, they have problems just like any family, but they have shown faithfulness to the Lord.  The delight of our hearts is to see the fruit of their ministry abundantly flowing through the lives of their three sons as they continue to serve Jesus in their own places of ministry!  To God be the glory!


Alan and Angie Harris not only ministered in the church, but when they are not in church. They have ministered to young people, as well as adults, and especially to this pastor and wife from Rivers of Joy and First Baptist Church in Altoona, Kansas.  Their love for our children continues to minister through a special relationship, even today.  They have laughed with us, cried with us and supported us in some of the hardest trials of our life.  However, the motivation they have given us to keep on keeping on in the service of King Jesus is the gift they give to each pastor and pastor's wife in every church that is blessed to have them.


Alan and Angie, we love you dearly and are so proud to see what God has done!
 

The Evangelist and Pastor Alan and Angie Harris

 



Sometimes we as Pastors forget that the Lord has called Evangelists.

What I have learned as a Pastor is that I need someone to come to our church for special occasions and present the Word of God in a manner different from the way I do.
 

It's called a  Partnership.

When  I was in Altoona, Kansas, Alan Harris would come every year to our church.  It seemed that someone would be saved each year, and that person would continue to come and be baptized and join the church and become a faithful Christian. Even today after 20 years those who were saved in our church are still serving the Lord.

And more than this, those who were Christians were given a new joy about their salvation.

Now I will be honest.  I am not an evangelist.  I am not what you would call a soul-winning preacher. I am primarily a teacher of the Word and exhorter to serve the Lord.  I gave the people the Word of God, and then Alan would come in for a week of revival to stir the people up, and get them  to put the Word that was in their mind into action.

Andrew and Angie and Alan Harris

Singing He's Still Working On Me

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

June 24, 2012

Alan and Angie in those early years would have small skits that would illustrate a biblical principle.  Each night they would have a skit. (Which I might add was very good, and the young people loved it) Then they would sing, Alan is a Gospel Southern style singer and this singing comes from the heart.

Alan is as good a preacher as he is a singer. 

Then in later years after they had three boys, Alex, Anthony and Andrew have been a part of the ministry.

What Charity and I have observed over 30 years of their ministry is their total dedication  to the work of the ministry and the desire to help churches and pastors accomplish the purpose of the church.

Charity has been amazed how well Angie has been an evangelist's wife. They  raised three boys while traveling the United States in a home on wheels, home-schooling all three while nightly serving in local churches.

It is true they are not perfect, they have problems just like any family, but they have shown faithfulness to the Lord.  The delight of our hearts is to see the fruit of their ministry abundantly flowing through the lives of their three sons as they continue to serve Jesus in their own places of ministry!  To God be the glory!

Alan and Angie Harris not only ministered in the church, but when they are not in church. They have ministered to young people, as well as adults, and especially to this pastor and wife from Rivers of Joy and First Baptist Church in Altoona, Kansas.  Their love for our children continues to minister through a special relationship, even today.  They have laughed with us, cried with us and supported us in some of the hardest trials of our life.  However, the motivation they have given us to keep on keeping on in the service of King Jesus is the gift they give to each pastor and pastor's wife in every church that is blessed to have them.

Alan and Angie, we love you dearly and are so proud