Elder Testimony 2013

Sort of takes off on what Brian had to say last week but let me just read my testimony. I don't have an exciting testimony but I wouldn't trade my testimony for anything. For you see I came to know the Lord as a toddler. I can't remember a time that I didn't know him as my Lord and Savior. God saved me by grace through faith and that faith was his gift to me. It was his pleasure to save me. very early in life and spare me from a life of rebellion for which I am eternally grateful. I remember my mom reading the entire Bible to me at about the age of 10 and her prayers for me. As I read the Bible on my own, I came to have a deeper appreciation of the full scope of salvation. Second Corinthians 521 reads, For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Not only did Jesus take away my sins, but he clothed me with his perfect righteousness, and the purpose of my justification is that I would become righteous in my daily living and glorify him. Although I fail many times, my goal is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. When I was baptized at the age of 17, I chose Romans 12.1 as my life verse. It reads, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Soon after finishing grad school, I began attending Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in the evenings. I grew greatly under the verse-by-verse expository preaching of Dr. James Montgomery Boyce. His biblical teachings on the doctrines of grace and Reformed theology forever changed and shaped my worldview. His book, Mind Renewal in a Mindless Age, challenges me to avoid being pulled into the world's way of thinking and strive to apply Romans 12, 2, which says, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. As an aside, but a big aside, I met my wife Carol at 10th Presbyterian Church. My passion in life is reading the Bible, commentaries on the books of the Bible, Reformed theological books, and listening to great preachers. However, I must always guard against thinking my head knowledge translates in the heart knowledge. I must live out my theology and be changed as God uses his word to sanctify me. Praying through the Psalms or a doxology passage has revolutionized my prayer life and enlarged my heart. For over 40 years, I've been privileged to serve in leadership and teaching roles in Baptist and congregational churches in Philadelphia and Massachusetts. As such, I've experienced the joys and challenges of church life and worked hard to apply the principles of scripture to each situation. My heart has always been for the entire church body, but especially for my generation. That generation is now the seniors. Paul gives a beautiful description in Ephesians 4, 11 and 16 of how a healthy church functions. And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, so we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effect of working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. If called to be an elder, I will strive to be a faithful leader who serves Christ and fosters the unity and growth of our body. As members of the JPBC body, would you hold me accountable? If I am not equipping you for works of service, tell me. If I am not speaking the truth in love, tell me. If I am not doing my share in building up the body, tell me. If I am not a good shepherd, tell me. Each one of you, young, middle, or older, should also do your part in building up the body till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, who is the head of the church, for his honor and glory alone. Sole Deo Gloria, to God alone be glory. Let us pray. Father, may we come before you this morning in reverence and awe. May our minds and hearts be fully fixed on you, our sure hope. May you delight in our worship, even though we are but dust and feeble of tongue. Amen.