My Tribute to My Pastor

                 

When I first started causally attending Bible Believers Baptist Church, I almost didn’t know what to think.  It was so unlike any church I have been too, that as I was sitting there listening to Pastor Townsend preach; I was thinking he was crazy, peculiar, or just plain weird!  It struck me so hard to actually hear a preacher preaching the Bible that I was in a sense dumbfounded. Any of you that have been to a Baptist church most likely do not know what I’m talking about. I may seem partially one minded, but you can read whatever you want into this. 

A typical Baptist church has one over all agenda. One leader who can tell you the people what do to, what to think and what to say, build a huge church, and use whatever means necessary to fill the pews, even if it means altering what comes from the pulpit, so much so that you begin to wonder what Bible it came from. 

Now that I have partially degraded the Baptist system, I’ll tell you I am not the least bit apologetic.  I am so tired of the lukewarm, half hearted, pasted smiles, loud spoken pastors of traditional Baptist churches that I almost gave up on church altogether, if it had not been for the help of Pastor Townsends preaching.  Right from the start I knew that this was not some guy trying to attract attention, but a genuine Christian who believes, and actually practices what he preaches. It’s not the facial appearance of the church that draws neither attention, nor the padded comfortable pews that draws. No far from it. It’s the heart of the church.  Now don’t get it in your head that I mean a group of deacons or elders, no, the church is the people, each family, each individual.             

            If you come, don’t expect to be able to relax, slouch in your pew, and fall asleep listening to the steady drone of voices.  Be prepared to have your toes stepped on, your faith strengthened, and your beliefs tested. If you want to grow your faith then stop in at Bible Believers Baptist Church in Mesick, you won’t regret it.  This is not an all suit and tie church, neither is it jeans, and a t-shirt, though neither matters, since it really is what’s in your heart, not what you wear.  Don’t you agree? What should a churches purpose really be?  To fill the listener’s ears with what you want to hear, to make you feel comfortable no matter what you’re doing. Or should the purpose of a church be, when you hear a message, cause you to question what you believe.  Is Pastor Townsend perfect, no?  Is he a person with a heart for what’s right, yes.  Is he afraid to preach something that will in all probability anger some, yes.  Is that going to stop him from preaching the truth from the Bible, no.  Why am I writing this?  Because I believe in what Pastor Townsend is living his life for.  Do I agree with everything he says, no?  Is that going to stop me from coming to church, no.  Should it stop you? Really?  Really?

                                                                                                                H. A. Phillips