When Daphne and I were about 10 and 11 years old, we were invited to attend a camp designed specifically for ministers’ children. It didn’t take us long to realize that we were not normal preachers’ kids.
While the other children talked about the numerous times they had moved to different communities and schools, we couldn’t relate. As we sat through sessions about how to respond to people who criticized their fathers, we couldn’t relate to that either.
By the middle of the week, we called our parents in tears, asking them to come and get us because we weren’t part of a “normal” preacher’s family.
My mom said yes. My dad said no. So we stayed!
Looking back, that was the week we began to understand just how blessed we were to be part of our church family.
We may not be a normal preachers’ family in the sense that we have never known another church, but Friendship Baptist was not a normal church family. They have walked through life with us.
There are people in the church who rocked me as a baby and then, 30 years later, rocked my babies. They served as GA camp chaperones and youth camp chaperones. Years later, they prayed over my family as we obediently followed God’s calling on our lives. They embraced us as we said our final earthly goodbyes to Soy.
Many of them still see me as a young child, and I still think they are in your 40s! We all know none of us are as young as we think.
There are people in the church who have prayed for my dad, encouraged him, and held up his arms when he was weary. There have been times when my dad has led our church and they may have questioned his decisions, but they trusted that he had heard from the Lord and was obedient. There are people in the church who have surrounded my parents and protected them against the Enemy because they knew God had called my dad to lead the people of Friendship.
I have watched my dad give his life to the calling God placed on him. I have seen the weight he has carried, the prayers he has prayed, and the love he has poured into this church. And I know that ministry is not always easy. But I also know he has never walked alone. You have been there. You have loved him. You have stood beside him.
Yesterday, was my dad’s final day at Friendship Baptist Church! He has served the people for 36 years as a pastor and 11 years as associate pastor. 47 years of serving, loving, and preaching the Word in one church! Amazing!
There are simply no words to adequately express our gratitude and love for each of you.
Thank you for loving my parents.
Thank you for loving my family.
And thank you for loving us so well.
As we look toward the future, we have two simple requests for each of you:
Preach the Word—Without Apologizing.
Live out the Great Commission—Without Apologizing.
Our prayer for the Friendship family is very simple.
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
May His blessing rest upon Friendship—not just for today, but for a thousand generations to come.
