...and hello, Houston!

by Dan Phillips

[continued from here]

Several months ago, I was contacted by regular reader Sir Aaron, whose church had begun looking for a pastor. Was I interested? "Sure," I said. "Where is it?"

"Houston," he answered.

"Doesn't that get awfully hot?" I asked. (I know that isn't deep, but it was the first association I had.)

"Only outside," he replied.

Thus began a process of conversation between the gracious folks of Copperfield Bible Church. After we'd asked each other a lot of questions and done our own investigations, they flew my family and me out for a week's visit.

For my family and me, it was an exhilarating joy. To say that they treated us warmly or friendly wouldn't come near to capturing how we felt. They welcomed us like long-lost, dearly-loved family. Though we were far from home, we felt as if we were home. We went through a number of group meetings and individual suppers, among many other activities. I preached twice (you can find those sermons here), led three other meetings, and participated in an evangelistic outreach. It simply was a joy.

So when they invited me to bring my family and serve with their elders in pastoring the church, my family was delighted for me to accept.

So I begin "on the clock" as pastor today, and am to preach my first sermon as pastor next Sunday.

Now you know why I've been busy, and why I'll be busy. You all know it isn't easy for a Calvidispiebaptogelical to find a home, but by God's grace I found one.

I just had to come a long, long way to find it!

I'm looking forward with great eagerness to get to know, to love, to teach and lead these folks, in the company of the good brothers who are my fellow-elders. I am thrilled at the opportunity to exalt Christ by preaching and teaching the Word emphatically and passionately, living it by God's grace, and bringing it to bear in pastoral discipleship.

Your prayers for them, me and my family would be deeply appreciated.

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