Celebration and challenge at Ballymoney Baptist Church
BALLYMONEY Baptist Church had cause for double celebration over the weekend of the 5th and 6th September, as they welcomed their new pastor, and remembered with gratitude to God, 23 years of witness since they were constituted in 1986, under the ministry of their former pastor, Steven Curry.
The Induction Service was held on Saturday, 5th September at 3pm and a capacity audience filled the church building. The guest speaker was the former Senior Pastor of Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Edinburgh, where Colin Adams, the new Ballymoney pastor, was Associate Pastor. Over 40 guests attended from Scotland, including many from Charlotte Chapel, and greetings were brought from local churches by Trevor Watson, Coleraine; from the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, by Rob Millar, Dublin; as well as from Charlotte Chapel, by an elder, Graeme Watson. Andy Dalrymple, Associate Pastor in Musselburgh, and former Assistant Pastor in Ballymoney opened in prayer, Victor Kennedy read from Colossians one, referring to thanksgiving and prayer.
Derek Boyd, elder and church secretary, provided a history of the call. He recorded the sense of loss felt by the church when their two pastors, Steven Curry, pastor for 21 years, and Andy Dalrymple, Assistant Pastor for four years, left the church in the same year; Steven to go to Bethany Baptist Church in Bangor, and Andy to Musselburgh, in Scotland. This had been followed by a vacancy of a year and a half, during which time the elders and church members had actively sought God's guidance as to a new pastor teacher for the church. From an initial list, the focus gradually narrowed to one, Colin Adams, in Edinburgh.
Through a combination of circumstances, communication was established between the church and Colin, and following his second visit to the church to preach, serious discussion began. It soon appeared clear that this prospective pastor's position on theology, doctrine, and church practice coincided very closely with that of Ballymoney Baptist Church, and a unanimous call was issued and accepted. Derek said that it had been a particular comfort and blessing that the leadership in Charlotte Chapel had been so supportive and understanding throughout the process, despite their reluctance to part with their popular young Associate Pastor, after only six years of ministry. It was also a great joy to know that the consistent systematic teaching from scripture enjoyed for 23 years would be continued under a new pastor teacher.
The Act of Induction was performed by Geoff Bunting, an elder in the church, followed by the induction prayer by Jack Dean, also an elder. In his response, the new pastor thanked the Lord for three things: saving him as an undeserving sinner; providing him with 6 years' experience under Peter Grainger in Charlotte Chapel; and leading him to a church where he believed the Bible to be the "first word and the last word". In his address, Peter Grainger issued a charge to the pastor and people, to remember that they were merely "jars of clay", (1 Corinthians 2: 1-5) and that their sole function was to display by contrast, the beauty of the treasure that had been placed in them, namely the truth of the gospel. He explored "the striking paradox" that mere humans should be tasked with "the surprising privilege" of spreading the gospel of God's offer of salvation to others. Other means of delivering such an amazing message might have seemed more effective to us, but this was God's chosen method, and therefore a great privilege. This momentous meeting in the life of this relatively young church was brought to its conclusion by Steven Curry, former pastor, who said that it was with mixed feelings that he stood once more on his former pulpit, but he wished his successor every blessing, and hoped that for Ballymoney, "the best was yet to be". The meeting was chaired by an elder, Alastair Smith.
The second celebration was marked on Sunday, when the church recalled 23 years' history, in their anniversary services. In the morning, Peter Grainger spoke from Acts chapter 2, recalling the pattern provided for the early Christian church. He pointed out that they were to be "fearless witnesses, selfless in their generosity, and ceaseless in their worship". If these were the characteristics of Christian today, then according to scripture, he said, people would say now, as then, "What shall we do?" and Christians would have the opportunity to provide the answer.
In the evening, the new pastor delivered his first sermon, speaking from Mark chapter one, and exploring the evidence provided in 60 A.D. that Jesus was the Son of God. Interestingly, it was the evidence, not of Jesus himself but of four witnesses: Mark himself; the King's forerunner, John the Baptist; God the Father who pronounced from heaven, following his baptism: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased"; and, paradoxically, Satan, who immediately afterwards tempted Jesus for 40 days and nights. Pastor Adams presented those present with the challenge to either dismiss the evidence of these four witnesses, and deny Jesus's divinity; or to accept him as the only Saviour, the true Messiah.
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Weather for Ballymoney
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
