I arrived in Antigua on Saturday November 26, it was the smallest airport I have ever seen. Going through Customs and Immigration was God's Sovereign way of testing my patience. I must admit I failed, I was becoming quite frustrated with the line and all the precedures. I make it through that, I must wait on Pastor Jonas to pick me up. I don't really know what he looks like, so I am hoping to see someone with a sign that says Pastor Atkinson. So I stand there looking and finally a very distinguished voice calls my name, "Pastor Atkinson." It was Pastor Jonas, relief. He takes me to his home for a meal his wife had prepared for me, then to the hotel I would be staying at. The hotel at glance was not to my liking, however it proved to be the best stay I ever had at any hotel. The people were nice and very hospitible.
On Sunday I preached three times 8:00 am 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. All three services were Spirit-filled and Christ-centered. At 8:00 and 10:00 I preached the same sermon John 5 EVERYTHING WE NEED IS IN THE WORD OF GOD. The man lying at the pool trying to get wet to get well. His cure was not in the water it was in the Word of God. Sunday night I talked about THAT I MIGHT KNOW HIM, Philippians 3 knowing Him requires Conscious Disatisfaction With The Presence, Consistently Oblivious To The Past, and Consecrated Effort Toward The Future.
On Monday it rained very hard, I was thinking the attendance would be down. No fair weather Christian at this church. They church came out in good numbers young and old. We had a wonderful time in worship. The Choir's singing was such a blessing, wonderful melodies and theologically sound. Monday - Friday the worhip was the same.
Pastor Jonas started a Christian School 14yrs ago with about 15 children, now the school has close to 400 children, preschool - 12th grade. There school has had the highest test scores on the island. I was given a tour of the school to meet the teachers and children. The taechers were kind and the children were extremely disciplined and mannerable.
Each day I was taken to different places to dine, all had excellent views of the Carribean Sea.
This was a wonderful experience for me. I pray that God will permit me to go again and take my wife and daughter.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Monday, December 12, 2005
Antigua
On the recommendation of my friend Pastor Anthony Carter, and after viewing our church's web site, I was extended an invitation to minister God's Word to churches in the twin island nation of Antigua & Barbuda, located in the eastern Caribbean. The event was their Harvest/40th Anniversary for their main church, the Central Baptist Church, followed by a week of evangelistic meetings involving the other 3 churches. The dates were November 27 to December 2, 2005. This was a very humbling experience, I was really blessed to have this opportunity to travel to this beautiful island and proclaim the truth of God's free and sovereign grace. The shepherd of the flock was Pastor Hensworth Jonas, one of the finest godly men I have ever met. His commitment to the Gospel of God's Sovereign Grace and Reformed Theology is tremendous. He was very kind and the hospitality was second to none.
I was humbled to see the commitment of the saints there in Antigua. There sacrafice was tremendous to be out and in the meeting every night in great numbers with their heads and hearts totally focused on the word. It was and is interesting to me how content the people seem to be with so little, in contrast to America where we have so much and complain about everything. It made me wonder if the grips of materialism is stripping us from having conducive soil to lay the seed of the gospel. I know God saves when and where He wants, but I was convicted in my own heart to examine my walk with the Lord. I went to preach to them, and I did, but I believe I brought a better man back. I went to impart spiritual gift, however it was very mutual. There lives and rivers ran over flooded and irrigated the very dry places in my life.
What did I learn?
1. God is awesomeness is displayed in the beauty of His creation. The white sand the clear blue water the palm tree and the very pleasant climate. Only God can create such a place and He is to be praised for it. Yet this does not compare with the Glory to be revealed.
2. True contentment is not found in material possessions or what you have , but in resting in the sovereign will of Almighty God.
3. It is easy to think because of the wealth and power of this country we are some kind of standard for others in some ways we are and there is much for us to learn from others.
Part 1
I was humbled to see the commitment of the saints there in Antigua. There sacrafice was tremendous to be out and in the meeting every night in great numbers with their heads and hearts totally focused on the word. It was and is interesting to me how content the people seem to be with so little, in contrast to America where we have so much and complain about everything. It made me wonder if the grips of materialism is stripping us from having conducive soil to lay the seed of the gospel. I know God saves when and where He wants, but I was convicted in my own heart to examine my walk with the Lord. I went to preach to them, and I did, but I believe I brought a better man back. I went to impart spiritual gift, however it was very mutual. There lives and rivers ran over flooded and irrigated the very dry places in my life.
What did I learn?
1. God is awesomeness is displayed in the beauty of His creation. The white sand the clear blue water the palm tree and the very pleasant climate. Only God can create such a place and He is to be praised for it. Yet this does not compare with the Glory to be revealed.
2. True contentment is not found in material possessions or what you have , but in resting in the sovereign will of Almighty God.
3. It is easy to think because of the wealth and power of this country we are some kind of standard for others in some ways we are and there is much for us to learn from others.
Part 1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)