A SPECIAL VISIT BY A SPECIAL PERSON

If you were in church last Sunday then you know that we’re going to have some special guests in worship this Sunday. Dr. David Lewis, our church’s first associate pastor, will be with us, along with his wife Eileen and fifty four men’s and women’s soccer players from Houghton College in New York. They’re in the Boston area for a weekend soccer tournament. For the overwhelming majority of you David Lewis is just a name, but for me and a handful of current members who were active in the church back in the early to mid 80’s, David’s name evokes a warm smile, many fond memories and a lot of admiration.

I mentored David during his last two years at Gordon Conwell Seminary and his performance here at FBC was so stellar that I recommended to our Advisory Council that we call him as our church’s first-ever associate pastor. They agreed, as did our congregation, and in 1982 David began a four-year full time ministry with us. We all knew that we needed this infusion of gifted youth leadership for our church to grow. At the time it was a bold step of financial faith, but believing that God would provide we forged ahead. Looking back now I can see that this was the genesis point of what has developed into a twenty-five year growth trend for our congregation.

After leaving us in 1986 David went on to earn his doctorate and is currently working as an Associate Professor and the Faculty Director of Sports Ministry at Houghton College. I invited him to take my place in the pulpit this week, but he declined, preferring to sit with his wife and students. He did agree, however, to do a Ministry Moment interview.

I hope you’ll join us this Sunday for what promises to be a wonderful homecoming and a rich celebration of our love for Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Love and blessings,

David