“Raising your children to love and serve Jesus is fulfilling one of God’s highest callings upon your life.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

Dear Westview Baptist Church family:

I would like to thank everyone for allowing me to take a few moments to share my heart. When I was first asked to come to Westview Baptist Church I was a little hesitant. At the time, I was the music minister of a large Baptist Church, had a nice praise band with horns and drums and guitars and a choir of 40 to 50 people on a Sunday. My children loved the children's ministry and there was a lot to offer them in that setting. And I knew that it would be very difficult to ask them to leave. So I made it a matter of prayer. I specifically told the Lord that if I were to come that he would have to do two things. First, I asked him to change the minds of everybody in my family. As I suspected none of them wanted to leave our church home. My wife had a wonderful ministry as she taught the bus ministry women Sunday school each Sunday. She was the women's ministry leader over 120 women and ran the welcome center at the church. The children had lots of friends and enjoyed the fun of a big church setting. . Secondly, I told the Lord I needed his promise that he would save all my children. I did not want to take on any ministry with other children if it would cost me the salvation of my own. So I prayed; Lord change their minds if this is your will, and I waited. I didn't have to wait long because within two weeks everyone of my family members had come to me, one at a time, and said; "you know what, I think we are supposed to go". Everyone of them. When we came to Westview Baptist Church there were 35 people in attendance. Two of those were men and two of those were youth. I was being asked to come as the youth pastor and to help lead the music on Sunday mornings. And as you know, the youth ministry eventually grew to over 100 people on Wednesday nights. The church took up the mantle and ministered to those youth with financial help, with Wednesday night dinners, canoe trips and retreats. Through that time we saw many salvation's. And on one Wednesday night in a revival we had 178 youth in attendance. God kept his promise to me, and I can gratefully say, "praise be to God for all my children are saved." After 3½ years as the associate pastor over youth and music, you good folks called me to be your pastor. I am so grateful that my family and I came to this church where TERRI and I have served in the combined pastoral ministries for 25 years. I am thankful that my children were raised in this church and loved by you. And taught by you. You have extended nothing but love and grace and mercy to TERRI and I through the years for which we will be eternally grateful. Over these years, we have seen over 200 people get saved and be baptized. We have helped to send a missionary to India and help to send missionaries to Mexico and Kenya. We financially helped support the initiation of building a church in India. We financially helped and continue to support a Christian school for children in Kenya. We have an ongoing commitment to the Taclob family who are missionaries to the Philippines. We have helped to fight the fight against human trafficking by supporting the Alliance for Freedom, Restoration and Justice. We have given up to $5000 a year through our benevolence fund to help those in our community who needed food or shelter or clothing or electricity. We have had an ongoing commitment to financially contribute to the fuel ministry here in Kingston Springs. Our part has helped to feed over a dozen children on weekends throughout each school year. Through the years we have suffered together the loss of some of our members through death's door. Good people like the Toland's, Lavonna, Alvie, Louise, Glennis, Justin, Mary Jane, Jean, Toni and her husband Jack. And of course, most recently the passing of Debbie Flottman. We ministered to each other when one of our members had lost a loved one close to them. We have stood in the gap for each other when someone lost their mother or their father or their husband or their wife or their son or daughter or brother or sister. But the Time has come for me to step down as the pastor of Westview Baptist Church. This has been a tough decision and one I have taken a lot of time to reach. The reason this has been a difficult decision for me is that Terri and I love all of you and we love the church and we love the things that we have done together over the years as we partnered in God's work. I have few regrets and many wonderful memories. But as much as I love being your pastor, I know in my heart that this season has come to an end. I have lost some of my strength and energy and can no longer give to you what you really need to continue to succeed in the kingdom of God. To be clear, I am not retiring from the Lord service but stepping away to continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in any of the new ways that he opens for me. Terri and I want to spend some time together that we've never had for just the two of us. We are still very much in love and look forward to devoting more of our time to each other. I would like to continue serving as your pastor through the fourth Sunday in May. That would give you some time to pick a committee to begin the process of searching for a new Shepherd. There is no need to be in a big hurry. There are many good men that can fill in on Sundays until you are confident you have the man that God wants to lead this body of believers. I have arranged for Rusty Summerall, the president of the Nashville Baptist Association, to come and share with you some good ideas on how to move into this next step of finding a new pastor. (He will be speaking Wednesday night, April 21 at 6:30 PM) He has given me the names of some pastors who are willing to supply temporarily if that need should arise. Mike Kendrick is also willing to help in this process. Rusty is giving us names of some men who would be willing to be considered as your next pastor. This list is just a starting point and by no means should you feel compelled to pick someone just from that list. Westview Baptist Church needs to continue its service to the Lord here in this community and to continue to support those good ministries that I mentioned earlier. It will take faith, but it has always taken faith. I will do all I can to help in any way you ask to find a good man of God to lead you through the next 25 years. I have no doubt that you will love the next pastor as you have loved me because Westview Baptist church has a tremendous strength and that is it's love. Be there for each, other depend on each other, pray for each other, and do not give up on each other. There are many great days ahead for Westview Baptist Church. With God's help, maybe the greatest days still lie ahead. (1Th_5:18) "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." May our Lord bless you and keep you and make his face to continue to shine upon you now and forever more. Terry and I thank you from the bottom of our heart for allowing us to serve you these many years.

Pastor Mark

(Please see the Sunday Sermon Page for an audio version of this announcement)

 

Terri Sheldon; Hannah Curry; Corey Willoughby; Kevin Giffin; Mary Hampton's Brother - Kurt & Niece - Marsha; Harrison Hicks; John McAfee; John Adamson; Patsy & Daniel Day; Millie Jones; Josh & Hannah Curry; Linda Adamson; Barbara Traylor; Ray &  Rollene Casey; Tommy Davis; Wayne Storey; Wayne Umstead; Rev. Mark Sheldon & Family; Growth of our church; Today's Youth; Our Nation & Government; Unspoken Request; Greater Love Baptist Church & St. Patsy Baptist Academy - Kenya; Our sister church in Hayathnager, India.

 

   

 

 

I Timothy 2:1-2 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

 

 

 

Check out Pastor Mark Sheldon's Interviews on Prophecy in the News

Prophecy in the News:  The God of Mercy and Terror with Rev. Mark Sheldon

 

Prophecy in the New:  The Sobering Truth with Rev. Mark Sheldon

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