“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4
With Thanksgiving this week, followed by our four-year anniversary working with this beautiful congregation of God’s people, it seemed good to me (along with my family) to share with you some of what we think and express about you in our personal talks. We are always trying to be more grateful to God for His rich, innumerable gifts. There are many which repeatedly come up in our family talks and prayers: food, water, shelter, freedom, health, family, etc. The gift of Christ and His word is by far the greatest of these. Flowing out of this greatest of gifts is the precious bond we get to share with you. I doubt I can adequately describe our love and appreciation for you in this article, but here goes my best effort.
When we reflect on the transition we made coming to Elizabethton, it was a rather substantial roll of the dice. We knew nothing about the congregation beyond what we read in Dempsey’s description in the job posting. The world was in the strangest place I can remember with COVID raging, politics raging, culture losing its collective mind, etc., etc. Yet, we knew that if the description we read about this congregation was even mostly accurate, this would be a great place to raise our family and labor in the Lord’s kingdom.
From the moment we arrived at the Pumpkin Barn and met several members of the congregation, we felt right at home. The love, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness of this congregation was easy to see. Still, first impressions can be mistaken, so we could not truly know what life would be like until we arrived. Being a minister and family, we have heard the ministry stories of many others. While most of their experiences have been positive, you would have a hard time believing how difficult some of those situations have been for ministers and/or congregations. It does not even have to be a bad minister or a bad congregation. Sometimes personalities and approaches just do not mesh. So, packing up the family and moving three hours from home in the middle of a pandemic to work in a place we knew very little about was not without risk.
This is where our thanksgiving for the gift of you really gains steam. From the moment we arrived to the time I write this article, you have made Elizabethton home for us. It feels much akin to what Paul expressed about his treatment at the hands of the Philippians and the Thessalonians. In Philippians 1:3-6 he described their partnership in the gospel from the beginning until the time he wrote. Then in Philippians 4:10-20 he described their consistent care for him through the years of that partnership. The whole letter is one of appreciation and kinship. Likewise, in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4, he gave thanks for their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ…” before going in depth about the close bond he shared with them.
So, as Thanksgiving approaches this week, we pray that you have the most blessed Thanksgiving humanly possible. As you ponder God’s ceaseless gifts Thursday, know that we will be giving thanks for the gift of you every day. We pray God’s blessings on you now and for eternity, and we pray He will grant us the blessing of growing old in His service by your side. You have enriched us in ways beyond expression. Thank you for turning what we thought was a move three hours from home into what turned out to be a move three hours to home.