142nd Founding Anniversary Celebration of the Oamaru Baptist Church
By Peter Rodwell
I was intrigued that Jonan had asked me to speak and commented that he was very trusting of someone he had never heard speak before. But trust me, he must, for he has asked me to speak on a subject I know very little about, and I am not a Baptist.
I have been a member of several Baptist churches in my life, but more importantly, I have lived in this world for a significant time with the Lord truly at my side, and most of the time, I have been under the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Why is celebrating the past so important?
Most people today would say that they live for today and plan for tomorrow, and that the past may be interesting but not very important or useful or even a distraction!!!
Over the past few weeks, Jonan (and Tom) have taught from 1st and 2nd Kings with reference to Elijah and Elishah’s calling. What has this meant to us? Firstly, the importance of
“COMMITMENT, PASSIONATE COMMITMENT”, then of
“LISTENING FOR THE VERY QUIET WORD OF GOD”, and finally
“FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THAT WORD” with ignited hearts.
I find the reading of Elijah and Elisha’s faith and commitment to be very encouraging. Likewise, reading of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, all the other prophets, the gospels, and the NT letters of the apostles, is equally encouraging.
More importantly, reading and hearing the stories of Jesus and His passionate commitment to the task he took on, to be life saving for all of us here today and so many others. Jesus is our “Corner stone”, the others are our “Foundation stones”.
So, a very big yes to the stories/memories of the past. These are very special.
So, what of the Oamaru Baptist Church’s 142nd anniversary?
I find the story of Mr Angus and 4 of his colleagues meeting in his home to further the possibility of founding a Baptist church in Oamaru. Then on the 13th August 1883, 23 foundation members formally constituted this Oamaru Baptist Church in the lecture theatre of the Atheneum (now the museum). Six weeks prior, they had started a Sunday School with 16 children and four teachers.
They soon outgrew both the Tee St hall and the Atheneum. Under the leadership of a group of outstanding and committed laypeople, a new church was built 6 years later (July 1889) in Severn St, virtually debt-free.
By then, the church membership had grown significantly, and the Sunday School, on opening, cared for 85 children with 11 teachers. They weren’t to get their first minister/pastor until 1892, some nine years later.
Think about that! Starting with five leaders, no pastor, and only 18 further members, they founded and grew this church. Within 6 years, they multiplied the numbers fourfold. Isn’t that a foundation worth celebrating and inspiring us as a basis for our work today?
Does this lay leadership and commitment inspire us today?
They started as five, and then within weeks had grown the church to 23 and a Sunday School of 16 children. Within another 6 years, they had significantly grown the membership and the Sunday School of 85 children with 11 teachers, even without a minister/pastor.
I think we should remember and sincerely thank those original leaders, and in that memory, may we be challenged to continue growing this church and the kingdom of God in Oamaru, in NZ, and worldwide as we are instructed by Jesus in the Great Commission.
Jonan (and Tom), through their messages over these last few weeks, challenged us as to “How committed are we?”
Many of us would say that we do not have those skills?!
There are many different programmes around today to help people understand their personality and recognise their Spiritual gifts (e.g. Strength Finders). Many churches hold seminars to help people find their “Spiritual gifts” and to see where they fit into the body of believers (we are all of one body but of many different parts).
But the call from God is for all of us to the Great Commission (Mark 16 vs 5 “Go out into all the world, preach the Good News, make disciples, heal the sick, and care for the vulnerable”).
We are not all Billy Grahams or even Jonan Castillons, but we are all called, no matter what WE think are our gifts.
Let me now tell you a little of myself. As a seventh former at school, I was an introvert. I could not even stand up in class and read out loud two lines of a poem. Then, in 1976, I had a “God moment”. I have had a good number of these throughout my life, but on this occasion, I was at a three-day city-wide charismatic renewal conference in my home church in Melbourne with about 400 people attending.
On Friday evening, I started crying. I did not know why, and despite many people praying for me, the tears continued. I cried continuously for the three days of the conference, including all night, and was changing my pillowslip at least twice each night, but still I cried and did not know why.
At the time, our second son, Paul, was 4 years old and suffered from Benign Intracranial Hypertension (very high brain pressure – 3-4 times yours and mine), which would make him blind before he was an adult. We were also told that he was ineducable as his attention span was less than 20 seconds. As the parents among you can imagine, this latter point made him a very demanding child.
As most of you know, I am a retired medical specialist, and at the time was training in Melbourne to become a Paediatric Surgeon. I believed in God healing people, but my son “didn’t need that” as he was under the care of very skilled doctors.
Well, on the Sunday afternoon of the conference, I handed over my medical skills (my hands and my intellect) to God and figuratively laid my son Paul on the altar for God to heal. I also offered myself for full-time church work in the “healing ministry”. My tears stopped immediately, and I rejoiced. Paul (our second son – now 52) completed 7th form at school and is now a truck driver, driving B trains – double articulated trucks! Praise God!!!
Three months later, many of us went to another 3-day national charismatic renewal conference in Canberra. At the beginning of the first morning, I was called forward (why me???) and was then asked to open the conference in prayer. Now remember, I couldn’t stand up in class and read two lines of a poem out loud, and I hadn’t changed much over these 10 years (other than now having the Holy Spirit by my side). How was I going to cope with this in front of 4000 people? This could be very embarrassing to say the least (I have a weak bladder).
I needed another “God moment” urgently!
I opened my mouth and prayed for about 15 minutes. My friends in the front row said they all got colds from the draft my knees were creating. Yes, I was nervous, very nervous. I had no idea what I had said, but received thanks and many compliments.
Later, I listened to a recording of my prayer. My voice did not waiver at all and the prayer was amazing. Not me, but God through the Holy Spirit within me. Whenever I now speak, I am just as nervous, but so long as the Spirit is with me and I have asked God to use me as the vessel, then I am able.
Now, back to each of us and our spiritual gifts.
Are we really limited?
Do we only get given one or two spiritual gifts?
Recently, an 80-year-old friend (in our weekly Zoom bible study group) shared that evangelism definitely wasn’t one of her gifts and she wouldn’t be doing it. We talked about the scripture that says we are ALL called to the great Commission, and although we all may use different ways, we must make ourselves available to God and create opportunities to share the Good News wherever we are. The next week, she shared in our group that she had been able to do just that. (after 80 years)! How exciting! PTL!
1 Cor 12 vs 4,5,6:
“There are different kinds of gifts but the same spirit.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but the same God works ALL of them in ALL men”.
As for sure God and the Holy Spirit aren’t limited,
and if they are in us as Jesus promised …. then neither are we limited!
God is not dependent on OUR skills and intellect. Remember the story of Balaam’s ass (Numbers 22)? Yes, God used an ass to speak very clearly to Balaam. If God can use an ass to speak, surely God can use each one of us.
We are all called, we are all promised the Holy Spirit, we are all promised God’s wisdom … if only we ask!.
James 1 vs 5- 6: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt”.
We will know it is true spiritual wisdom because
James 3 vs 17: “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere”.
At university one day, in the corridor outside the Emergency Dept in Dunedin, a non-Christian class member asked me some very challenging questions about God in a rather aggressive way. As background, there were only six Christians in our class of 120, and even some of the lecturers openly mocked us in class, and the science taught was quite strongly anti-Christian!
This classmate was much bigger and stronger than me, and you may recall that I was a very shy lad. I had not been a Christian very long, and my Bible knowledge was quite limited. Another God moment was needed, as my heart lifted heavenward and called for help. I was stunned at the scriptural answers that came through my mouth, and I learnt a lot. My rather aggressive colleague became a Christian!! PTL!
I was aware last Sunday that a number of you from Jonan’s study class felt too shy or inadequate to share what the study classes meant to you. Reflect for a moment on what I have shared so far. Are any of us inadequate if the spirit of God is within us?
Now I ask all of you, no matter how shy you may feel, stand up if you can, close your eyes, put your hands face up in front of you, and we will all come together in personal prayer, offer ourselves both in body and in intellect to God for His service. …… silence ……..
Let us now ask for God’s wisdom, ……… (silence ………)
And remember to ask this whenever we are in need. …..
(Please feel free to sit down).
Over these next days, weeks and months (or even years), continue to ask God what He wants you to do. Seek spiritual wisdom and be willing to respond… even if it is not in your comfort zone.
Being a Christian is never going to be a walk in the park. Jesus made it clear that the walk may include suffering, may include persecution, will unlikely not include wealth and comfort. Are you willing? Are you passionately committed?
I will finish by asking each of us, “What is our personal role in the picture of the Waitaki river dam, power house, and power network going out, that Jonan has shared with us”?
When you have your answer, please share it with Jonan or write it on the board in the tea room.
Now, let us join together and sing “Take My Life and Let it Be.”
While waiting for the musicians to come to lead us, I ask if there is anyone here who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus and would like to? Then please speak to one of the leaders after this service, or simply ask Jesus into your heart and confess your past, asking Jesus for forgiveness. I assure you it will be given.
