Hello Folks,
Ruth and I got back last Tuesday after being in Pekin, Il preaching the Tri-County Holiness Crusade. This event has been going on for over 30 years and when I pastored the congregation in Pekin we were an active part of it. It is made up of the Church of God, Nazarenes, Free Methodists and Salvation Army who share common agreement on the doctrine of a definite second work of grace called sanctification. The attendance was pretty good and it was a joy for me to be there. We got to stay with our daugher, Debby, who had me painting again, and we saw our son Bob while there. On the way there and back we stopped and spent a night with our son, James, his wife Michele, Jordyn and Alexis. So you can see this trip served a two fold purpose. There is one thing that I galdly tell you and it is that I am glad to be back home here in Greeneville, Tn.
The sermons that I preached were all holiness oriented and we had some people make their way to an altar of prayer. It would appear to me from what I see while traveling that the message of holiness is not being preached on a consistent basis. The idea of sanctification as a definite second work of grace appears to have been shuffled to the side and some never take it out to proclaim it to those who sit in the pew. What a shame it is that some of our pastors and leaders have allowed holiness to be overwhelmed with a Calvinistic attiude of sinfulness as being the common and expected lifestyle of the believer. It seems to me that we will be held acocuntable for what we do and do not preach! As Jesus said, "For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required." (Luke 12:48 KJV)
Our grandchildren are quickly growing up and Ruth and I appear to be getting older. Funny how those things take place. Bailey is our oldest granddaugher at age thirteen and she must be about 5'6". Landon is our youngest grandchild and only grandson who is 4 years of age and loves to wrestle and argue. He must get all of that from his grandmother. This causes me to remember that my time left to do ministry is getting short so I ask you to pray that I will be use the time that God will allow me to have to fulfill the ministry that He has called me to do. Pray that I will be able to lead this congregation in a manner that is of benefit to the Kingdom and that will help these folks to grow in Jesus. I know that I need His help to accomplish this so please pray.
Yours In Christ,
HGRudd
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Hello Folks,
It sure has been cold and snowy here in East Tennessee. Here in Greene County the schools have closed and people are attempting to say in as much as possible. For some areas of the country 4-5 inches of snow is not that much but here it is major. This past Sunday most of the congregations in town and the county did not open. While we had worship our attendance was greatly effected with only 322 in the a.m. and 191 in the p.m. but the Holy Spirit was here and our celebration time was very meaningful. I would like to thank all those who braved the weather and the icy roads to be in worship. I realize that dangerous roads kept many home and I completely understand that but I do want to thank those who were able to be with us.
Yesterday I drove to Knoxville to pick Ruth up at the airport. She had been in Florida with 72 degree temperatures visiting with her brother. There was no problem getting over there and back as the main roads are great but when I turned on my street and attempted to drive up my driveway I almost slid into my mailbox. I had to put in 4 wheel drive low to get up to my garage. I guess today I will have to get some salt on my driveway and pray that the sun comes out to help melt it all.
I read in the Greeneville Sun on 1-7-11 about a Harold Camping who is predicting that Jesus is going to come again on May 21, 2011. This is, at least, Mr. Campings second attempt to predict his ideas of when Jesus is going to come again. It is amazing to me that people would still accept his predictions even though they have been proven wrong before yet there are folks who are anticpating this event. This is what I believe a biblical response should be. First, remember that this does not come from God because a real prophet does not get it wrong Deu 18:22. Second, live as if Jesus were going to come back today. If you do this you will prepared at all times for the Second Coming and the end of the world.
Have a great week, stay warm and be safe. May the Lord bless you all.
HGRudd
It sure has been cold and snowy here in East Tennessee. Here in Greene County the schools have closed and people are attempting to say in as much as possible. For some areas of the country 4-5 inches of snow is not that much but here it is major. This past Sunday most of the congregations in town and the county did not open. While we had worship our attendance was greatly effected with only 322 in the a.m. and 191 in the p.m. but the Holy Spirit was here and our celebration time was very meaningful. I would like to thank all those who braved the weather and the icy roads to be in worship. I realize that dangerous roads kept many home and I completely understand that but I do want to thank those who were able to be with us.
Yesterday I drove to Knoxville to pick Ruth up at the airport. She had been in Florida with 72 degree temperatures visiting with her brother. There was no problem getting over there and back as the main roads are great but when I turned on my street and attempted to drive up my driveway I almost slid into my mailbox. I had to put in 4 wheel drive low to get up to my garage. I guess today I will have to get some salt on my driveway and pray that the sun comes out to help melt it all.
I read in the Greeneville Sun on 1-7-11 about a Harold Camping who is predicting that Jesus is going to come again on May 21, 2011. This is, at least, Mr. Campings second attempt to predict his ideas of when Jesus is going to come again. It is amazing to me that people would still accept his predictions even though they have been proven wrong before yet there are folks who are anticpating this event. This is what I believe a biblical response should be. First, remember that this does not come from God because a real prophet does not get it wrong Deu 18:22. Second, live as if Jesus were going to come back today. If you do this you will prepared at all times for the Second Coming and the end of the world.
Have a great week, stay warm and be safe. May the Lord bless you all.
HGRudd
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Hello Folks,
Ruth and I got back to town on Wed. Dec. 29. We had a great time with our children and grandchildren through the Christmas holiday. Of course, my daughter Debby had me painting her living room, dining room and hallway. She tries to get all the mileage she can out of me while I am visiting and to be honest I really do not mind that. We attended a Christmas Eve worship service with our family and then went to Debby's home to celebrate our time with the family. We grilled out deer steaks, thanks to Jeff Melton, along with other foods then we ate supper. After supper we read the Christmas account and had prayer together then opened gifts. It was a great time.
After church on Sunday Dec. 26 we went to Indianapolis where James lives and spent soem time with them. On Tuesday we went to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati with James Michele and their girls. It was very interesting and informative. I would encourage all of you who would have the opportunity to take your children and grandchildren to enrich their lives.
We are now in 2011 and I look forward to what God is going to do among us. We started our New Year out by baptizing Ken Robinson. Ken is in his early thirties and recently asked Christ to forgive him and become his Savior. He asked to be baptized and we thought it would be a great event for our congregation to participate in on the first Sunday of the year. I ask you to pray that God will give us a great harvest of souls this year and also help us to make them into disciples for Jesus.
This week Ruth went to Florida with her brother Gene. He is going to stay there a while and asked that Ruth ride down with him and then she will fly back next Monday. I am glad she is going to get to be in warm weather but I sure miss her when she is gone. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, children and grandchildren. But He has also blessed me to pastor a great congregation that gives me their love and support. In this New Year I pray that we will together fulfill the Great Commission of Christ. As our Missions Statement says: Greeneville First Church of God exists to worship God, reach the lost, make disciples, and to honor Him in all that we do. May we all do exactly that.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
Ruth and I got back to town on Wed. Dec. 29. We had a great time with our children and grandchildren through the Christmas holiday. Of course, my daughter Debby had me painting her living room, dining room and hallway. She tries to get all the mileage she can out of me while I am visiting and to be honest I really do not mind that. We attended a Christmas Eve worship service with our family and then went to Debby's home to celebrate our time with the family. We grilled out deer steaks, thanks to Jeff Melton, along with other foods then we ate supper. After supper we read the Christmas account and had prayer together then opened gifts. It was a great time.
After church on Sunday Dec. 26 we went to Indianapolis where James lives and spent soem time with them. On Tuesday we went to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati with James Michele and their girls. It was very interesting and informative. I would encourage all of you who would have the opportunity to take your children and grandchildren to enrich their lives.
We are now in 2011 and I look forward to what God is going to do among us. We started our New Year out by baptizing Ken Robinson. Ken is in his early thirties and recently asked Christ to forgive him and become his Savior. He asked to be baptized and we thought it would be a great event for our congregation to participate in on the first Sunday of the year. I ask you to pray that God will give us a great harvest of souls this year and also help us to make them into disciples for Jesus.
This week Ruth went to Florida with her brother Gene. He is going to stay there a while and asked that Ruth ride down with him and then she will fly back next Monday. I am glad she is going to get to be in warm weather but I sure miss her when she is gone. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, children and grandchildren. But He has also blessed me to pastor a great congregation that gives me their love and support. In this New Year I pray that we will together fulfill the Great Commission of Christ. As our Missions Statement says: Greeneville First Church of God exists to worship God, reach the lost, make disciples, and to honor Him in all that we do. May we all do exactly that.
Pastor H. G. Rudd
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