Have you ever noticed how often the Sunday morning and evening sermons have themes that are similar or that fit together nicely? Pastor Conley often comments on this reality during our weekly staff meetings as he gives short previews of the passages on which he is planning to preach. This unity of sermon themes shouldn’t surprise us since we believe in the unity of Scripture, that all of Scripture is consistent and noncontradictory in its message of God, man, sin, and the redemptive story. In fact, we should expect similar themes to be woven throughout various books of the Bible, creating a beautiful picture of the gospel and the Christian life.

The Sunday evening series has recently focused on the relationship of husbands and wives. In three sermons (which you can view here, here, and here), Pastor Conley taught through Ephesians 5:21-33 on God’s desire for the husband/wife relationship to be a clear and beautiful picture of the gospel. The gospel-picture of marriage becomes clear as husbands sacrificially love and serve their wives and as wives joyfully follow the leadership of their husbands. Soon after, during the morning series from 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Conley preached a sermon titled Praying for You from 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13.

The unity of these biblical themes, marriage and prayer, from the morning and evening sermons became evident to me as I thought of a recent resource that I came across called 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse: Prayers that Change and Strengthen Your Marriage by Michael and Melissa Kruger. This small volume is a short, inexpensive, workbook-style book that you can pick up and use to help you consistently pray specific prayers from Scripture for your spouse. Maybe you’ve wanted to pray for your spouse but have felt stuck saying the same things (“Help him at work today. Help her with the kids at home.”). Or maybe you pray regularly for various needs but haven’t considered including specific prayers for your spouse. Either way, this short, useful book gives you a roadmap to help you pray a variety of things for your spouse that are based on specific passages of Scripture.

Recently, Family Life Today, a helpful podcast on topics related to marriage and family, had Michael and Melissa Kruger on to talk about marriage and prayer, including not just praying for your spouse but praying with your spouse (and kids). The episode is very encouraging and worth the listen. Rather than being left with guilt or unrealistic expectations, you will leave this conversation with practical, realistic ways to include prayer into the rhythm of your marriage and family life.

There may not be any better way to grow your marriage than to pray with your spouse and to pray for your spouse. Praying with your spouse reveals your heart to one another. It gives you a window into what is going on in the other’s life, where her desires are at, what is consuming his thoughts, what are her burdens. Praying for your spouse is taking your thoughts and desires to the one who changes hearts. It is not our role to change our spouse, as much as we might desire that. As Pastor Conley said in his sermon, “God alone knows our hearts, and God alone can fix what is wrong there.” So, brothers and sisters, pray with and for your spouse, and take advantage of these helpful resources to encourage you along the way!

This is the second of two articles on the transition of Pastors Gearhart and Bates into their new roles at HPBC. You can read the first, where we interview Joel, here. 

On December 6, 2020, Andrew Bates (and his wife Sarah) joined Hampton Park Baptist Church because they saw how God was at work here and wanted to be a part of it. Little did they know that God had plans to move him into a staff role less than two years later! Though this was not foreseen by Andrew or HPBC, we thank God for leading in this way over the past nine months. 

Prior to moving to Greenville, Andrew served as a Student Ministries Pastor at Faith Bible Church in Naples, Florida; so he enters into this role with a bit of experience. As he steps into this new role, we wanted to ask him some questions that would help you get to know him a little bit better and give you a small window into his passion to help teens grow to love God and the church. 

Andrew, this is your second time serving as a Pastor for Student Ministries. What was your favorite part of serving in this role the first time around?

Definitely building relationships with the teens and helping them understand the joy of the gospel and living for Jesus.

When you first moved to Greenville, we were at lunch (I think at Italian Garden Restaurant), and you told me that you thought God might be preparing you for a lead or preaching/teaching role in a local church. What did God use to shift your focus back to the possibility of serving in student ministries again?

I realized I wasn’t quite ready to grow up completely! 🙂 Truthfully, the Lord has simply continued to give me a desire to minister to teens and has yet to change that. I get excited about getting to play a small role in the discipleship of teens.

And as a follow-up to the previous question, how did God work in you to give you the desire to do that here at Hampton Park in particular? Over the past couple of years, you told me about several other churches that reached out to you about available staff roles.

The character of the pastoral body and the love of the members of HP makes this a special place. The pastoral body is made up of faithful men who humbly love Jesus and serve the body of Christ. Since becoming a member at HPBC, it has been my prayer that God would lead us to a church where I could serve alongside men like the pastors here. And I would have never believed that it would be here! The Lord has been so kind! Another factor was the timing.  I really wanted to get more than half-way through my degree before stepping back into pastoral ministry, and the timing of this opening worked out really well.

Why is investing in the lives of teenagers such an important and strategic thing to do in the church?

The teens are young adults in the church now, but soon they will make up the families of the church. It is vital that teenagers learn how to be committed followers of Jesus and understand the importance of the local church now, so that when they have families, faithfulness to Christ and his church continues. I hope to help them understand how valuable they are in the Kingdom of God and to recognize that the Lord wants to use them for His glory.

Was there anyone in particular that invested in you as a teenager? If so, who? And how was it meaningful in your life?

My dad. He was my youth pastor, my coach, mentor, and friend. I watched him humbly serve the Lord in vocational ministry my entire life. He was a school teacher/coach, missionary, youth pastor, in Christian college ministry, and current pastor. He has been a true reflection of my heavenly father for me and has had an influence on every aspect of my life.

Dads of HPBC teens, I hope you go back and read again what Andrew just said! So Andrew, in order to give you a nice slow start in your role (I say this tongue-in-cheek), one of the first things you did in your new role was help with Connection Week at HPCS. How was that?!

Unexpected!! Connection Week should have been on the job description. 🙂 It was an absolute blast to get to work closely with Cody, Joel, Eric and Ben leading up to the week. These guys love Jesus and these students! The week really helped me get to know the students, faculty and staff, and make me feel a part of the ministry quickly.

You are a busy man. You have four young children, are working on a seminary degree, and now are taking on this role. How do you balance these various responsibilities/roles?

This is probably a better question for Sarah! She helps me a lot in the area of balance. She is strong, loving, and kind as she supports and helps me. For me it has been a journey of learning to be content with the time God has given me each day. I work hard to dedicate specific time to each of these areas and then trust that the Holy Spirit accomplishes what I can’t do on my own anyway.

For those of you who do not know this yet about Andrew, he rivals John Lehman for being an early-riser! Andrew, what excites you most about being in this role?

Getting to work with the Word of God and people. Every day I get to observe and learn from godly men. I also get to teach, encourage, and disciple others to follow Jesus. Being a pastor is a humbling position in which you realize everyday just how much you need Jesus and his grace.

Brag on Sarah for a minute. How has God used her to encourage and support you over the past several years leading up to your time of stepping into this new pastoral role?

Oh man! She is amazing! She truly loves Jesus and wants her life to bring him glory and reflect him. It was difficult making the decision to step out of vocational ministry and move the family up here to SC, but she never doubted that it was what the Lord was calling us to do. When I had times of discouragement, she was patient and faithful in prayer on my behalf. She is such a godly wife and mother to our children. And she is just as passionate about serving the teens here at HPBC as I am!

Alright, last question for now. What is the best book that you’ve read on ministering to teenagers?

This is a tough one…I know it’s not a book about ministering to teens specifically, but Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul Tripp has helped me much in my ministry. It’s a book that reminds me that God uses people (who are themselves in need of change) as instruments of the same kind of change in others. An important part of leading teens toward the gospel and sanctification is making sure they know that I am in the middle of the same process. I need God’s daily grace to love and follow Jesus just as much as they do.

This is the first of two articles on the transition of Pastors Gearhart and Bates into their new roles at HPBC. You can read the second, where we interview Andrew, here.

For practically all of Pastor Joel Gearhart’s ministry life, he has been focused particularly on discipling teenagers and encouraging parents to do the same. He’s done this in staff and volunteer roles in various local churches, and for the past 9 years, he has faithfully filled this role at Hampton Park. But all throughout that time, behind and underneath that important ministry, another passion has been stirring that is well-known to all those who know Joel well: God’s work through global missions. 

And so, on September 1, 2022, after hiring Pastor Andrew Bates to fill the role of Pastor for Student Ministries, Joel transitioned into his new role here at HPBC as Pastor for Missions and Outreach. As Joel and Andrew transition into their new roles, we wanted to ask each of them a few questions to give you some additional insight into their passions and desires as they begin. Today, we’ll talk to Joel about his new role in Missions and Outreach. Next Friday, we’ll post a similar interview with Andrew.

Joel, you served as Pastor for Student Ministries here at HPBC for close to 9 years. When you look back on your time in this role, what do you most thank God for?

It has been an incredible privilege to invest in the lives of the next generation of HP. Dawn and I have often said that one of the best parts of teen ministry is when teens become friends. We are so grateful for that opportunity here at HP.

Before we leave reminiscing about teen ministry, I have to ask, "Who was the most annoying teenager during those 9 years?"

Without a doubt, Tom Chapman! Oh, wait, you said teen…

You’re now a full-time Pastor for Missions and Outreach here at HPBC. You are well-known by our pastoral body (and members) as someone who is passionate about missions. When and how did your love of missions start?

That’s something hard to pin down. During my childhood we regularly had missionaries in our home. In junior high I read Daktar: Diplomat in Bangladesh, a book about Viggo Olsen. I often heard about my grandparents’ frequent missions trips. In high school I participated in several trips to serve at Indian Reservations in the Southwest. During college I was significantly challenged as I listened to and read John Piper. These are a few things God used to stir my passion for missions. But, more than all that, I grew up in a home and, therefore a church (since my dad was also my pastor), where missions was never an add-on, but was central to family and church life.

You served as Pastor for Student Ministries here at HPBC and at another church prior to coming here. How many mission trips (both international trips and trips to other places in the US) have you taken with those teens?

Here at HP we have led two teen missions trips to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico with our gospel partners Marco and Gwendolyn Nunez (2015 and 2017). We also took the teens to serve at Plant Camp in Utah three times (2014, 2021, and 2022).

At our previous church we took two teen missions trips – one to Uruguay (2004) and one to Germany (2006). We also took those teens to minister at a church in Windsor, Ontario (2007).

Awesome! That’s 8 by my count. Have you been on other mission trips apart from those trips with teens? When/where?

As a teen I participated in two missions trips in the Southwest – one on a Navajo Reservation (near Farmington, NM) and the other on an Apache Reservation (near Fort Thomas, AZ). When we lived in Wisconsin just after we were married, Dawn and I helped lead a teen ministry trip to inner city Baltimore (2001) and the next summer I helped lead the same group on a ministry trip to inner city Minneapolis (2002). More recently, in 2018 Dawn and I had the opportunity to visit several of our gospel partners in China, along with my brother and his family, who where at the time serving there as well.

What is a particular country or missionary that you hope to visit at some point? And why?

So, you want me to pick a favorite missionary?? 🙂 There are a number of people and places I really look forward to visiting. So, I’ll go with Dominica (where Tony and Martha Cornelius and Hudson and Louise Challenger serve), since that is the first place I plan to visit in my new role.

What excites you most about being in this role?

There are a lot of things that excite me. Since I have to pick one, I’d say that it is the chance to get a front row seat as, Lord willing, over the next few years we will have the opportunity to see God direct a number from our body to go to the ends of the earth for the sake of the gospel.

What is your favorite book on missions? And why? (Don’t cheat. You can only choose one for this question!)

Without a doubt it is A Vision for Mission by Tom Wells. A decade ago I was given this little book by my little brother as he and his family were preparing to leave for China. Some books you read and then just put on your shelf. This is a book I read and have continued to go back to again and again and it has had a significant influence on my thinking about missions. The central idea of the book is that God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for who He is. This is core to the missionary motive and message. And those who know the most about God are the most responsible and best equipped to tell others of Him. This is a great place to start for anyone looking to read about missions.

I read that book with you and the interns a couple years ago and agree that it is excellent! What is your favorite missionary biography? And why?

I love the little book John G Paton: Missionary to the Cannibals of the South Seas by Paul Schlehlein. The autobiography of Paton is excellent, but very long. Schlehlein does a great job of sharing significant highlights of Paton’s life and then drawing out lessons for us to learn from his example and story. If you are looking for a great read you should check it out!

(You’ve continually recommended this biography to me, and I have yet to read it. I’m sorry!) What is the most compelling quote you’ve heard on missions?

I have to give two answers to this question. For a long time, the well-known words of Jim Elliot have gripped me. He wrote that “he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Elliot lived that to its fullest. The other quote is one that has been up on the white board in my office for several years…at this point it might be permanent. 🙂 I can’t remember where I read it, but it is one that I can’t get out of my head. “It is the pastor’s responsibility and privilege to fan the flame of God’s global glory in the church. Shepherd your people to be disciple-makers among the nations.”

Thanks for sharing all of that! I’m excited to see how God continues to grow our church in this area. I want to shift gears a bit here at the end. Another part of your oversight is local outreach, and you recently told me that you plan to implement a couple of new things at Harvest Happening this year. What are those and why do you see them as a valuable addition to this yearly event for our community?

At Liberty Park (during Plant Camp in Utah with the teens) we used tables with questions on them to engage people in the park in conversation. We plan to do something similar during Harvest Happening. A few of the questions we are thinking of using are “Need Prayer?” and “What is Greenville’s greatest need?”. Our prayer is that God will use these questions to provide opportunities for some of us to have intentional gospel conversations with some of those coming on to our campus.

And finally, is Outreach a program or a way of life? (How’s that for a leading question?!)

Simplest answer I can give is that it is a way of life that on an occasion is programized to rally God’s people during a specific time for a specific task. We are called to be people quick to give answer of the hope that is within us. We are all called to be heralds of the Good News whereever God sends us.

 

Psalm 111:1-4
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.

Praising God is a good thing to do. In fact, it’s better than a good thing to do. It’s what our life is about. It’s why we were made. God made us to know him, to experience his goodness through his word and works, and to praise him for it. We were made for worship. But in Psalm 111:1, the psalm-writer goes farther than that. He says he will give thanks to God in a particular place: “in the company of the upright, in the congregation.” Now why is that? Isn’t praise more personal than that? Isn’t it about my personal relationship with Jesus?

While we certainly should praise God personally, the manifold reasons we have to praise God ought not stay with us. And Psalm 111:2 tells us why: “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.” The church (i.e. “the congregation”) is the gathering place of all those who have made God-exalting, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered worship the delight of their lives. Read that again: the local church is the gathering place of all those who have made God-exalting, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered worship/praise the delight of their lives. So, when you stand in front of the congregation to testify about God’s work in your life, what used to be reason for one person to thank and praise God has now become reason for hundreds of Christians (depending on the size of the congregation!) to thank and praise God.

Towards the end of 2017, Pastor Conley preached a series of sermons on the topic of Testifying to our church family. Then, at the start of 2018, we began having members of our church testify during our Evening Gathering about God’s goodness and faithfulness in their lives. We’ve heard testimonies of God’s faithfulness in trials. We’ve heard testimonies of God’s graciousness in salvation. We’ve heard testimonies of God’s work in evangelism. We’ve heard testimonies of God’s power at work around the world from gospel partners. We’ve heard testimonies of God’s leading in bringing members into our church family. And we’ve praised God together for these things. For those who have sat through these testimonies, you’ve often heard a murmur of praise to God when they finish. It’s a murmur of Psalm 111:3: “Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.”

In early 2019, we began saving the recordings of these testimonies and posting them on a secure page of our website for our members to view after the fact. We’ve often heard from members who are away on a Sunday that one of the main things they miss is the testimony on Sunday nights. Since 2019, we’ve gathered over 80 of these testimonies. I would encourage you to take some time to look over this page and watch the ones you’ve missed, or re-watch some that you’ve forgotten. Contact the HP office for the password. Watching these will cause your heart to swell with gratitude, giving you new reasons to delight in God’s works. “He has caused his wonderous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful” (Psalm 111:4).

1 John 5:3 makes a provocative statement that at first glance seems out of touch with reality: “And [God’s] commandments are not burdensome.” Commandments not burdensome? For real? If this is your first reaction (like it was mine), then you probably see commands as almost inherently burdensome. That’s the whole point of commands, isn’t it? To constrain those commanded? So, how can John say this? On what basis are God’s commands not burdensome? In meditating on this, I came up with ten reasons (though there are likely far more) that God’s commands are not burdensome. 

1. God’s commands are in line with how he created the world. If God created everything (Genesis 1), if he sustains everything (Hebrews 1:3), if he knows where true satisfaction and joy are found (Psalm 16:11), if he is a good God (Psalm 100:5), then he knows (and created!) how this world is intended to operate. And His commands are in keeping with how he created everything. Imagine trying to operate an MRI machine without any operator’s manual. You need the manual full of instructions (commands) so that you know how it is intended to work. So it is with God’s commands. His commands are not burdensome because they are given to us so that life can flourish in the world he created.

2. God’s commands are for our good. When a parent commands a child not to touch a stove top or not to poke a paper clip into an electrical outlet, the parent is not intending to burden the child. In fact, the exact opposite is happening: the parent is trying to save the child from significant burdens that would otherwise swiftly come. Life in a fallen world is full of these kinds of burdens. God’s commands similarly graciously guard his children from significant burdens that come from living life outside of the boundaries that he has given. If you want to see a burdensome life, then live life outside of God’s commands. His commands are not a burden because they guard us from self-inflicted burdens of life in a fallen world.

3. God’s commands are simple. The religious leaders in Jesus’ day developed a complex list of commands to follow. Some of the commands were ones that they themselves designed to help them keep the commands that God had given. They were commands for the sake of the commands. And there were lots of them. Sometimes people look at the Old Testament and view it as a complex list of commands. And yet when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment in the Law, his answer was strikingly simple: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). Two. That’s it. The entirety of God’s commands summed up in two: love God and love your neighbor. It’s that simple. God’s commands are not a burden because his commands are not complex.

4. God’s commands are not the means by which his approval is gained. The beauty of the gospel is that acceptance with God does not come from my perfect obedience to God’s law or through my performing some level of penance that will earn back God’s favor. Approval in God’s sight comes through union with the only one to perfectly obey God’s commands: Jesus. This means that God’s commands take on a distinct role in the life of a Christian. They are no longer the means by which we are condemned as by a judge but rather the means by which we are instructed/taught as by a Father. His commands are not burdensome because our obedience is the fruit (not the root) of our salvation.

5. God enables what he commands. God does not merely give his children commands. Rather, by the power of the Spirit, God works in his children that which he commands them. He empowers what he demands. He promised this when Jeremiah prophesied of a new covenant: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my laws within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33). God’s commands are not burdensome because he promises to produce in us that which he requires of us (Philippians 1:6).

6. God commands us, not just me. God did not leave us to follow him alone. He gave us the gift of a family called the local church. In this family we have pastors who teach us and friends who exhort us, encourage us, and support us. This gospel-motivated community called the local church is ready to help me follow God’s commands no matter the situation: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:15-16). “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). God’s commands are not burdensome because he gives his commands in the context of a loving community.

7. God commands, yet God forgives. Commands imply obedience. Commands are given to be obeyed. Yet this is why they are so often burdensome. Commands induce guilt because they are often not obeyed. But because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we are told this: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Then, just a couple verses later: “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). When you feel burdened by God’s commands, remember the gospel of God’s forgiveness in Christ. God is not only faithful to forgive sins, he is just to forgive sins because the sins have already been paid for in Jesus. God’s commands are not burdensome because he faithfully and justly forgives us in Christ whenever we come to him in repentance.

8. God’s commands are not his only word. If the only thing God spoke were commands, then his commands would likely feel burdensome. However, God’s commands are not the only words that he has spoken. In fact, much of the Bible is filled with words from God other than commands. Much of the Bible explains the story of how God has continually pursued dwelling with his chosen people, as seen in the Garden of Eden, the Tabernacle, the Temple, the incarnation of Jesus, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the church, and the new heavens and new earth. God does not just command. He speaks words of promise, covenant promises grounded in his steadfast love. God’s commands are not burdensome because his commands flow out of his committed covenant relationship with his people.

9. God’s commands are worth singing about! We tend to sing about the things that we love or the things that move our affections most significantly. It’s significant, then, that in the Bible’s song book (Psalms) there are many songs that celebrate God’s commands. Maybe the two most significant are Psalm 19 and 119, where we read (or sing!) phrases like, “More to be desired are [your commands] than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10) or “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24). When I’m viewing God’s commands rightly, I’m energized to sing about them. God’s commands are not burdensome because rightly understood, they are sweet, satisfying, and song-worthy.

10. God’s commands do not change. One of the burdensome things about commands in our world is that they change. People change, policies change, presidents change. Employers change their procedures, friends change their views, parents change their minds. This changing of what’s expected of us in so many different contexts can be quite burdensome! But God does not change (Numbers 23:19). His character and His word are consistent for all eternity (Matthew 24:35). God’s commands are not burdensome because they are consistent, unchanging.

There are certainly many other reasons that God’s commands are not burdensome. As I was working through these, I thought of the fact that God’s commands point us to where true hope and satisfaction is found, as in his command to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). Or how his commands guard us from wasting our resources in this life: “lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-21). What other examples can you think of?

Here’s the point. There are countless reasons for us to believe that this statement from 1 John 5:3 is not an empty phrase thrown out there to make us feel better about the fact that there are a lot of commands in the Bible. 1 John 5:3 is true and powerful and defensible in numerous ways. Ultimately, may this brief meditation lead us to rejoice in God’s commands, as does the songwriter at the end of the longest Psalm: “I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments” (Psalm 119:174-176).

Prayer. We all know we should do it. But most of us feel guilty when the topic is brought up because we just don’t do it. One of the reasons that we don’t do it is that there’s not enough time, or at least we say. “Prayer takes time,” we say to ourselves. Long periods of time. There’s too much to pray for. The task seems overwhelming. So we just don’t do it.

My purpose in this post is not to give a comprehensive theology of prayer, nor is it to speak of every aspect of prayer possible. Instead, I hope that one specific Bible passage on prayer will show us how Jesus teaches us to pray in a simple and “doable way." So if you feel overwhelmed at the mention of prayer, I hope this post will encourage you to pray more prayers that are short, meaningful, and specific.

Many of us know Matthew 5-7 as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is teaching his followers about following him, meanwhile angering the religious leaders of the day by overturning many of their Old Testament interpretations along with some of their religious practices. During this teaching to his followers, he talks about prayer.

As we zoom in on 6:7-13, let’s remind ourselves of what we said at the beginning regarding one of the reasons we don’t pray: “We are too busy. The task is big and overwhelming. It takes a long time to pray.” Check out what Jesus says in 6:7: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Notice two things about this verse. First, Jesus points out that there are such things in prayers as “empty phrases.” These are words and phrases that add length to our prayers but are spoken without thought or purpose. The most frequent empty phrase is probably, “Dear God, thank you for this day…,” the common opener in most prayers. It’s not that this phrase is a bad thing to pray. Rather, prayer is a meaningful thing. We don’t pile up empty phrases in conversations with a close friend. Neither should we with our Father. Say only what you mean. Second, somehow we got the idea that longer prayers are better (“for they think that they will be heard for their many words” 6:7). For some reason we easily get this urge to keep our prayers going, even if we have nothing more to say. We haven’t yet reached the minimum time for a decent prayer; so, we pile on empty phrases as we think of something to say next. But Jesus is saying that longer prayer isn’t better prayer. In fact, it’s often full of purposeless phrases.

Notice the reason that Jesus gives for not piling up empty phrases in prayers: “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (6:8). The length of your prayer isn’t what makes it “work.” God doesn’t even need us to explain all of our situations to him. He already knows what we need. Prayer from our perspective is an expression of our dependence upon God. We need him. So we pray to him, expressing our faith in his control over and care of our lives. So, from Jesus’ teaching here, we learn this important truth: meaningful prayer does not have to do with the length of prayer.

Jesus presses this point even further in the very next verses. After teaching his followers that meaningful prayer doesn’t have to do with the length, he goes on to give an example of what meaningful prayer looks like in 6:9-13 by praying a short prayer himself. He starts off by saying, “Pray then like this” (6:9). In other words, here is an example of the kind of prayer that is meaningful. He says ten short phrases that are to the point and lack any amount of clutter or empty phrases. It takes about 20 seconds to speak through Jesus’ exemplary prayer.

So, brothers and sisters who desire to pray more often, be encouraged! The value or meaning of your prayers is not wrapped up in their length or verbiage. In fact, when Jesus said to pray “like this,” he packed meaning and truth into a mere twenty seconds.  God wants to hear from you. And you do have time. When you hear about a request from a friend, take 10 seconds to pray for it right then. When you wake up in the morning, take 10 seconds to pray for God’s help today. When you walk outside and are overwhelmed by the beauty of creation, take 10 seconds to praise and thank God. Pray short, meaningful prayers all throughout your day. And leave out the empty phrases. Jesus’ teaching and example show us how to pray constantly, meaningfully, and specifically.

This is the second of two articles on the Women’s Ministry Director transition at HPBC. You can read the first, where we say “thank you” to Theresa Bixby, here.

Women have always been an integral part of the ministry of Hampton Park Baptist Church. They are an indispensable part of the church family, uniquely gifted by God in particular ways to serve others. As of  July 1,  Jennifer Martin, an HPBC “lifer,” has stepped into the role of Director of Women’s Ministry. Jennifer is passionate about seeing women connect with other women for mutual support, encouragement, and care, and she has been exemplary in her involvement at HPBC over the years.

As we say “welcome” to Jennifer as she enters into this role, we thought it would be fun to ask her a few questions that would give us additional insight into the Women’s Ministry Director role and her heart as she steps into it.

When did you first start attending HPBC?

I’ve been attending HPBC since 1982 when I began as a faithful member of the nursery. 🙂

What are one or two ways that the ministry of women at HPBC has shaped you?

When I think about the women that have had the most impact on my life spiritually, they have all been a part of Hampton Park at some point. Just the genuine care and concern for me through prayers or showing love by meeting tangible needs has been such a blessing.

What most excites you about being in this role? 

I think being even more involved with the women at HP is what excites me the most about this role. I love getting to know people, so I’m looking forward to getting to know some ladies better than I already do and can’t wait to meet and get to know others for the first time. 

What is a goal that you have for this first year or even beyond the first year?

One goal of mine is to be able to put a name with every woman’s face that is a member at Hampton Park.  While that seems like an easy task for someone who has been in the church “forever,” I’m amazed at how many ladies I don’t know at all because of how many people that have joined over the recent years. 

Is there anything that makes you nervous about this role?

I’m not sure if “nervous” is the word I would use, but I’m definitely requesting prayer as I learn to navigate and balance life as a wife, a mom, and ministry director. 

If someone were to ask you, “What’s the best thing about women’s ministry at HPBC,” how would you respond? 

There are so many women who truly want to love others and are eager to help in any way they can.

What would be a 2-3 sentence encouragement you would give to all of our HPBC member ladies?

Get involved in as many ways as you can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You won’t regret getting to know ladies with all kinds of different backgrounds in various stages of life. Find opportunities to be a blessing and let others be a blessing to you!

Welcome, Jennifer! We are grateful to God in leading you to serve the women of HPBC in this way, and we look forward to serving alongside you for the glory of God in our church and community.

For more than a decade, Hampton Park Baptist Church’s Women’s Ministries have been led by Theresa Bixby. On June 30, 2021, she will finish serving in this role (in an official capacity) and begin serving God and the church through her retirement years. Theresa and I (Ben) have met together most weeks over the past 2-3 years to share ministry needs and burdens. Throughout that time, I have come to appreciate her compassionate heart, unshaking conviction, and joyful spirit.

As we say “thank you” to Theresa for her many years of faithful service here at HPBC, we thought it would be fun to ask her a few questions that would give us additional insight into the Women’s Ministry Director role and her heart as she served in it.

How long have you been the Women’s Ministry Director at HPBC?

I love my church and count it a privilege to have served the ladies of HPBC for over 12 ½ years. I was doing my dream job and it gave me great joy.

What most excited you about the role when you first started?

I was completely surprised when I was asked to consider this job.  I already loved and respected the ladies of our church, but I was energized by the thought of getting to know more of them, learning their names and finding out their heart throbs and their needs.  I longed to encourage them to grow in their likeness to Christ, no matter where they were on their spiritual journey.

What will you miss the most once you are not in this role anymore? 

I will miss the contact with the staff members whom I have come to love and appreciate.  I will miss feeling “responsible” for the well-being of the HPBC ladies. 

What was challenging about working in this role?

I was the first one in this role.  While I had a job description, the nuts and bolts of the job were left up to me. I am not necessarily a person who thinks out of the box, but I do have a certain degree of creativity and God-given leadership skills.  I am thankful for the many friends who encouraged me, pushed me and prayed for me.  I am thankful for those who gave suggestions and were understanding when we could not do their project.  I am thankful for God’s wisdom and for the support of the pastors. 

I wanted to make sure we were meeting the needs of our ladies and started a few new ministries.  Some worked and some did not.  The death of a dream is always disappointing. 

What is one or two unexpected blessings of working in this role?

I found so many ladies in our church who were serving God faithfully.  They didn’t need the lime light or organization.  They were using their time, skills, money and energy investing in the lives of others for God’s glory. 

I have enjoyed and been blessed by the cross-generational look of many of our women’s ministries. 

What are your plans once you retire? 

We do not have any plans set in stone yet (Paul is retiring also).  Depending on the pandemic, we may be involved in a mission trip in the fall. We hope to see our kids more often.  Our list of things to do around the house and in the yard is extensive and has been neglected for way too long.

Can we expect to still see you involved in ministry to women at HPBC?

Of course! That is who I am!  God willing, we are not moving for a long time.  Paul and I will continue our involvement in the Spanish ministry.  I want to be faithful in attendance at the ladies’ events—Women for Missions, luncheons, retreats, etc.  At least for this fall, I will be teaching at Ladies’ Bible Study.  I have become a funeral meal team leader.  I have told Jennifer that I want to be her best cheerleader and supporter.  I want to help her when she needs me and step back and hide in the shadows when she needs me to do that.  I am delighted that God has called her to this position and I’m sure she will do a great job.

Thank you, Theresa, for your faithfulness over the past 12 ½ years. We are thankful that you will still be around HPBC and look forward to continuing to serve alongside you.

What does it mean to be made a male or female in God’s image, to be made with dignity and purpose? There are few questions more important than this in our current day and cultural climate. In this clip, Pastor Drew Conley addresses this issue from a sermon on Hebrews 2:5-9 entitled "The Curse, the Cross, and the Crown."

Serve One Another in Love

Galatians 5:13-16

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we will serve one another in love rather than wounding and destroying one another with slander and malicious gossip as those dominated by the flesh do.

Love One Another

1 John 4:7-12

We will actively, selflessly love one another as demonstration that we are born-again children of God.

Be Hospitable to One Another and Minister Your Gifts to One Another

1 Peter 4:7-11

Because the consummation of the age is near, we will share freely and use our spiritual gifts faithfully for the benefit of one another with vigilant prayer and strenuous love.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Galatians 6:1-5

While we carry our own assigned loads of responsibility, we will help one another bear burdens too heavy to bear alone, including humbly and meekly helping to restore brothers or sisters
overtaken in a fault.

Exhort One Another

Hebrews 3:13-14

Realizing the great danger of departing from God through unbelief, we will comfort, encourage, and exhort one another to hold fast to the treasure we have in Christ.

Build Up One Another

I Thessalonians 5:11, 14-15

In light of our union with Christ and His imminent return, we will encourage and build up one another with longsuffering and beneficial deeds—especially those who are unruly, fainthearted, or spiritually weak.

Receive One Another

Romans 15:1-7

Because we have been welcomed by Christ through no merit of our own, we will welcome other believers with open arms, showing likeminded devotion and selfless service to the glory of the God who transforms us.

Forbearing and Forgiving One Another

Colossians 3:12-14

Because God has shown us grace, we will treat one another with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, longsuffering, and self-sacrificing love.

Express Genuine Love to One Another

Romans 12:9-10, 15-16

We will express genuine love to one another by devotion to good, family affection, eager honor, and likeminded compassion, rather than behaving in pride.

Treat One Another as Friends and Family

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

We will treat one another as the privileged members of God’s family that we are, rejoicing together, restoring and comforting one another, and being likeminded and peaceful with warm affection toward one another.