Good News!! (No, there's no girl)

[Joe Biden 2020]

As some of you may know, I am a licensed Southern Baptist preacher in the State of Oklahoma.  My home church is praying about and planning on ordaining me in January.  Last evening, about 8:30 my time, I got a phone call from my youth minister saying that his step-dad's church in Shawnee is without a pastor and looking for a man that will lead their congregation.  I called his step-dad and got some information and I will be preaching down there on Sunday morning, October 11 and occasionally after that for the rest of the year.  This may turn into a full-time pastoral position.

I am really praying hard about this.  I'm going down there tonight for a song service to meet the deacons and some of the members before I go down there on October 11 and deliver the morning message.

If you pray, pray mainly for two things.  Pray that the Lord would have His perfect will and that He would give me the messages that He wants me to deliver, not the messages that Jeff wants Jeff to deliver.  Pray that I would be mindful of my Heavenly Father's Glorious and Perfect Will.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cue several pages of braying derision.

[Хahar 🤔]

Congratulations.

[Sensei]

Well, this makes it a lot easier to focus on Christmas. Congrats, you seem like you'd be good at this sort of thing.

[Mechaman]

As some of you may know, I am a licensed Southern Baptist preacher in the State of Oklahoma.  My home church is praying about and planning on ordaining me in January.  Last evening, about 8:30 my time, I got a phone call from my youth minister saying that his step-dad's church in Shawnee is without a pastor and looking for a man that will lead their congregation.  I called his step-dad and got some information and I will be preaching down there on Sunday morning, October 11 and occasionally after that for the rest of the year.  This may turn into a full-time pastoral position.

I am really praying hard about this.  I'm going down there tonight for a song service to meet the deacons and some of the members before I go down there on October 11 and deliver the morning message.

If you pray, pray mainly for two things.  Pray that the Lord would have His perfect will and that He would give me the messages that He wants me to deliver, not the messages that Jeff wants Jeff to deliver.  Pray that I would be mindful of my Heavenly Father's Glorious and Perfect Will.

I don't believe in God, but I will wish you safe travel back and forth between where you live and Shawnee. Alot of preachers around where I live travel quite a bit to preach at their particular churches, I'm amazed that they can do it week after week.

[12th Doctor]

Cue several pages of braying derision.

*Sigh*

I'll get the gun.

[Linus Van Pelt]

My home church is praying about and planning on ordaining me in January. 

Does the SBC not require a seminary degree for ordination? And is ordination conferred by individual congregations rather than by a presbytery or some such higher level?

[DownWithTheLeft]

Hopefully you won't be required to staple anything

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Congratulations, Jeff.......no girls and no boys and you'll be fine

[Joe Biden 2020]

My home church is praying about and planning on ordaining me in January. 

Does the SBC not require a seminary degree for ordination? And is ordination conferred by individual congregations rather than by a presbytery or some such higher level?

Ordination is handled and conferred by individual congregations, but is recognized by the broader convention.  Each individual congregation is autonomus (sp?) and governs itself.  The convention and each "association" are there for support, holding the basic doctrine, and is there in case the individual churches need help finding supply preachers or need a loan for a renovation or whatever.  The convention also supports our foreign and domestic missionaries.

Think of the SBC as the United States of America, the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma as the State of Oklahoma, my association which is the Capital Baptist Assoc. as Oklahoma County and my home church as a "town".  Thinking of our "hierarchy" as political boundaries will help determine the cooperation and individuality of each congregation.

When I am ordained, I will be recognized as a minister/clergy across the entire country.  Being licensed is just for the State of Oklahoma, but ordination is one step higher (the USA).  Both levels have the same priviliges such as conducting weddings and funerals as well as preaching.  I have coined the phrase "I can marry 'em and I can bury 'em".

Anyway, I had a very good time tonight.  I didn't stay the entire time because I had to get back home, but I enjoyed it and the people there are very friendly.

[Psychic Octopus]

Congratulations!