Last week Lois and I enjoyed a wonderful date (we took Hope America as a chaperone). We went to a concert together in Ohio.

Lois and I disagree on a lot of small things and we really agree on some big things. One of the things we agree on is our favorite singer outside our own family: Fernando Ortega. The evening was everything we hoped it would be. The concert was in Ohio. We arrived early enough to have something to eat and explore the idyllic little village of Hudson. We even found a delightful little indie bookstore creatively named: The Learned Owl.

We had seats stage left in the front row. Fernando sang and played a beautiful full grand piano. He had a versatile musician named Gabe Scott with him who could play the guitar, sing, play the djembe (I just discovered that word started with a “D”), and the steel guitar. I suspect he could also play the hammar dulcimer, too because one was set up there, but it was never played. (Kind’a cruel, I thought).

Fernando did sing his signature song “Children of the Living God,” and told the humorous story of an Amish girl named Esther who he met on a cruise. (That’s right. He met a plain-dressing Amish girl on a cruise)

It was a peaceful evening of singing and storytelling. Fernando is a gifted storyteller. He has and easy, natural style much like his music. I’ve listened to Fernando’s songs almost every day for the last about fifteen years so it was fascinating to hear the details of the stories behind the songs. He was in an unusual storytelling mood that night. I was so glad Lois and Hope and I could share the memory of a perfect evening.

Date: May 20, 1012 PM
Title: Bringing Broken Outcasts to Jesus
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Text: Matthew 15:29-31
Place: Evangel Baptist Church–Taylor, Micghian

April 22, 2012 PM
Message: A Flyover of Malachi
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: A Flyover of the Books of the Bible
Place: Evangel Baptist Church–Taylor, Michigan

Date: May 13, 2012 PM
Title: A Flyover of Mark
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: A Flyover of the Books of the Bible
Place: Evangel Baptist Church–Taylor, Michigan

Date: May 13, 2012 AM 05/13/2012 11:00 AM
Title: Women of Relentless Trust
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Text: Matthew 15:21-28

Tuesday I had two choices. I had been invited to a pastor’s meeting where a number of my friends would be in attendance. Most of them would be younger pastors. There is a hopeful movement among young pastors toward a more robust theology. It’s great fun to be around these guys. The preaching and the fellowship and the singing can make your soul soar up to God. I put it on my calendar.

Later I heard that there would be another pastor’s meeting on the same day in early May. This would be a small meeting at a small white clapboard church on a little knoll south of a the tiny village of Litchfield, Michigan.

I wrestled a little with the decision. Which meeting? The young pastor’s meeting would feature nationally-known speakers and a band. The younger pastor’s meeting would be closer to home. I woke early on Tuesday looking forward to the refreshment of a meeting with other brothers and sisters in ministry.

I aimed the litte white Dodge Stratus I call “Saint Ratus” west out into the country to attend the small gathering in the country church. Refreshments were served with coffee down in the church basement. The people were sweet and kind and encouraging. I wondered if they would have real caffeinated coffee for the “younger” people–they did.

The speaker was a man of 78 years. He and his wife had been in active ministry for over 50 years. He spoke of God’s faithfulness and his supply and help over five decades of ministry. I listened with my Bible open in my lap on an old wooden pew bolted to a wooden floor. During quiet patches in the message the sounds from the trees and fields that surrounded the church wafted in the open windows of the little church. I loved his message and was deeply moved and inspired by God’s faithfulness to him… Of course it was especially powerful to me because the 78-year-old pastor who was in ministry over 50 years has been my dad for over 50 years, too.

Just before lunch was a short business meeting. I excused myself and slipped outside. The trees around the church were symphonic with birdsong. The sun shone on my head. Across from the church acres of rich soil awaited spring planting. Far away on the south border of the field was a line of beautiful trees in the tender green of spring. A gravel road ran along-side the field under an arch of leafy trees. My spirit drank in the quiet and I prayed. Most of all I thanked God for his faithfulness to me and to my family over the decades. And I prayed that God would make me faithful and fruitful for Him until my final breath.

It was a delightful morning. As always, I drove away with a lump of gratefulness in my throat confident that I had made a good decision. (I’ll check on-line for the audio of the “young pastor’s” meeting).

P.S. On the way home I made a quick diversion past a favorite used book store and stumbled across a flawless hard-cover of Sheldon VanAuken’s classic: A Severe Mercy. It was a very, very, good day.

Date: May 6, 2012 AM
Title: Inside-Out Holiness
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Text: Matthew 15:1-20

Date: April 29, 2012 PM
Message: A Flyover of Matthew
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: A Flyover of the Books of the Bible
Place: Evangel Baptist Church–Taylor, Michigan

Date: April 29, 2012 AM
Title: Holy Boldness
Speaker: Ken Pierpont
Series: Matthew’s Gospel
Text: Matthew 14:22-36