Wednesday, January 29, 2003
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Wednesday, January 29, 2003 |
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How one grandma made a difference By JOHN HATCHER She's no Mother Teresa. She would never purport to be. She's no Lady Diana. Doesn't have the jewels. She's not even a Barbara Bush. I don't know if she owns a strand of pearls. She's a simple grandma. A grandma with a grandma's heart for her grandsons. When her grandson, Tony Lankford, was a young teenager, he was invited to attend a special youth discipleship event with other young people. Lo and behold while attending the event, Tony accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Hey! That's the kind of stuff you want to happen at such events. Well, Grandma had a dilemma. She was thrilled with her grandson's decision to follow Christ and knew he needed to be regular in church. But! "We have a problem Houston." Her daughter and son-in-law kind and wonderful folks as they were were not that interested in attending church and in fact did not attend a church. Another fact: her son-in-law was not a Christian. Even Grandma Fran Jenkins didn't go to a church regularly. So, what do you do? Grandson Tony had opened his heart to Jesus and nobody was particularly positioned to help him advance his Christian walk. But a grandma will make a way. Through a link with a Fayetteville resident, Marianna Laney, Grandma found out about a rather new church in town not too set in its ways meeting in a storefront. That was we. I remember the Sunday when Grandma brought her grandsons Tony and a bit younger one called Todd to church. The boys looked like fish out of water. But praise God for good ole grandmas who love their grandchildren enough to take them to church. But of course, these two boys were more than willing to go. Soon, we baptized Tony and Todd in the swimming pool of Tom and Marsha Reese out on Hampton Road since the church did not have its own baptizing pool. Sure enough, Tony's mom and dad, Danny and Kathy, came to the baptizing, but kept their distance otherwise. The boys, neither of whom was old enough to drive, continued to be brought to church by Grandma Fran. Good ole Grandma! Well, not too long afterwards, Tony's mom, Kathy started coming to church. Father Danny would come only on special occasions when the boys would be performing. Yet, the word got out that Danny was a former radio disc jockey. So, our worship minister, Ray Walker, one day approached Danny about operating the sound system. He agreed. We finally had the last fish corralled. He had no choice but to hear the Gospel every week. Maybe a year or so later, the whole family rejoiced as husband and wife, Danny and Kathy, submitted their lives to Christ and to water baptism. Now, the whole family was a part of the family of God. I am telling you all this because just Sunday night, Jan. 26, while most people were thinking they would be watching a true football contest on television, I was attending a service of ordination as that grandson, Tony, was set aside as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tony and his wife Tiffany a product of Harp's Crossing Baptist Church were set-aside for ministry by the Second Baptist Church of Cedartown, Georgia. What a blessed event! Dad, Mom, Brother, and yes, Grandma, were all there to witness it. Don't let anyone ever tell you grandmas can't shake the world. If you are a grandmother or grandfather, use your influence with your willing grandchildren. Bypass your children who may be more interested in other things. Take your precious ones to church! For Christ's sake!
John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive Fayetteville, Georgia 30215 770-719-0303 |
