12/20/20 Special Grif.Net - Milestone in Ministry
Robert Griffin
50 years seems like a long time, looking ahead. Who can imagine what life will look like fifty years from now in 2070?? But looking back, it seems just the blink of an eye.
I was led by God in the summer of 1963 to respond for service in the Gospel Ministry as my life’s vocation. During my high school and college years, I was involved in working in many churches, honing skills and realizing the enormity of God’s calling for my life. By the time I was in graduate school, I was “part-time” Assistant Pastor at Calvary Baptist in Jefferson, Wisconsin, teaching and preaching for Pastor Gale Schaeffer. Teresa and I had gotten married and I had finished my last course work (except defending my Thesis) and ready to embark on full time ministry. But we were unsure where God was leading.
A door opened for our first “full-time” pastoral position when we received a call after Thanksgiving 1970 from Bethany Baptist in Grand Blanc, Michigan. It was as an Associate Pastor to minister with Senior Pastor Bob Biddison, with our ministry focused on Youth (elementary-college) in a large suburban church. We were so excited for this opportunity, and to move from our seminary training, secular work at the slaughterhouse to pay the bills, and part-time local church service into 100% full-time ministry! So we packed up our Watertown, Wisconsin, apartment in a small U-Haul trailer behind our Rambler, and headed east.
December 20th, 1970 – fifty years ago today – we stepped onto the platform of that church and were installed in our first full-time ministry! Wow. Few people are blessed to work for 50 years in any vocation, but we feel truly blessed for God to have allowed us this privilege in the high calling of God. God has granted us a wide variety of Gospel Ministry opportunities in these past five decades. Meeting and serving so many special people, preaching and teaching God’s Word. We have sought to “make full proof of our ministry” (Second Timothy 4:5).
Some have asked what is ahead. We don’t know, but our plan now is to move “full circle” in April/May 2021 when we retire from full-time ministry to a home in Watertown, Wisconsin, about ten blocks from our first apartment there and two miles from campus of our alma mater. It will be hard to leave our home and friends in Wyoming and memories here, but pray for God’s peace and guidance directing this move.
The Apostle Paul wrote to a pastor, “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.” (Colossians 4:17). And his testimony, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” (First Timothy 1:12)
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
"Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!"