BARDSTOWN—Even if you have to crawl, stay in the race, Doug Willliams, the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s missions strategist, told over 350 Kentucky Baptist senior saints during the Senior Living Celebration in Bardstown on April 17.
The celebration, held at Parkway Baptist Church, was themed “Race of My Lifetime,” and was also held on April 16 in Somerset and April 19 in Hopkinsville.
“He (the writer of Hebrews) is saying, ‘Don’t stop now. You’re almost there.’ Genuine followers of Jesus, run the race of Christ, regardless of the trials and regardless of the temptations until the very end,” Williams said.
He added, “In other words, the Christian life isn’t about sprinting. It’s about jogging or walking or even crawling. In other words, the Christian life is not a short distance race, it is a marathon.”
Drawing from Hebrews 12, he presented four ways the senior saint can “run with endurance to the end.”
1) By realizing we are not the only runners.
2) By laying aside that which weighs us down.
3) By fixing our eyes on the prize.
4) By considering the one who endured for us.
“Isaiah says we will ‘run and not grow weary,’ we will ‘walk and not faint,’ but the only way we will do that is by the grace that God gives us through His son Jesus,” Williams continued.
“It’s not how fast you’re running, keep running, and by the grace of God we will cross that finish line to hear him say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Now enter into the victory lane,'” he concluded.
Attendees also had the option to attend various breakout sessions, including a Bible study led by James Carroll, a session sharing how to include creative drama in ministry by Carol Redd, dramatist for the event, a rock painting session, an estate planning seminar led by the Kentucky Baptist Foundation’s Richard Carnes and Austin Wilkerson, and an update session from AARP.
The day ended with a routine from comedian, author and former pastor, Dennis Swanberg, a comedian, author and former pastor.
The Senior Living Celebration is an annual event sponsored by the senior adult ministry department of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. (WR)
Myriah Snyder