Preaching The Gospel

GRADYE PARSONS

Synod’s keynote speaker this year was Gradye Parsons, Director of Strategic Operations for the General Assembly. Having spent his entire life in this synod and being well liked, he could have talked about anything he wanted to. Some may have expected him to talk about the General Assembly. His topic was “It Started in 1706.” That could have meant talking about history. But no, Gradye said, “I'm just going to talk to you about the Gospel.”

Using texts from Numbers chapter 13 and Matthew chapter 17, he urged the Synod to see God’s promise to His people and cautioned them not to let fear shorten their faith, even if they, like the Children of Israel, feel like grasshoppers among giants when they finally reach the Promised Land. “Trust God,” he said, “and develop your faith by facing such giants as fear of failure.” He said there is no one way to succeed in every situation but the only thing that is guaranteed to fail is not trying. Earlier that day, in the opening worship service, Synod Moderator Kenneth Dick had preached a powerful sermon on being counted by Jesus as sheep instead of goats by living in obedience to God.

At the opening worship on the last day of the Synod meeting, Western Kentucky Presbytery Executive Rich Cooper echoed the spirit of the two previous sermons and urged the Synod to take advantage of every opportunity to take a chance for Jesus. “You can go quickly or you can go cautiously, but give it your best shot,” he told them.

Synod Vice Moderator Don Padget said he was impressed with all the good sermons heard at Synod meeting this year and he wished everybody could have heard them. Kenneth Dick’s sermon “Being Counted As Sheep” is available now on the “What’s New” page of the Synod web site: www.synodoflivingwaters.org. Check this site for more sermons at a later date.

—Jane Hines