One special aspect of this service was the fact that my dad was able to come and preach. His sermon was a great reminder to believe and live a Gospel centered life. He reminded us of our participation and partnership in both receiving and sharing the Gospel, the power of the Gospel, the priority of the Gospel in our lives, and our practice of the Gospel. What a great blessing to hear my dad preach at this service!
My pastor, Matt, called me to "get a grasp on my calling" by pointing me to Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus commands us to go and make disciples through His power and authority. Matt asked me to come and publicly declare my intentions by asking me to make some promises to First ARP. Knowing that I am human and prone to err, he then asked the congregation to come and lay hands on me as my beloved friends, Mark and Betsy, prayed for me. What a wonderful time of encouragement!