The Alabama Messenger November December 2021 by Alabama District Council of the Assemblies of God

Network Superintendent ds@adcag.org

TIS THE SEASON Nearly 100 years ago, a newspaper reporter cynically came up to the Bri sh poet Rudyard Kipling and said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your wri ngs amounts to over one hundred dollars a word.” Mr. Kipling raised his eyebrows and said, “Really, I certainly wasn’t aware of that!” The reporter reached into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Mr. Kipling and said, “Here’s a one-hundred-dollar bill. Now give me one of your one-hundred-dollar words.” Rudyard Kipling looked at that piece of currency for a moment, then he folded it up and put it in His pocket and said, “Thanks!” Thanks is a $100 word and needs to be “spent” more o en. As we approach the Thanksgiving season, let’s remember that it won’t cost us $100 to say it to someone, but it may be worth it to them. I Thess. 5:18 tells us, “In everything give thanks....” Take me to be thankful. Thankful for all the Lord has done in your life and for those around you that have supported you in your life and ministry. I am deeply grateful for each person that has made a spiritual deposit in my life. I’ll never forget the Sunday night I was a ending an Assemblies of God church, for the rst me, because I wanted to date a girl (Cyndi) that went there, and her mother said I couldn’t date her if I didn’t a end the church. During the altar call, she walked from the front to the back pew at the close of the service and said, “Kenny Draughon, you’re ge ng saved tonight!” I replied, “Yes, ma’am!” That night began my spiritual journey. Thank you, Be y Ready (later to be my mother-in-law), for carrying enough to reach out to a teenager. Have you ever thanked God for the person who planted the seeds of the gospel into your life? Have you thanked Him for the prayer intercessors He raised on your behalf? Have you ever thanked God for those who feed the Word of God to you and to those who are pu ng God’s Word out in the world? When was the last me you thanked God for your spouse? When was the last me you thanked God for His provision? It’s a great day to be thankful.

Merry Christmas

I am thankful for my heavenly Father sending His “only bego en Son” to become my Savior at Calvary. We pass through two amazing and blessed seasons before we conclude this year. I love Christmas! Remember, it’s not about the gi s; it’s about THE GIFT. We are asking for you and your family to be abundantly blessed during this Holiday Season! We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas.

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Ken & Cyndi Draughon

KENNETH W. DRAUGHON

MICHAEL D. SHARP, D.MIN.

Network Secretary-Treasurer msharp@adcag.org

THE SEASON OF ADVENT – PREPARING FOR CHRIST’S COMING

Every year many American Chris ans complain about the corrup ng busyness and materialism of Christmas. For decades Americans have rede ned the “Christmas season” as beginning the Friday a er Thanksgiving (a modern American holiday) when our shopping frenzy begins. We equate Christmas Season with the Christmas shopping season. We’ve been corrupted by our materialis c culture. The best an dote for this has been around for over 1,600 years: The season of the Chris an Year that immediately precedes Christmas, the season known as Advent. Advent comes from the La n word “adventus” or “coming.” Ancient Chris ans knew that Christ’s redemp ve work had changed everything, including how we mark me itself. Now God’s people would mark their year independently of secular calendars. In our Chris an Year we would celebrate the redeeming acts of Jesus Christ. This would guide our lives, our worship, our discipleship. Every year the founda onal doctrines of our Faith would be taught during, and by, these seasons. Throughout the year we would re-live the life of Jesus. Therefore, the year begins with Advent, preparing our hearts to celebrate Christ’s First Coming. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas Day and ends with Christmas Eve. During these four Sundays and the surrounding days, the preaching, teaching, and devo ons tell us of Christ’s First and Second Advents. Through God’s Word, our worship, and our medita ons we remember God’s promises to Israel to come as Savior and deliver them from cap vity. We remember Christ’s promises to come again someday to deliver Chris ans and judge the na ons. We prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth, and to meet him when he comes again. Advent is a me of remembrance, repentance, longing, and hope. Advent embeds Christmas, and us, in the only proper context. Advent provides the best possible means for preparing to celebrate Christ’s birth acceptably. Advent is a powerful an dote to the busyness and greed that pollute the weeks leading up to Christmas. We take a long look back through the history of God’s People, examine our hearts, re ect on our desperate need for God’s interven on, repent of sin, long for Christ to come, and hope steadfastly. Finally, we rejoice with great joy at the birth of Jesus Christ. All of this rejects and resists what our culture ac vely promotes in the weeks leading to Christmas. Advent requires us to look deeply into God’s Word, in both Testaments, and nd there the glorious prophecies of all that God’s Messiah was to be and do in his First and Second Comings. Each year we cycle through di erent passages learning how central Jesus is to all of Scripture and all of redemp on history. Advent reminds us that we’re an ancient-future pilgrim people with an ancient-future faith, stretching back through Christ into Israel, and forward through Christ into the eternal New Crea on. Advent hymns like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” join our longing with ancient Israel’s and with Chris ans’ through the ages. Each week a new candle is lit in the Advent wreath reminding us that God’s Light once came, and is coming again, into this present darkness. It is tragic that a few early evangelicals kept only Easter Sunday and Christmas Day and rejected the rest of the Chris an Year. Tearing these two days out of their contexts, out of the holy seasons surrounding them destroyed much of their power to form us as Chris ans. The celebra on of many American Chris ans became shallow, rootless, and truncated. Christmas was cut o from deep Scripture and history, stripped of much beauty and power, de ned by culture instead of by Christ. We lost a richness that can only be restored by marking me “in Christ” once more. Thankfully, many evangelicals are relearning the beauty of Advent itself, and the tremendous depth it adds to the celebra on of the Christmas Season that follows from Christmas Day un l Epiphany.

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Stop le ng non-Chris an ideas and prac ces push you around during these holy days. Don’t let your previous ignorance or this materialis c culture replace the holy, repentant Season of Advent with the “Christmas” shopping season. Enter fully into Advent and prepare your heart for the joy of mee ng Jesus!

DIRECTOR:

CYNDI DRAUGHON

Please email us at info@amnag.org if you are interested in being a part of this missions team. We are going to have a great trip with a lot of hands on ministry opportunities!

on $75 per petirosn fee istra ($35 pre-reg ary 1st due by Febru rrival) pon a + $40 due u

*LIFE RALLY TOUR*

Schedule will be available soon.

DAVID STRAHAN

Merry Christmas FROM THE

STRAHANS

BOOK REVIEWS: OUR ANCIENT-FUTURE FAITH

Robert Webber’s Ancient-Future Faith series is the premier examination of the church’s life and worship done in our lifetimes. In it Webber compares the life, worship, and ministry of the ancient church with that of modern evangelicalism, including Pentecostals. He demonstrates how the American church has “shallowed out” in every way. Drawing on the core concepts and practices of the ancient church, Webber describes how the Church can recover a powerful, effective life for the future we face. He is correct in his diagnoses and in his prescriptions for change. These books have had a profound impact on thousands of evangelical and Pentecostal ministers and churches, particularly some younger emerging leaders. They are biblically, theologically, historically, and practically solid. They are brief and easy to read. I encourage you to buy them, read them, and put them into practice. They are rich, deep, and will enrich and deepen you and your church.

Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World, Robert E. Webber, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999, 240 pages. Drawing from the church of the first few centuries, Webber demonstrates how the classical understanding of Christianity relates to postmodern mindset. This book can be read as a “primer on the Christian faith” or as an “explanation of what is happening in the church today.” Webber traces the historical deterioration of modern evangelicalism, including Pentecostalism, into its current state of life and worship. He shows how classical Christian ways of being the church and conceiving Christian truth effectively engage our culture in the areas of Christ, the church, worship, spirituality, and mission. This first book in the series serves as a basis and a forecast for those that followed. No other book on this subject approaches this book in both depth and accessibility. It is a classic.

Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community, Robert E. Webber, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003, 219 pages. For fifty years the American church has increasingly failed to carry out Christ’s great commission: Make disciples. That failure is now considered catastrophic, having produced shallow, compromised “christians” even in “growing” churches. Webber traces this disaster’s development over time, examining our misplaced priorities on “decisions” and our individualistic, subjective understanding of “salvation.” Drawing on ancient, historic church concepts and methods he describes a path through evangelism, discipleship, spiritual formation, to Christian vocation. He provides resources from classic rites of passage along this formational path, to the use of the Christian Year in the church’s perennial formation. This is one of the most thoughtful books on formation you will ever find. This is an outstanding, holistic approach.

Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year, Robert E. Webber, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004, 201 pages. For generations most American evangelicals forgot the Christian Year. This was a tragic loss of Christian identity, history, and formational structure. In this outstanding book Webber describes this loss and how it can be reclaimed. He examines the development, doctrinal emphases, discipleship opportunities, and worship foci of the Christian Year. The Cycle of Light consists of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. The Cycle of Life consists of Lent, Holy Week, Easter Season, to Pentecost. These two great cycles mark time according God’s saving acts and provide the perennial pillars of the church’s worship, doctrine, and discipleship. Growing numbers of ministers and churches are now following the Christian Year. My own church began this several years ago, and it has been a tremendous blessing.

The Divine Embrace: Recovering the Passionate Spiritual Life, Robert E. Webber, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2006, 288 pages. Many Christians confuse spirituality or spiritual experiences with emotion, passion, mystical moments, and supernatural occurrences. In this book Webber examines the history of spirituality, genuine and false, both within and outside of Christianity. He traces the historical developments in Christian spirituality. The section on legalism and romanticism, two great weaknesses in Pentecostalism, reveals the deadly effects of an individualistic, feeling-oriented false “spirituality” on any genuine spiritual life. Webber correctly sees all legitimate Christian spirituality as growing from truth and discipleship within a community of faith. This book is an excellent antidote to the false, and introduction to the true.

Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God’s Narrative, Robert E. Webber, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2008, 191 pages. Webber’s wife, Joanne, completed the last parts of this work shortly after Robert’s death. Here Webber first explains worship as God’s story, past, present, and future. He then applies this story to the whole of the worship service and major parts in particular – prayer, the Word, and the Lord’s Supper. Webber draws on Scripture and the ancient church to differentiate between God-centered true worship, and human-centered false “worship.” This work is logical, deep, easy to read, and easy to apply. It promotes holistic worship that honors God and grows people. Following the ancient patterns for Christian worship in a contemporary service enables the entire structure of the service itself to tell God’s great redemptive story as seen in the life and victory of Jesus Christ. This is an excellent book. Michael D. Sharp, D.Min. Network Secretary-Treasurer ALSOM Director

Rev. Othala Baker Blackwood of Wing passed away Sunday, September 19, 2021 at her

residence. She was 87. Graveside services were held on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at Old Bradley Cemetery. Rev. John White and Zachary Spader will o ciate. Le to cherish her memory, daughters, Shirley Easley Motley (Teddie) of Wing and Addie Sightler (Davey) of Andalusia (Stanley Community); grandchildren, Michelle Spicer (Fletcher), Thomas Easley (Terrie), Victoria Jackson (Chris); great grandchildren, JayLee Spicer, Emery Jackson and Elijah Spicer; nieces, nephews, cousins and her beloved church family from Liberty Hill Assembly of God Church in Florala.

Rev. Bobby Earl Coston, age 81, of Alabaster, Alabama passed away on Saturday, May

22, 2021. Bobby was born April 23, 1940. Bobby was a re red Minister, serving Aldrich Assembly of God for most of his career, a business owner, and welder. He was preceded in death by his father, Lonnie Coston; mother, Marie Bentley Coston; rst wife, Bonnie Bice Coston. He is survived by wife, Frances "Frankie" Coston; step-daughters, Kerrie Haynie (Sco ), Laura Smith, and Jenny Garner; brother Billy Coston (Gail), and a host of grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Rev. Keith Lamar Hudson, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama, passed into eternity on Sunday, August 29, 2021, at the age of 46.

Keith was born on May 27, 1975, in Waynesboro, Mississippi, to Earl and Gloria Hudson, of Saraland, Alabama. Keith followed the call of God on his life to pursue ministry through the avenues of discipleship and evangelism. He served in various ministry roles during his life and became an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God in Alabama, in 2018. He was further endorsed as a Corporate Chaplain with the Na onal O ce of the Assemblies of God. He loved working as a Chaplain to local businesses, praying for and suppor ng leaders and employees. He worked bi-voca onally during his life, serving in ministry and working as a logis cs manager in warehousing. Keith loved his family deeply. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jennifer Russell Hudson, and their son, Bralynd Chase Russell, of Wetumpka; his parents, Earl and Gloria Hudson, of Saraland; his siblings David Hudson (and Rhonda), of Concord, North Carolina; Evan Hudson (and Valerie), of Saraland; and Denise Clark (and Ryan), of Mobile. He was a treasured son-in-law to Rev. Grady and Joyce Russell, of Wetumpka; and a brother-in-law to David Russell (and Missy), of Chelsea; and Jonathan Russell (and Stephanie) of Chelsea. And, cherished by his grandmother-in-love, Doris Walters. He is also survived by many cousins, aunts, uncles, and a community full of friends.

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Keith enjoyed being a “favorite” uncle to een nieces and nephews, Douglas Hudson, Gabrielle Hudson, Isaiah Hudson, Anna Hudson, Judson Clark, Aiden Clark, and the twins, Joshua and Andrew Clark. Also, Andrew, Abigail and Asher Russell; and Ka e, Emily, Rachel and Sarah Russell.

Ministerial Obituaries

Ruth loved her family and her church family dearly. She was a faithful member of First Assembly of God, where she a ended for over 60 years. Over the years, she worked as church recep onist, was a choir member, taught Sunday School classes, par cipated and led various women’s ministries, and helped with Sharing & Caring Ministry. She was a licensed minister through the Assemblies of God and did spiritual counseling for many years. She hosted a television program, Re ec ons of a Woman, for several years and wrote three books.

Rev. Stevens L. Nolin, 94, of New Brockton, was born on

March 2, 1927 and passed peacefully October 15, 2021. A er serving in WWII, he returned home and fully commi ed his life to Christ and begin working in lay ministry before beginning Southeastern Bible Ins tute in Lakeland, FL. While there, he met and then married Mary Miller on June 1, 1952 and a er their gradua on, they followed God’s leading as missionaries to the Chinese in Singapore, where they ministered for fourteen years and served as the rst General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God of Singapore. Upon returning to Alabama, he pastored New Brockton First, and served many years as Presbyter of the Dothan-Enterprise Sec on. During his re rement years, God led he and Mary back to missions work in Hong Kong, Philippines and China.

MINISTERIAL UPDATES

Transferred in: Brian Jenkins (O)

Deceased: Rev. Bobby Coston Rev. Keith Hudson Rev. Othala Blackwood Rev. Mary Ruth Lee Rev. Thomas Stone Rev. Stevens Nolin

Pastoral Changes:

New/Upgraded Creden als: Jennifer Harris (C) Brian Easterling (C) Grace Cormier (C) Amber Gu errez (C) Nicholas Russell (C) Eric Hel ns ne (L) Janice Andrews (C) Amanda Marable (C) Vincent Moody (C)

He is survived by Mary Miller Nolin, his wife of 69 years, Rebecca (Keith) Freitag, Jennifer Nolin, and Philip (Angie) Nolin. Two hallmarks of his life was his steadfastness and faithfulness as a husband and father, and he gave himself to things that count for eternity—preaching the Word, laying founda ons, making disciples, shepherding many.

Rev. Thomas M. Stone, Jr., 72, of Eclec c, passed away October 14, 2021. He was born November 17, 1948.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Mary Stone. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Susan Stone; children, Heath (Amy) Stone and Josh (JoAnn) Stone; grandchildren, JoAnna, Caitlyn, Nathaniel, Carson, Tyler and Cooper; great great grandchild, Abiel; sisters, Marie Houston, Martha Finlay and Teresa Montgomery and a large, loving extended family.

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He was a Vietnam Veteran, serving in the United States Air Force. He was a dedicated Pastor and re red a er 48 years of ministry. His hobbies were going to the beach, gol ng and he especially loved reading the Word of God. He loved working at Marco’s and absolutely loved his Marco’s family. He enjoyed going to Cornerstone Co ee in Eclec c where there is a memorial set up in honor of PT.

grandmother, passed away on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the age of 91. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hubert Allen Lee; her parents, Rufus Zook Byler and Fannie Bell Smitherman Byler; brothers and sisters, David Byler, Paul Byler, and Louise Mar n; as well as her beloved sons-in-law, Wesley Crews and Rodger Ribelin. Survivors include her daughters, Deborah Lee Blankenship (Leo) and Laura Lee Ribelin; granddaughters, Heather Brock (Trey), Jennifer Bowers (Seth), and Tara Shu ; and great-grandchildren, Gabe, Andrew, Chase, Avery, Eli, Isaac, Caleb, Aus n, and Peyton.

Rev. Mary Ruth Lee, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-

SOUTHWEST REGION (9-27-21): Andalusia, Baldwin, Demopolis, Monroeville, and Mobile Sections SOUTHEAST REGION (9-28-21): Dothan, Enterprise, Montgomery, Phenix City, and Sylacauga Sections

Alabama School of Ministry Course Listing Fall 2021-Spring 2022 Level 1 Courses

Level 2 Courses (Licensed) Please Follow Your Track Original Track New Track Began ALSOM prior to Began ALSOM August August 2020 2020 or after

Level 3 Courses (Ordained)

NORTH REGION (9-30-21): Anniston, Birmingham, Cullman, (Certified) Tennessee Valley, and Tuscaloosa Sections

Class Date

MORNING SESSION WILL INCLUDE: -DEVO FROM PASTOR KEN DRAUGHON -SECTIONAL BUSINESS -MESSAGE FROM PASTOR RICK DUBOSE

Spring 2022

THE 142 A/G History, Missions, and Governance AFTERNOON SESSION WILL INCLUDE: February BIB 114 -BIBLE ENGAGEMENT Christ the Synoptic Gospels -TEACHING FROM PASTOR RICKinDUBOSE BREAK FOR LUNCH January

March

THE 114 Introduction to Pentecostal Doctrine

April

BIB 212 New Testament Survey

May

June/July

BIB 214 Old Testament Survey All Courses Open for Make-up

THE 211 MIN 123 THE 311 Intro to Theology: The Local Church in Prayer and Worship A Pentecostal Perspective Evangelism BIB 212 BIB 115 BIB 318 New Testament Acts: The Work of the Holy The Pentateuch Survey Spirit BIB 214 BIB 117 BIB 313 Old Testament Prison Epistles The Corinthian Survey Correspondence BIB 215 Romans: Justification by Faith

BIB 215 Romans: Justification by Faith

MIN 223 MIN 223 Introduction to Homiletics Introduction to Homiletics All Courses Open for Make-up

All Courses Open for Make-up

BIB 322 The Poetic Books MIN 325 Preaching in the Contemporary World All Courses Open for Make-up

Fall 2021 August

BIB 121 Introduction to Hermeneutics

THE 245 Eschatology

MIN 327 Church Administration, Finance and Law

September

THE 211 Intro to Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective MIN 181 Relationships and Ethics in Ministry

MIN 251 Effective Leadership

MIN 381 Pastoral Ministry

MIN 281 Conflict Management for Church Leaders

MIN 171 A Spirit Empowered Church: An Acts 2 Ministry Model All Courses Open for Make-up

MIN 261 Introduction to AG Missions All Courses Open for Make-up

All Courses Open for Make-up

MIN 191 Beginning Ministerial Internships

MIN 291 Intermediate Ministerial Internships

MIN 391 Advanced Ministerial Internships

October

November

December

Open for Enrollment Each Month

You may contact the office of the ALSOM Director and District Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Michael D. Sharp for more information at 334-279-7172 #2, or jharris@adcag.org.